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Position:Home>Dancing> When to start her in Point?Question: When to start her in Point!? How and when can I start my daughters in pointe classes (ballet) !? i would like to get them into it young, so they have more years of experience!. My oldest is 6 and my youngest is 1!. My 6 year old already goes to "pre-Ballet" but she says they really don't do anything but stretch a lot!. Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Pre-ballet is just what it says!. It is a class designed for young children to help them learn the basics of stretching, coordination, marching, skipping, some arm movements, and they should at least be learning about some of the 5 basic ballet positions of the feet (usually 1st, 2nd, and 3rd!.) I advise you to watch her class to see what exactly her instructor is teaching, then you'll have a better idea!. Pointe work absolutely does not start until at least the age of 11, and only then if they have had at least 3 years of good ballet training (ideally at by that age they should be taking an hour and a half class at least 3 days a week)!. Please, if you really would like your daughters to pursue ballet, make sure you are taking them to a reputable ballet studio, one that offers experienced instructors and the focus of the studio is mainly on ballet classes, not other forms of dance!. Good luck to you and your daughters!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Well, I'm an intermediate ballet dancer that is training to be a professional!. Hopefully! I didn't go en pointe until I was 11 or 12 years old!. Your feet have to be ready, they have to be strong enough, to handle the demanding and strenuous work that being en pointe involves!. I started when I was 4 years old!. 1 is a little early!. There's nothing to gain by going until you are about 5!. The instructor will let you know when they will begin pointe work!. This will mean going to be fitted at a dance shop!. Before I even started my first class en pointe, I had gone back and forth, and tried on over 5 models of shoes!. Now I've experienced more than 30!. This will be my second year of pointe work!. If your daughter loves it, 6 is a great age to start!. In pre-ballet, and I've been in that as well as creative-movement classes, you begin learning about time, space, rhythm, movement, etc!. You also learn basic ballet terms, and positions, ie, first second, etc!. Stretching is also done a lot!. It takes time before you are ready to go en pointe!. Anyways, when your daughter is ready, there will be endless amounts of shoes, in different shanks, vamps, widths, sixes, and boxes to try on!. :) Until you get that "perfect shoe"!. A dancer who starts pointe at thirteen will have more experience, because at 8, say, the feet haven't finished developing as much, and they aren't mature yet!. Anyways, I love ballet, and I'm sure your girls will to!. This is my 9th year!. :)) Some great ballet schools are The New York City Ballet, The Pennsylvania Ballet, The Boston Ballet, The Lexington Ballet, The Kirov Ballet, The San Fransisco Ballet, The Houston Ballet, The Royal Ballet, and The Het ballet!. Some that aren't AS demanding are the Pennsylvania Ballet, The Lexington Ballet, and The Atlanta Ballet!.Www@QuestionHome@Com I started ballet when I was two!. I did a year of "Creative Movement" then went into Pre-Ballet, then Ballet 1, 2, and etc!. I wouldn't start anyone any younger than two or three, because of their attention span and diaper changing issues, and such!. Your six-year-old's teacher will let you know when she is ready to be moved up into the next level of classes, and she can also suggest when she thought best to start your little one!. As for pointe!.!.!. Girls never go on to pointe as young as six!. Usually it's around 11 at the earliest, but as old as 15 or older!. This is because their bones have to finish growing, their muscles have to finish developing, they must build up the strength in their legs and ankles, and they have to know the techniques and skills to use en pointe!. Pointe is very difficult and hard on your feet!. Again, your daughters' teacher will let you know when it's time!. The age they are ready will also depend on the way they grow and develop, so there is not a set age one can say for sure a girl will go en pointe!. I would advise you to ask your daughter's teacher what they think about moving your six year old into the next class level, when to start your younger daughter, and what kind of lesson plan to take with both girls!. Having worked with them and seen them dance, the teacher will know better than anyone on the internet!.Www@QuestionHome@Com well i take ballet and have since i was 2 1/2!. im now twelve about to turn thirteen!. if your oldest daughter is 6 she should have already started in ballet classes (soft shoe ballet) instead of pre-ballet (called combo at my school)!. and your youngest of one, she should start bre-ballet when she is three or around there!. if you are talking about the actual dance of pointe (ballet where they go on their toes) (also what traditional ballet is usually considered) she can NOT go on until she is AT LEAST 11!. At my studio, you have to be twelve to be en pointe!. this is my first year of pointe!. if the dance studio your daughter(s) go to isn't letting your 6 yr old go in a ballet class, then i do not know what else to let you know except find a different one!. also, these are what i know of dance (i'm from new jersey) and of my dance school (old bridge school of dance) our school's website is obdance!.com i hope i helped in any way! -EDIT- also, when I said the age they are allowed to go on pointe is because there is a lot of strainging of the feet and they have to be grown and strong enough to do this!. which is why 11, 12, and 13 is usually the age most studios allow it!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Im a ballet teacher-It starts slow!. They need to learn the very basics and build up a tonne of strength!. If their feet are not fully developped it can do major damage, as their bones are too soft when they are young!! Dont let them on pointe untill they are at least 12/13 because it is major strain on your feet!!! It can cause all types of problems in later life, and your feet never look the same again!! Www@QuestionHome@Com I think it is great you want to get your daughters involved in dance!. Ballet is great but it might bore them as they get older so enroll them in a jazz class as well!. They shouldn't start pointe until about 12 years of age!. Their feet are still growing so you don't want to mess with that until they reach their full size!. also you need years and years of ballet experience before starting pointe!. good luck =)Www@QuestionHome@Com There is no way in the world a 6 year old is going en pointe!. If she is allowed to, thet school should be frowned apon!. If your teacher hasn't said anything about pointe, nothing will happen any time soon!. She'll most likely start at 12 or 13!.Www@QuestionHome@Com |