All About Ballet

[Minstral]

It seems like ballet is a popular enrichment choice for girls. I’m quite keen to let my daughter take up ballet to improve her poise and posture, but I wonder if learning ballet in the long term will affect her toes? No offense meant, but I have friends who do ballet and they don’t wear open-toe shoes because their toes are a mess.

[arielle08]

I only realise most of their legs are quite chunky.


Not sure about toes.

BTW, anyone went for the CSTD competition over the weekend?
Some of the contestents are really good!

[Serendipity]

Minstral, that depends on how intensive one trains for ballet i believe. And before going on pointe (on their toes), ballet training is not likely to affect their toes. More likely they’ll develop more muscular thighs n calves. I’m not an expert but I’ve taken some adult classes and did my own bit of research. I had the same worries as you b4, but I’ve come to realise that the benefits (like body flexibility and coordination, a dancer’s grace) outweigh the cons.

[vanyali]

My daughters (age 7 and 11) would like to take ballet lessons, but cannot join classes with girls their own ages because they are beginning level (they each had some classes in the U.S. but no one in the U.S. follows a syllabus or does exams, so U.S. classes don’t seem to count for anything here).


I would like to find a private tutor to teach them individually (or the two of them together) to get them to the right level for their ages, and then I could transition them to regular ballet classes.

Do you know of anyone who offers private ballet lessons? Does this plan sound like it would work, or can children just not dance here if they did not start in Singapore at age 3?

Thanks.

[vanyali]

Does anyone know of a beginning ballet class that has some older girls in it?


Some of the other activities that my girls (7 and 11) do have mixed ages in a class, so my girls don’t feel out of place as beginners. I am thinking of their gymnastics and rock climbing classes. Other classes they take (drama) group the children by age regardless of experience.

My girls would like to start ballet, but we are having a hard time figuring out how to start them out without them having to take a class with 3-5 year olds. My 11-year-old especially would feel too humiliated, and would not enjoy that.

Does anyone have a suggestion for us? We are based in Bishan, but have no problem traveling for classes.

Thanks.

[Serendipity]

Actually I doubt they’d be put with the 3-5yo because they are capable of better motor coordination and shld be able to join in at Grade 1 minimally. Why dun you speak to the ballet school u like and get the teachers to assess ur girls and see which class is most suitable?

[twilight]

I also don’t think they will be put with 3-5 years old kids. They will most likely start from grade 1 or maybe perhaps 2, so the class will consist of mostly about 7-9 years old kids.

[vanyali]

That would be nice.


So far, it’s been hard to even just get past the secretaries at the couple of ballet schools I’ve tried. Three schools have tried to put my girls with the 5 year olds, and none have let me start them at grade 1. We did one trial class this morning, but my oldest refused to join such a young class. My 7 year old did a good job (better than some of the girls enrolled in the class) but the teacher made us feel very unwelcome anyway.

[metz]

Hi,


My 7 year old has just joined a Grade 1 ballet class. In fact, I was the one who was hesitant about putting her in Grade 1 class. She has no ballet training except the 1 year baby ballet class she took when she was 3. Perhaps, you can request for a trial class to try out first? Btw, my daughter is taking classes at http://www.attitudearts.com/?page_id=5. Another school I heard my friends talking about is http://thedancestation.com.sg/. However, these schools are a distance from where you are staying.

[Serendipity]

vanyali, maybe you could try YMCA at Dhoby Ghaut. My girl used to attend classes there. Ask to speak to the ballet teacher personally. She is quite friendly and shld be able to assess ur girls.