What Do You Expect Your Child To Learn In A Ballet Dance Class?
Ballet is a very demanding performance dance. It requires focus, skill, and regular practice. If you have an aspiring ballerina child, remember that your tot cannot simply learn ballet on their own. Ballet is a very technical dance and therefore requires the help of those who know the intricacies of the art. Hence, if you’re child is serious about becoming a good ballet dancer someday, attending a ballet dance class is a must.
Experts say that the best time to enroll your child in a ballet dance class is when they’re really young. Some believe that the earlier your child starts, the better. If you’re a parent, you may want to start your child as soon as he or she reaches 4 or 5 years old. But, of course, you have to assess if your little one is mentally and emotionally prepared for it. If he or she is all for it, then you can enroll him or her anytime you please.
Depending on the number of ballet classes your child decides to take every week, expect to shell out between $60 and $150 per month for tuition fee. But, this is not your only expense, as you will have to allot a good deal of budget on things like ballet dance clothes, shoes, and accessories. A lot of dance schools hold an annual production or recital which requires your child to wear costumes that usually cost about $75 apiece.
When looking for a dance studio for your child, you have to make sure that you’re choosing a good one. Basically, you need to find a professional studio that has qualified teachers, a cushioned dance floor, small dance classes, reasonable tuition fee, and a pleasing and friendly environment. Remember, your child will be spending a considerable amount of time in a ballet dance class, which is why it’s very important that you devote some time searching for the perfect venue for your child.
But, what can you actually expect your child to learn in a ballet dance class? Of course, you expect your child to learn the basic skills needed in ballet like proper posture, balance, coordination, alignment, elevation, flexibility, and foot strength. It may take a while before your child learns all these but your little one will surely learn fast given that he or she has a good and professional ballet teacher.
Proper posture is a crucial part of your child’s training. Your child will learn to keep his or her back or spine in straight manner and keep the chin up most of the time. It not only affects your tot’s every movement in ballet, but it also helps your child develop discipline. Here, even the smallest adjustments matter.
Ballet dancers must have incredible balance. Your child may not easily learn, especially because toddlers and pre-schoolers have not yet mastered their motor skills. Also, their leg muscles are not yet fully developed to maintain good balance. Yet mastering the proper balance starts with having the right posture. The two skills work together and in time will enable your child to have core stability, allowing balancing to be effortless.
Alignment is among the elements that makes ballet technique more precise. This would mean having the knees over the toes when in a demi plie, or keeping the leg in front when in a tendu devant. Your child will also learn this very important skill in a ballet dance class.
Your little one will also learn how to jump and elevate gracefully. Some children may naturally jump higher than others, but this can be improved with practice. It is very important to have good elevation as this adds power to the performance.
Of course, expect your son or daughter to be more flexible after a few classes. Flexibility is a skill that that must be practiced to improve. Your child will definitely benefit from this because all kinds of dance require good flexibility.
And lastly, expect your child to have stronger legs and feet after a few weeks of attending a ballet dance class. One can never be strong enough because even the most experienced dancers are still practicing to be stronger. Strength definitely takes time to develop, so be patient if you don’t see your child improving fast.
If your child is interested in taking a ballet dance class, let her. There are many things to learn in a dance studio that you might be surprised how much your child has become in just a few weeks of training.
