Okay starting ballet at 16, any tips for me?

	Okay starting ballet at 16, any tips for me? Okay I'm 16 right now and I'm signing up for ballet classes this fall, I've taken 2 adult beginner classes this summer and I decided I really like it and want to continue. I have a few questions, and I realize it'll take a lot of work. 1. will I ever catch up to my age group? if so how long? 2. do you know anyone that started as late as me? how are they doing now? 3. will I ever get the chance to perform, in like a local nutcracker? 4. do I ever have the chance of joining a small company? 5. If I take classes twice a week (1.5 hour classes) and practice at home (I'm already working with a theraband) how long till pointe? Thank You! Asked By: clueless - 7/19/2011

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Recreational ballet is for anyone of any age. There are recreational dancers on this site that started in their 30s and are doing just fine. There is no reason why you cannot perform in local productions too. But in regards to a professional company, the answer is no. You are really to old for a female and even if you weren't, you would have to be in born in the 2?f the population that has a ballet body and all that it entails. You need the right feet, turnout, achilles tendons, leg and torso length, tons of facility and a few other things. Training for the professional ballet is done at age 16 when you apprentice with a company. Dancers on track to become professionals dorm at their ballet academies where they take 30 hours of technique classes a week and even more in te summer months. They are often home schooled or take their academics as arraigned by their academies so they can take class during the day and so they can graduate high school a year early so they can dance.. There are few jobs and many well trained dancers. Even of the dancers born with the right facility and starting at the right age 7 or 8 (no later than 10 or 11) and studying at world class ballet academies like SAB (School of American Ballet) not all make the professional ranks. This past season only 5 dancers from among the male and female students were pick to apprentice with NYCB. That doesn't mean they all will get a contract to dance with them. Other students will go on to other smaller companies and others wont get hired at all. You would need to take about three 90 minute technique classes a week for about three years in a good school to be ready for pointe. Some recreational dance studios do put their dancers up way too early which is dangerous. Without strong, feet, ankles, legs and core as well as balance and always engaging your turnout without sickling; without strong ballet technique which takes years to build, you could easily snap an ankle. There is no short cut to ballet technique. If you cannot do it on flat, you wont be able to do it en pointe. If you enjoy ballet, enjoy the rite of passage involved in earning your pointe shoes. If you are up to early, if you don't get hurt, you may find you cannot do much. Going from flat to pointe should be almost seamless. If going en pointe were the icing on a cake, your ballet technique would be the cake. If you tried to ice a cake that wasn't fully cooked and cooled, you would have a mess. If you baked your cake for the right amount of time and give it time to cool, the icing goes on like a breeze. @ Treasure Brooks- It is one thing to pretend you are a professional ballet dancer and another to give dangerous advice regarding going en pointe based on your misrepresentation. I have seen your Q & A before you hid it and know you are only 13. If you keep giving dangerous and incorrect advice I will report you for the violation of impersonation and misrepresentation. Consider yourself warned. Answered By: mintchips49 - 7/19/2011

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1. if you work hard, then you can definately do it! 2. one of the teachers at my studio didnt start until she was 22! now she teaches. and MY teacher did all types of dance until she was 16, when she started ballet... then was so talented that she went into a company!!! now she owns the studio! nothing is impossible <3 3. of course! there are soooo many roles available, and great for many different ages and skill levels 4. again, my teachers did it- but you have to work VERY hard, and be taking classes almost everyday! 5. maybe 2 years? it really depends on your body (as in your FEET lol im not a prevert) hope this helped! Answered By: Morgan Symonds - 7/20/2011

1. will I ever catch up to my age group? if so how long? yes, if you always work your hardest it won't take long. :) 2. do you know anyone that started as late as me? how are they doing now? yes, she is now 17 and amazing! She competes now and does very well! 3. will I ever get the chance to perform, in like a local nutcracker? yes, just try out you will make something 4. do I ever have the chance of joining a small company? yes, there is a chance just always try your best 5. If I take classes twice a week (1.5 hour classes) and practice at home (I'm already working with a theraband) how long till pointe? This one is hard. My sister started ballet at 2 and is now 15 and started pointe at 13. But there is still a possibility of going on pointe Source(s): competitive dancer :) Answered By: grace k - 7/20/2011

Yes Answered By: Dinesh Kumarr - 7/19/2011

There is not a specific age group for your age. 16 yr old are at different levels. I know one girl who started as late she is 2nd level of ballet , but she is super serious into it. Usually if you're enrolled at a dance center they have recitals. when joining a ballet company you have to be at a certain level at least mid intermediate,and since you're just beginning you should ask your dance center the requirements to get on. Pointe is a very advanced ballet level which even i a 5 yr dancer have not reached yet. it takes many years and tough training and commitment. I can't really say how long exactly, it matters just how fast you progress. I hope this helped in any way! Source(s): 5 years of dancing Answered By: Melissa Ordonez - 7/19/2011

1. yes, i don't know it depends your disciplinary, but if you do the best like 3 years 1 for begginer 2 for strengthen your feet and then 3 for preparing your point shoes. 2. of course, my friend is going very good she is the best of her class know she have 24 years old ;) and she is professional. 3. Well that is very difficult, but yeah you can do that 4.yes yes yes i'm sure of that. 5. I had classes all my life till i have 2 years!! to 14 years you need to strenght your feet ;) so you can do it on like 3-4 years ;) P.S. Where you live? I am a professional, I do classes with the teachers that they have like 26 years hahahahha :P if you live near i can teach you ;) text me faneslamodita@hotmail.com XOXO good luck Source(s): 12 ears of ballet. Answered By: Claraa Rosas - 7/19/2011

1. usually they would have "teen ballet" which can range from 13+. there'll be different levels of experience, and you probably won't be the only beginner, and if you are, there are a lot of people who completely suck but still dance just to dance(:, so there might not be much catching up to do with everyone. technique is important though, especiallyyyy in ballet, which can take years to perfect, of course. 2. -- 3. could happen. you should be in TI (technique intensive) if you'd really want to do that, and be passionate enough to do that. TI is mostly just where you go more days a week and the "technique" is more "intense". gotta be commited. 4. same as number 3. 5. i've been dancing since i was 5. i'm 13 now. i'd just be able to get into pointe this year, yet they require me to take two other classes other than the 2 hours class for pointe that i'd be in (the poine class is a combination of ballet and pointe, as in ballet for one hour, pointe for the other hour. since regular ballet is already in the class, that's the reason i don't have to take 3 ballet classes.) technique is SO SO important. that's why she requires even more experienced dancers to take other classes. plus you have to be strong enough. i can honestly say that i'm very good at ballet and have very good technique, but if my ankles, core, and legs aren't strong enough, i wouldn't be able to take it. you need to be strong enough to prevent injury. the strongness comes from being in ballet. that's like the only way you can really build up the type of strong you need (there are other things to improve it, but you know). if you google some exersizes to improve ankle strength or to prepare for pointe, it'll help. best of luck(: Answered By: Sierra. - 7/19/2011

1. You would probably never be as good as them technically wise but i am sure would pick up up the steps quickly 2. I am 13 and just started 6 months ago. I am now in a cecchetti class major in intermediate level with ages 12-20 3. Depending on were you live is were productions are. Where i live there is no chance to preform except once a year at my academy's production 4. Starting at 16, probably not, but try teaching. That is what I plan on doing 5. Two classes a week is a good start...but more will be needed if you want to start pointe. At least one year of intensive training will be needed before hand so keep practising!!! Sorry I might have sounded harsh but it is the truth. Still continue with ballet and good luck with everything!! Answered By: Dance Freak - 7/19/2011

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