WAG One more question about ballet

[LJL07]

I've been reading some of the recommendations about ballet improving form. I'm considering it for DD this summer. She will be 7 and level 3. She is very strong and almost overly flexible. The issues with her form are tightness and despite being an awesome little tumbler and bar worker, she has trouble with things that I would think would be easy like releves. It's kind of confusing to me that she can pick up bigger skills easily but has so much trouble with walking in a straight line. Her pedi neurologist mentioned she has mildly low tone. So, would ballet be a good idea, or would it just be frustrating for her now? She's kind of "fast moving," and I picture the beginning level ballet classes as being slower, so I wonder about boredom too?

 

[gwenmom]

I've been reading some of the recommendations about ballet improving form. I'm considering it for DD this summer. She will be 7 and level 3. She is very strong and almost overly flexible. The issues with her form are tightness and despite being an awesome little tumbler and bar worker, she has trouble with things that I would think would be easy like releves. It's kind of confusing to me that she can pick up bigger skills easily but has so much trouble with walking in a straight line. Her pedi neurologist mentioned she has mildly low tone. So, would ballet be a good idea, or would it just be frustrating for her now? She's kind of "fast moving," and I picture the beginning level ballet classes as being slower, so I wonder about boredom too?

Ballet is all about control and grace. It will help with her relive but expect arch cramps. Ballet class is 'slow' in comparison to gym because it is about form and control and making it look effortless. DD does ballet because she knows it helps gym. Not because she likes it's.

 

[MILgymFAM]

My younger dd is a go-go-go kid. Everything has to be in your face entertaining or she is BoRed! Ha. She loves ballet though. She says it's peaceful. I have always likened it to yoga for myself. I say give it a fair shot, and if after trying it she doesn't enjoy it, talk to her about the benefits of sucking it up and see what she says.

 

[gymdog]

I'd try it. It may help her focus in "slowing down" and being still, etc. classical ballet is very good when well taught, requires a lot of listening (music) which helps develop the brain.

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

You won't know until you try it!
Yes, a beginner ballet class is slow, and to many, "boring". My older daughter (the ballerina) does enjoy that and definitely sees barre as "meditative", but she has been dancing since she was a tiny tot.
My younger dd (the gymmie) did ballet as a preschooler too but it was clear almost from the beginning that this wasn't for her. She thrives on a faster moving pace and "fun". For her, jazz and hip hop were enjoyable and I think have helped her a lot with remembering choreography.
As far as it helping with low muscle tone, I don't know but I don't see how it could *hurt* it either. Perhaps the slow, controlled movements will help her realize how to tighten and execute things more precisely. good luck, and give it a shot! Worst case scenario, she doesn't like it and it doesn't help..!

 

[COz]

A trick I learnt was to ask at dancewear shops which are the 'serious' ballet schools. If you can find a nice small shop that is owner run, they'll usually know all of the schools, the teachers and how far they are along the scale of 'entertaining' through to 'technique focused'.

 

[LJL07]

Thanks, everyone. There is one ballet school that is strictly ballet we can try over the summer. Now to sell it to her...

 

[mommyof1]

I actually think the "technique-focused" classes can be much less boring for kids than the "entertaining" ones. My daughter always found pretending to be a cloud in pre-ballet class to be horribly boring. Now that they are older and learning the basic positions, working at the barre, practicing counting the music, etc., she always has something relatively demanding to focus on and now finds class much more interesting and enjoyable.

 

[COz]

Absolutely. I should have clarified that.
We had a school that seemed to just be 'entertaining' kids whilst their parents had coffee for 45mins. Our new school teaches actual ballet. Far better for a little gymmie!

 

[Muddlethru]

Thanks, everyone. There is one ballet school that is strictly ballet we can try over the summer. Now to sell it to her...

Yes. Without having seen actual ballet classes or knowing the reputation of ballet studios, one that does strictly ballet is a good indication that you'll get more serious training. Find out the background of the teachers as well. Many studios have people teach ballet who have only taken ballet for a short time (even 5 years of taking one or two classes a week does not make a good or qualified ballet teacher.). Then the teacher must also have the desire to teach proper technique and the passion to produce good dancers. Good luck. It will be slow. Maybe make an "event" out of it. Ballet class and then a treat you both can share or a visit to the park, store, pet shop? So she sees it as a fun educational experience.

 

[COz]

Another thing, if the ballet class is taught by a really good teacher, it's actually a work out even in the little kids classes.

My almost 5 yo daughter is currently in an IDP development program that trains 2x2 hours per week (equivalent to pre-team elite track I guess?).
In her 1 hour ballet class (RAD Primary) she actually comes out with wet hair from sweat. Her hair isn't noticeably wet after her 2 hour gymnastics class.
This is partly because gymnastics ends with a lot of stretching, whilst the ballet class only has a relatively quick stretch at the end, partly because the ballet class is more consistently aerobic than her gymnastics class. In ballet they do a lot of skipping etc. which is easy to do badly but harder to do with control, skipping high, pointing toes and in time with music with knees up high too and they also do things like split leaps (I think that's what they're called) which she doesn't yet do in gymnastics. OK, and maybe also because the rooms are smaller than at the gym
But anyway, even before they start doing anything really interesting, it can still give a decent workout.
Think of it as a gymnastics challenge rather than dancing and a good ballet class should not be boring for a gymnast. If it's boring, look elsewhere before ruling it out.

 

[gracyomalley]

DD did RAD grades 2 and 3 before running out of time in the week. She had hated preschool ballet but loved this (at age 9 and 10). It very much helped her with body control and dance at gym (although those were strengths for her already). Dance takes tons of body control even to do a slow plie...I wish she had time to continue it! A RAD program would be a way to be sure it was classical and well taught - although the testing was a pain for my gymmie to fit into her schedule!