Do you think that your child may not be disciplined enough for ballet? Your kid is going to want to move and groove. You can’t fight it. You might as well enroll them in a class where they can exert all their energy! Most kids will be ok with any class you decide to enroll them in, but the most popular (at least in our studio in Omaha, NE) is ballet.
Ballet is a beautiful style of dance, and watching young kids learn how to plie is the cutest thing in the world. But ballet is also a style of dance that is very disciplined. You are more than welcome to enroll your young child into an intro class to get them started on their ballet escapades, though some teachers say that waiting until the age of 7 to start real ballet practice is the best. If you start a kid too early, the extreme flexing of the muscles can cause damage that might last through their life in their joints and hips and bones.
Some people say that kids shouldn’t be disciplined in a ballet class too early because it takes away their time to be a kid and run around outside. Developing discipline tactics is not a bad thing for a kid to learn as it helps them learn better and behave better, but you also want a kid to be a kid! So where’s the healthy balance?
Well here at Omaha School of Music and Dance, we offer more recreational ballet classes, especially for the younger kiddos! We like to focus more on what the kids can do physically and work off that instead of pushing them to learn proper form right away. There are a time and place for more determined ballet students. If a kid knows deep in their heart that dancing ballet is their life passion, then enrolling them into more serious ballet programs may be the best fit. If the kid just wants to explore dancing and likes the look of a tutu then maybe more recreational classes are better!
Most instructors will agree that the ages of 8-9 are the ages where kids will be ready to adopt the proper discipline needed for a life of ballet. That way their muscles and bones have grown into the proper size needed for ballet. Each kid is different, we understand that, so delegate between your child if they feel ready or not. Teachers can also add input into where they think the child’s strengths and weaknesses lie.
If your kid is really interested in dance, but you don’t feel that they’re ready for the discipline of a ballet class yet, you should encourage them to dance around the house and in other spaces where they are free to do what they want and how they want. It will help pique their interest until they’re older and fully ready to be part of the ballet world! There are plenty of fun ballet movies and stories!
Intro classes in ballet or honestly, any kind of dance are great for kiddos to get involved with because it will teach them how to listen to teachers and take direction to better them for the real discipline of ballet. It’s a fickle business, but one that has great benefits to the social and health aspects of any child’s life. At OSMD, we strive to make every student we have to keep an interest in their chosen field of music or dance, and our littlest kids are our heart and soul of the business. We want them to expand their horizons and we love watching them learn and grow! We have very patient and skilled teachers that are willing to put in the time needed to get the kids to reach their goals! Hopefully, with good research and conversations with the kids about their abilities, they can start learning ballet in the proper way that won’t be detrimental to the lasting health of their muscles or anything! Give us a call as soon as you can to set up some lessons! We can’t wait to hear from you! Register Today!
