Expert: Dianne M. Buxton - 12/29/2011

Question
I am a fairly busy and rather nonathletic 16-year old girl. I love ballet-- but from a large distance. Like most, I used to take ballet lessons at a very young age. Again, like most, I quit not long after. Unfortunately, I often wonder what 'may have been' had I not quit. Perfect poise? Pink Tutus? Nicely-formed muscles?(<- Not too shabby, might I add...) I wonder more, however, of the outcome of rejoining a class:

~Do I have the time? I have classes I need to study for, along with the additional homework. Are classes short and frequent? Long and infrequent? Long AND frequent?

~Will most students be at my particularly low level in my class?

~Could I work my way up to pointe? Has my admiration kicked in too late for real progress? (Though most reply, 'do what you love', I still feel that naggy-want of success.)

Thank you very much for the needed help. :)

Answer
Hi Sage. I cannot answer your questions since I can't see you, or see you dance, but here's my recommendation.

When you have time, visit some ballet studios in your neighborhood. Ask if you can watch a young adult/teen class and see who is in it, what the actual level is, and what the class schedules are. Tell the studio owner that you might be interested in studying ballet more than recreationally, and would like to see how well you do.

You might accomplish enough in the next two years to get into a college dance program and see where that takes you. If you are not able to perform classical ballet, that hard won technique will take you far in contemporary dance, musical theater, or jazz.

Just throwing out ideas to inspire you - all the best! And Happy Holidays!