Learning ballet is something many young kids aspire to do. With its blend of artistic expression and creative art form, this elegant dance technique makes it a highly attractive hobby to learn from a young age.
If as a parent, you have made the decision to enroll your beautiful bundle of joy in ballet, we believe the sooner they get started, the easier it becomes to learn and retain information as they go along. Let’s see why commencing as young as 4 years of age will give your child the best head start in learning this beautiful form of dance.
Ballet demands a high level of practice, discipline & motivation.
Learning basic ballet techniques such as movement and co-ordination doesn’t happen overnight, and can often take years to master in all its intricate form. Beginner students can comfortably learn at their own pace with minimal structure and without the excessive pressure of conforming to a more stringent disciplined practice (which is more the case with advanced level ballet school).
Ballet dancing demands perseverance, motivation and curiosity, therefore it’s important to develop the fundamental skills as early as possible. Given how impressionable a young child is, we believe starting as young as 4 years old makes them more receptive to learning and retaining the different aspects of ballet faster. Unfortunately, starting any earlier is not advisable, as they simply won’t have the concentration span to perform as required.
You will find most ballet-teaching schools provide pre-ballet classes starting at age four, which we believe is a great starting point. If your child develops a passion for dancing during this time and is keen to progress further, they can always continue with more comprehensive classes from age six and onwards.
Pre-ballet classes will prepare your child for the more intensive ballet lessons to come, helping them become more confident with body movements, posture and memorizing the techniques of ballet.
One of the first things your child will learn in pre-ballet classes will be very basic movements and ballet techniques. This includes fundamental co-ordination skills, holding posture, timing and practice using the handlebar. Lessons at this age are also very light-hearted and not as strictly regimented compared to higher levels of ballet. Young children are more inclined to grasp valuable information if they feel comfortable with the ballet instructor and are having fun while learning.
Tougher ballet movements, discipline and mindset involvement are usually taught much later down the track, after some form of experience has initially been established. If learning ballet is something you’re thinking about for your child, enrolling them into ballet school from 4 years old is highly recommended.
Jodie Muir is the founder of More To The Pointe and is a fully trained ballet dancer from the Australian School of Ballet. She has been teaching for over 15 years during which time she taught beginners through to pre-professionals. Located in the Lower North Shore, our speciality store specialises in high quality custom fit shoes for dancers feet.
For more information, please don’t hesitate to contact us on (+61) 420 599 141.