Expert: Jennifer - 3/17/2004

Question
Dear Jennifer

I am 18 years old and have been out of ballet for 1 year.  I took classical ballet for 9 years and pointe class for 5 years. Usually i took classes 3 or 4 days a week.

I have a deep passion to join dance again and even to become a proffessional ballet dancer.  Is it too late?  

What should I do to persue this goal.  I have stayed in shape and practice at home sometimes, but I want to get serious about this.  Any advice would be grately appreciated.

thank you!
Sonja

Answer
Hello, Sonja

If you had already reached an advanced level before you dropped out of dance, it is not too late, but you must understand that the journey to a professional career will be very difficult. There is very little chance you will ever be able to dance with a large company like ABT or San Francisco Ballet. However, a job with a small regional ballet company is a very reasonable goal for you!

I know a man who was in a similar situation as you, though he was a bit older. He had danced when he was younger, but never made a career goal out of it, and stopped dancing when he was a teen. Then in his mid-twenties, he decided he wanted to be serious about it again. He was lucky enough to find some excellent instruction from the school of a small ballet company in Boston, the Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre. His teachers there took his goals very seriously, and several years later he became an apprentice with the company and then finally a full member of the corps.

It took Bob a lot of work to acheive his goal, and a bit of luck in finding a company that was so accomodating of his goals. I suggest you do some research to find small, fully professional companies in your area and see if they give classes or have a training program. Depending on where you live, however this may not be available. Few cities are able to support small professional companies. If you wish to follow this route, you may have to commute or relocate.

Another option is to attend a university dance BFA program. BFA programs (unlike BA programs in ballet) require a lot of class time and performance requirements, so you will most likely get in the amount of training you need to get to your goals. In addition, you will receive a bachelors degree you can fall back on in case you dont reach your goals.

The main point is that you will most likely not get the quality of instruction and connections you need at a typical ballet studio. You need to go somewhere that have more accelerated and individual instruction like a company school or a university. Each have instructors and mentors who have actually had professional dance careers and can advise you about how to find a job once you are ready.

There is no easy way to go professional in dance, but I think you will regret it if you don't give it your all. You've got to find the best possible instruction and take as many classes as you can afford (or more!). Take every opportinuty to perform (even amature performances will be a benefit on an older job auditioner's resume). It will take years of hard work, and it will take sacrifice of your time and your money. But i think if you want it enough you can make it!