Should ballet students be able to take the next level up?

[Guest SpiritIvy]

I've been to a few different studios and they all have different opinions about this... the first couple I went to where totally OK with me taking the barre work, and sometimes even the whole class, in the level next up to mine. Since I lived in a smaller town with very few classes and where dance wasn't very big, I wonder if they let me do it just because there wherent many classes at my level and/or because they wanted the business. I recently moved and now I attend a pre-professional school with their own company (it's not a big company, nothing like SAB, but it's definatly a good school) When I went there to get the information and sign up sheets and scheduals and stuff, I asked about taking classes in the next level up and they said that they had other people do it before, it shouldn't be a problem. I took a couple trial classes and was placed in the second highest level. When I registered, I wanted to sign up for extra classes in advanced because there are only 3 classes a week in my level, and they said I couldn't do it because the advanced students take more classes a week than I do. (with the adv. classes I would have been taking MORE than the average person in the advanced level) So I signed up for the level below mine as a supplement instead. I'm improvng a lot, and my technique is getting so much better, but now I am starting to get bored in my lower level classes. The tempos are painfully slow and the combinations we do are repeated for weeks and weeks at a time. It's fine for the kids who are normally in this level who are just learning this but I'm starting to hate it. I know you can get A LOT out of a lower level class but I feel like after 2 months of taking this class twice a week that I really really want a challange. I doubt theres too much I can do, although I am asking my teacher tonight for suggestions... I really enjoyed taking the next level up, it was always such a challange and I was always learning new things, I really wish they'd let me do that here...

 

Do you think that ballet students should be able to take ballet class in the next level? Was it a bad idea for me to take the next level up at my old studio?

[Mel Johnson]

I doubt it was a bad decision to allow you to take a more advanced class, especially as the decision was made by people who were observing your work on the spot.

 

Use the less advanced class to achieve mastery of technical points you might otherwise have to rush through in the more advanced class. You can have your own "mini-intensive" by working on things you know but might not have QUITE perfected yet.

 

Hey, forty years dancing, and I still like grade 5 RAD as a good sturdy class with everything you need basically there! Diana Cartier, who was with American Ballet Theater and the Joffrey Ballet used to take even Beginning Pointe to make sure she was still putting everything in the right places!

[glissade_jete]

I'm also in the advanced division at my school. (Level 6) In addition to the technique classes, advanced pointe classes, and pas de deux, variations, etc, I also take Level 4 and Level 5 technique classes. Level 4 is very basic and slow, but I'm able to concentrate on the little things, like turnout and head placement. Sometimes, the younger classes act as additional pointe classes. I also take the intermediate pointe class as well, because it helps build strength that I can use in the advanced class. While doing levels beyond your own is extremely beneficial, the ones down can help you just as much!

[Guest SpiritIvy]

I know that lowre levels are really good for you but I take it so much I'm starting to hate it. Occasionally I want a challanging class. I used to not mind because I got enough corrections that I always had stuff to work on- now I get only a couple corrections a day and I keep working everything I already learned but I keep wishing I had something MORE to work on... I wish I could tkae the class on pointe but they won't let me

[Guest dance4life87]

well, I take a lower level just to always have a slow basic ballet class once a week, and then I take some higher classes, because I've found that they have helped me out a lot.

[Guest Twinkletoes98]

This may not be an option for you, but I take classes at two different studios. One is an hour away from home, but is excellent training and very beneficial. The other has good training as well, but is certainly not pre-professional. I still take lessons there because it is closer to home, I've been there since I was 3 (so it's like a home away from home) and I'm in the highest level class there. I also take lower level classes there for the same reasons all of you. I guess I wonder if there is another studio where you could perhaps take classes one day a week that couldgive you more practice, as well as more variety to add some more excitement.

[Guest SpiritIvy]

I should check into that- again- lol. I'm at the most professional studio in the area, and my parents won't commute an hour away (there are some good ones about 50 miles from my house) because the traffic is really bad and because they still have to take my sister to her gymnastics. It's really expensive where I take class now so I can't afford any more lessons. Luckily the rate I pay now is unlimited, so I can take as many classes I want... provided that they are my level. at the beggining of the school year I checked into the other studios but the only way I could go was on scholarship or work study. None of the studios have scholarships in my town and all the work studies where filled up.

 

thanks for the advice!