I have always liked ballet and wanted to take it when I was younger but never got the chance. I am thinking of signing up my daughter when she is a little older. DH thinks its not really necessary. What are the Pros and Cons of taking ballet if you took it or if your child is in ballet class? Are you glad you signed up for it or do you regret it
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I did (and was horrible) but my parents supported anything I wanted to try. We'll do the same for our lo. If she gets her grace from her parents, though she is screwed. To put it nicely.
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Just from the way LO likes to stand and kick her legs around I think I will sign her up for ballet. I'm not really huge on it tbh. But I think it's something she might like.
We got classes for our nieces and it's not a huge long term commitment so if she doesn't like it, no sweat. -
Aw, I took dance from 6-17 and loved it - ballet, tap and jazz. I begged my mom since I was three to take dance class, but she didn't let me until I was 6. I will put Lady M into classes, but if she doesn't like it, of course will not make her continue. I really hope she loves it b/c I am looking forward to recitals, costumes and the whole bit!
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My mother signed me up for a combination ballet/tap/jazz class before we moved when I was in fourth grade. Then I took another ballet class (this time in school, part of the curriculum) when I was in sixth grade. I always enjoyed it but I never had a dream of being on stage and actually had terrible stage fright.
To hear my DH talk, he can't believe I've ever taken a dance class considering how clumsy I am! I probably won't sign up DD for a dance class unless she specifically asks to and only once we've made sure she understands that it requires a lot of work - it isn't just about showing up for class, it's about practicing, keeping up with all your gear, keeping your gear clean and in good condition, eating properly, etc.
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My mom put me in ballet class as a child. We wore tutus, jumped over pillows and hung upside down on the barre. It was great fun.
I kept dancing for almost 20 years (hence my username here). Ballet taught me self-disciple, perseverance , and humility. I had dreams of becoming a professional dancer in New York. I was told I had the wrong body type for it at the ripe old age of 13. I kept dancing simply because I loved it. I made fantastic friends through dancing. I wouldn't have traded those years for anything.
I will absolutely be putting any of my future daughters into ballet. I won't force them to keep it up if they don't enjoy it. I do hope though that they are as passionate about it as I was.
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I did from ages 3-5 I would say. I wouldn't sign my LO (and not just he's a boy) or any future girl Los either.
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I'm a dance teacher so of course I think classes for babies are great. I have a boy so he won't be doing ballet but I would love to put him in tap class when he is old enough. I don't teach babies but I have helped out with the baby class a time or two. I have noticed it really helps them learn some disciple and respect from someone other than mom and dad. I also think it helps with their self esteem. Getting on that big stage and having everyone clap for them at recital time makes them so happy and excited. And even if they stand there with a finger up their nose they always get a huge applaud
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I took ballet from age 4 to 12 (I stopped when we started pointe shoes, those are horrible!) and loved it. I wasn't particularly good, but I later took ballet in college for gym classes and realized that dance is still my favorite form of exercise--I take Zumba now as my regular workout. I never really played sports--besides softball a few summers--so it was my main physical activity growing up
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I took ballet for a few months when I was nine, and then again in college. I liked it, and if I have a daughter, I will put her in dance if she asks for it.
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I took tap, ballet, and jazz as a kid. To this day, I love to dance even though I quit dance lessons back in grade school. Ballet wasn't a favorite of mine, but if LO #2 is a girl, I'd totally enroll her in all three! LO #1 is a boy so we won't be enrolling him in ballet. If he showed interest in tap or jazz or hip hop or something, then I'd enroll him.
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I danced from the time I was 3 until I was 12. I broke my foot right at the time I was about to start pointe and I was so frustrated with the delay the injury caused that I quit. That will be a regret I carry for a long time, I wish so badly that I had stayed with it. LO will definitely be put in dance ASAP but I have already asked my husband to keep me in check and not force it on her if she doesn't end up liking it.
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I tool ballet and really, really, really wish I had stuck with it for a longer period of time. LO has a snowglobe with a ballerina that is one of her favorite toys (even though it's just for looking at and not for playing with), and she likes to dance and move already. I can't wait to sigh her up for dance classes. If LO didn't like it I wouldn't push it, and if LO started getting body image issues or bullying in class, I would probably pull her out. Dance should be fun!
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I took ballet, tap, and jazz. I definitely plan to put my LOs in dance classes.
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My sister and I both did, and loved it. I took through 9th grade and she took dance all the way through college - she had a dance scholarship! Our parents said we only had to do it as long as we loved it. We both had an amazing experience. Some of our best friends to this day are girls we met in dance class as kids!
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Thanks every one I get excited just imagining by little girl learning how to dance!!
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I took ballet and jazz from the time I was 3 until I graduated from college. One day when I have a daughter I will most certainly sign her up for a class (if I don't just teach her myself) and see if she likes it. I'd love for my future daughter to be a dancer just like me, because it's my biggest passion.
The only thing I can say about being in ballet growing up is that it did at times have a negative effect on me because ballet promotes the long, slender girls and while I was never overweight, being short and not as skinny as others caused me to be anorexic for a time in junior high. It's not a reason I would ever discourage ballet, but I think it's important to understand it could be an issue one day in the future.
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@PointeShoesTutus: @marionberry: I danced for a long time, too! Still do, actually. I loved it and think there are a lot of benefits to dancing, especially ballet. What you both were told/experienced is one of the reasons I might be really careful when putting my daughter (should I have one--I've only got a son so far) in classes. I totally appreciate that there is a huge aesthetic component to dance, but the non-professional dance world should not be nearly as focused on body type as it was in my experience. I fit the bill physically as a ballet dancer, but I had a few instructors who still made unnecessary remarks, and they stung. I have many fond memories of dance lessons and performances and made lifelong friends, but there were a few people who I wish would have kept their opinions to themselves. (Caveat: I realize this post is about toddler dance classes. I loved my early dance classes and still remember how awesome my teacher was with us! I try to emulate her gentleness with my own toddler. The uglier stuff didn't start to creep into dance until much later.)
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No and no!
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I did and I loved it, and I'll put her in ballet if we can and if she's interested.
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@honeybear: I totally get where you are coming from. I should clarify that my ballet teacher didn't tell me I was too fat to be a professional. It was because I had a long torso and short legs. There was no body shaming at my studio as the owners did not tolerate it.
I was told this at 13 because at that time, I really wanted to become a professional dancer. My mom was looking into alternative high schools so I could dance full time. My teacher told me that while there was a chance I could indeed have a career as a ballerina, it would most likely not be with the two huge companies I'd dreamed about. Honestly, I was grateful she mentioned this. I had a typical high school experience and was still able to keep dancing.
All that being said, if/when the time comes for me to put DD into dance class, I'll be watching the instructors and owners very carefully. Eating disorders are so common in the dance world. The instructors I had were very pro-active about nipping potential issues in the bud. I hope to find the same for my (future) daughters.
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I took ballet when I was little-- like 1st through 3rd grade, and I liked it but got lazy and the classes got inconvenient for me and my mom so I stopped. I never had dreams of actually being a ballerina, but it was fun, and I would put LOs into dance class if they show an interest for sure. Considering that DH and I are both pretty terrible dancers, I wouldn't think our kids would have hopes of being professional dancers, but I still think it's fun, good exercise, and a good way to learn control of your body and coordination.
i wouldn't particularly *want* them to get super into it-- for some of the reasons stated on here with the eating disorders, etc-- but if they did, I'd just keep an eye out for problems, I guess. But for toddler classes I think it would be really fun-- boy or girl, btw. DH also wants them to be able to take gymnastics and some kind of martial arts, boy or girl.
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We didn't, but I'd love to get a future daughter into a dance class. I was never allowed to, because my mom was forced into it. It always makes me sad, because I love to dance! I'd like our kids to have that opportunity to try something new
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I took dance classes starting when I was three and loved it. At five you were supposed to pick a specialty. My mom was bummed because I ditched ballet and chose gymnastics, which I then did competitively for years. I loved it, and I hope I can give LO a chance to at least try something like that to see what she likes!
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I did, and I still dance (lyrical, tap, jazz, and modern)! I would love for future LOs to take dance. I think it really helped my confidence.
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I took creative movement / generic dance class starting at age 3 or 4, and hope to find something similar for this little one. She can choose a more formal/structured class if she is into it when she's older.
I want to start her in soccer at a young age too.
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The best thing my parents ever did was enroll me in ballet classes! It was and still is my greatest passion in life! I've danced since I was two. For some reason I've always expected to have a boy, and the only thing that makes me sad about that is I wouldn't have a girl to enroll in ballet classes
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Thanks everyone for all the comments and advice
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