When I Grow Up I Want to Be a Ballerina.Originally publis...

When I Grow Up I Want to Be a Ballerina.


Originally published by Home Educating Family Magazine.  Reprinted with permission by the author (that's me).










Growing up homeschooled in the eighties and ninetiesgave my little sister and me the time, focus, dedication, drive, and commitmentthat it took to fulfill (almost) every little girl's dream:  becoming ballerinas.  Of course there are little girls who scoff attutus and tiaras and dream instead of cowgirl boots and mud pies (like acertain someone I gave birth to) but "When I grow up I want to be a ballerina"is a common wistful sigh on the lips of plenty of feminine youngsters.The world of performing arts is a beautiful,timeless thing.  It's also demanding,unyielding, competitive, and harsh.  Thebeauty of a ballerina in her sparkling white tutu is evenly matched with thebruised body and bloodied toes.  The lifeof a performer is at best, a dream come true, and at worst,self-destructive.  Can a starry eyedlittle homeschooled girl overcome the odds and live a fulfilling life on stage?
The answer, of course is yes. 
Forthe baby bunheads:For just about every dance school out there, thelittle three and four year olds are the bread and butter of the business.  Creative Movement begins at that age andclasses are filled to the brim with skipping, frolicking, twirling and swirlinglittle tutu-ed sweet peas.  At CreativeMovement you can expect your daughter to learn the basics of her body and thespaces that body fills, music and the differing sounds of beats and counts,role play, imagination, a smattering of ballet vocabulary, and all in all, alove for dance.  Expect an exuberantteacher who has a personality similar to a Disney princess, a class time ofaround 45 minutes once per week, a recital/showcase/performance where yoursweetie will forget absolutely everything she learned, and expect to payapproximately $40 per month (depending on where you live).  Don't expect Little Anna Pavlova to emerge atthis age, but yes, you certainly can see talent this young…and everyone sees itin their daughter!
At around the ages of five to seven, more techniqueis introduced.  Your ballerina should bein a class that is one hour long in length, one time per week, and should knowquite a few French words of vocabulary. She should know all the basics, like plie, tondue, battement, jete, andthe Five Positions (although they will only be using three).  This would beconsidered a Pre-Ballet level.  There willbe stretching, barre work and center work.
Forthe elementary age bunheads:At around the double digit age, ballet studentsshould expect to take twice per week. Levels in Ballet 1-4, or thereabouts, should expect a class time of1-11/2 hours per class, higher intensity, opportunities to perform, and a goodfoundation of the art of ballet.  Thiscan be an intimidating age to begin ballet, but there are always enough brandnew 10-13 year olds who can be grouped in a class together in order to catchup.  Remember, there is always a phenomout there that you don't want your daughter to compare herself to! 
Forthe teenage bunheads:Once your daughter has entered into the teen yearsand has been in ballet for a good length of time you can expect extremely longhours, sore muscles, fierce competition, a fuel tank that is always on Empty, aseparate bank account for point shoes, and rehearsals stacked on top ofrehearsals.  Oh, and utterly terrifyingtoes that would make a grown lumberjack squeal like a little girl.  This is the age where they either drop outcompletely, or they dedicate themselves completely.  Neither option is wrong; it's simply nearlyimpossible to dance at this age "for fun." The whole family will need to decide if this is a sacrifice they arewilling to make.  Sacrifices can includerelocation, financial stress, body image issues, and the devastation that cancome if her dreams don't materialize the way she envisioned.    This doesn't mean that the journey isn'tworth it, but young ladies need to be encouraged to remember that ismore to life than dancing. I don't like hearing expressions like, I would die without ballet. It's my whole life. There is noguaranteed happy ending for the passionate sixteen year old who believes balletis her whole life and she would perish without it. Injuries happen.  Lack of truetalent happens.  God's will happens.  Staying rooted and grounded in faith andfamily will be crucial in a young artist's maturity.  Have lots of good talks with your daughter aboutbody image and health.  Unfortunately,eating disorders among ballerinas are very common place, accepted, andoccasionally encouraged.  Sadly, healthylifestyles are not the norm in the performing world.  It's similar to driving by a hospital andseeing the nurses out back smoking: drive by a theater or art school and you'lltypically find the ballerinas smoking and drinking Diet Coke.  For some, this is the mainstay of their diet.
Finda studio:Depending on the size of your town you may havelittle to choose from, or you may have a dance studio on every corner, like aStarbucks but without the caffeine. Asking around and discovering their reputation is one great way to knowwhere to start.  However please rememberthat one bad critique or review of a studio may not be the gospel truth!  Teachers juggle a delicate balance every day ofloving strictness and the ever present "Stage Mom" can be a difficult beast toappease.  For every unhappy parent thereare probably fifty happy ones, so be sure to get a lot of opinions.  If the over-all reputation is one of beingtoo harsh, too flippant, too pricey, too flaky, or if you get the impressionthe owner is just someone who hung a shingle out front because her lastbusiness went under, then run don't walk.  Or perhaps we should say chasse don't pas de bourree!
Forthe boys:Generally speaking, it's the little girls whodevelop an interest in ballet, but of course there are boys too, who show atalent for dance.  And we're so luckythey do!  What would a pas de deux bewithout the prince?  Male dancers have abit of an easier time making a living with dancing, landing better roles,getting more attention, and snagging those scholarships, all because thecompetition is less ferocious. 
FinalCurtain:A simple Google search will bring up studios in yourarea, and also colleges with dance programs, Christian dance companies,performances, reviews, blogs, and biographies. Have fun with your dancer and most of all, enjoy the show!
P.S.And please don't watch the show, Dance Moms. Talk about ridiculous. That woman turns out some talented dancers, yes (if you like the trashy, pre-teen stripper look), but her and those moms make me want to bang my head on my desk repeatedly.