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Ballet/Chances to become Professional

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Expert: - 3/29/2011


Question

This is me.
Hi, Dianne. I started ballet long ago, but I decided I wanted to be professional at 13. I didn't have the chance to enter any of the only 2 professional ballet schools in my country because the maximum age was 12. I've been taking class in 3 different places since then. Today, the maximum of classes I can take a day is 2, each one with a length of one and a half hour. I know it's too little and my problem is that none of the teachers I've taken class with uses to form professional dancers, so I've been slow to learn lots of the "sensations" you must feel in your body to be making things properly. The turn out is a good example: I'm just starting to work on it properly, because when I was younger nobody taught me that. And my arabesque still barely reaches 90 degrees... But I'm trying to make lots of exercises  at home to achieve the missing strength. I'm about to turn 17 and I'm desperate, because I don't know if I have any hope. I'm planning to audition for a formal, professional ballet school in USA, (just like the Joffrey Ballet School) or maybe many of them, when I turn 18.

I'm sorry the message is this long, but I needed to tell you my whole story. Do you know any successful ballet dancer who has been in my situation? I beg you to give me your opinion or advice.

Answer
Hi April. That is a lovely picture you posted here.

I have known a few ballet dancers who came from training backgrounds similar to yours, and who did succeed in dancing professionally for a few years. Their intensive training started at around the age of 18, and luckily their previous training had been good enough for them to keep going.

You seem very capable of the workload required to do ballet, and I wish you the best in fulfilling your dreams for professional training.

You might want to consider college dance departments in your search for training. If for some reason you do not go on to perform professionally, you will then have a degree with which to pursue a dance related career.

I have many articles at http://balletshoesandpointeshoes.blogspot.com about home practice and technical aspects of ballet. Some of them you may find helpful.

All the best, Dianne  
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Dianne M. Buxton

Expertise

I can answer questions about ballet positions, ballet movements and ballet technique, pointe shoes and pre pointe exercise, mens training, ballet diet, general health issues related to dance, artistry, performance, modern dance, rehabilitation from injuries, and teaching ballet. I have taught ballet, choreographed, produced and directed dance companies. For any answers related to health questions I will offer my experience, and give references to information, but I also automatically include "see a professional".

Experience

dancer, ballet and modern, choreographer, dance teacher, artistic director, ballet mistress, producer

Organizations
I.S.T.D. Actra, Actors Equity

Publications
http://ezinearticles.com http://ballettoeshoes.blogspot.com http://streetarticles.com http://balletconnections.com

Education/Credentials
Graduate of the National Ballet School of Canada where I studied Cecchetti, Bournonville, Vaganova and Graham technique. Taught at the National Ballet School of Canada, York University, George Brown College and Harvard University.

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