really truly believe they can become professional ballet dancers without attending a top professional ballet academy and without taking multiple technique classes daily year round? Do you really believe that having passion trumps solid dance technique?
Just curious as to if you really believe that. It seems so by many of the answers given. If you think this is true, can you state your age and how many technique classes you take a week. That is not counting rehearsals or "company classes". Just pure ballet technique classes. Can you also state why you believe this to be true and give me one example of someone who has successfully done this without moving on to professional ballet academy training first. I am aware that some pro dancers have started in recreational schools but then move on after a short time there.
* By professional ballet dancer, I don't mean a teacher in a recreational ballet school. I mean a dancer in a real professional ballet company that gets paid and has a contract to dance.
Julia...Give me a name of ONE dancer who is a professional dancer who took classes at a rec center and practiced dance at home. Do you really think that taking a weekly class can compare to spending a day at a ballet academy taking 5 or 6 hours of class a day with the best ballet masters and mistresses in the world? Do you really think that the learning level is the same thing?
...and getting into a school of arts is just that. It is getting into a school. Not a career as a professional dancer.
@Anastasia- I think that is a pretty good trick going to schools that don't really exist. Being that there is no ABT school but the JKO school which is the feeder school for ABT2 and ABT. Of course there is the franchised ABT summer intensive which is far from a professional school that anyone can go to. I have also seen your answers and you answer like a competition dancer which is not professional training. There is also no Kirov school in Russia, but there is the Mariinsky Ballet school in Saint Petersburg, Russia, which was the feeder school for the Kirov which is now called the Mariinsky Ballet and has been called so for many years now. Yes, there is the Kirov in Washington D.C. but that is nowhere near the same caliber school.
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That's a sad question, Lee. It seems that most of the ballet students here think their teachers are "amazing", and they believe their friends who call them "amazing ballerinas". It's sad because they are so mislead. I wish every one of them (especially those like Julia, who thinks they are learning the same things at park & rec centers) could take just one class at a professional ballet academy. They would immediately see what they have been missing. It just leaves me shaking my head.
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Recreational Ballet
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1) If it's a laid back studio, a ponytail should be no problem. Just in case, wear a hair elastic around your wrist to class, and ask the teacher if a ponytail would be acceptable, or if she would prefer that you wear a bun. Ballet dancers don't just put their hair in a bun because they have to, though, it's the easiest way to keep your hair from getting in your way while dancing. Like someone above said, ponytails whip you in the face when you turn. I've been poked in the eye on many occasions and it does hurt and it's a pain because you can't see for a second. Obviously you won't be doing lots of turning right away, I'm just saying you might actually prefer a bun, but it's up to you as long as your studio doesn't have a policy about it. But buns aren't going to damage your hair. 2) there are different types of turns, but I'm sure you won't have to learn them on the first day. For pirouettes, you need to keep your core strong. Preparation is key. You need to start with a solid plié, and don't forget to spot. Don't wind up your arms for your turn, or open your arm before you start turning either. Keep your body square. Don't attemp multiple turns until you have the right technique on a single pirouette. Everybody would rather see a clean single pirouette than a messy double pirouette.for pique turns, remember to go up to a straight leg, spot where you are going, hit the proper passé position, and plié between them. 3) you have to picture yourself as a ballerina. Pretend that you are in a professional company class. Also, when your not dancing, keep good posture. Good posture makes people more confident. And believe in yourself. I know it sounds stupid but you need to know that you can be amazing at anything you set your mind on. Another thing is to realize you aren't going to be great at it right away. Allow yourself to mess up and laugh it off. You have to allow yourself to make mistakes; everyone does. Don't ever hesitate to try something new. Hope this helps 🙂
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Well I think that some people at recreational dance studios probably do believe they could be professional. But only because they don't understand what kind of teaching they need, and they don't understand how hard and how often they have to work in order to be a professional.
I know that some people can have natural talent, and do very well in a not so good ballet school. But like you said, I think they still would need to move on to a better studio if they were going to go anywhere with their dancing.
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Yes, park district or rec is the same thing as expensice academy. Really. Maybe you get less practice but you learn the same things and you can practice at home. There's dancers is my district that have been doing rec since first grade and they're amazing dancers and they're getting accepted into school of arts with ballet.
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No, though I do take classes very occasionally at recreational studios.
You can't compare your local studio to the Kirov or ABT.
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Well, I used to, but some people on YA kinda crushed my dreams lol:) Now I have to just suck it up and live:( I would like to be a Vet now:)