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Has your child ever said that Ballet is boring, slow or too easy? These can be common comments from students, especially is they are new to dance or comparing Ballet class to their Jazz or Hip Hop class.
Ballet has so many benefits for children, but often parents can think that Ballet is irrelevant considering their child doesn't want to grow up to be a ballerina. Have a read below of some of the benefits below and you might change your mind...
How does Ballet help children regardless of pursuing dance?
Ballet encourages focus. Students in a Ballet class are required to be attentive and to have attention to detail. This type of behaviour can translate into school work, home work and other hobbies. At first this genre may seem slow or 'boring' to your child but it's a valuable skill for your child to learn to adapt themselves to various learning environments whether the environment seems 'fun' or not.
It's good for the body! Ballet encourages students to understand and develop good posture, strength, flexibility and co-ordination. In this day and age of children spending more time sitting and looking at screens, Ballet can be wonderful in counter balancing the postural effects of 'tech time'. Ballet training as a child can set your child up to have better postural habits and core strength as an adult.
Ballet encourages more knowledge. Ballet can encourage your child to learn more about their body and how it works. It can also encourage your child to explore Classical music and composers. This is a wonderful addition to what your child may learn at school and from family etc.
Ballet improves memory. In a Ballet class students are required to learn and memorise positions, terminology, set work and choreography. Students who undertake Ballet often find it much easier to memorise in other areas of life, such as school or even chores and instructions at home.
How does Ballet help children in their pursuit of dance?
Have you ever wondered why advanced or professional dancers are so flawless? The answer is ... because of Ballet. Ballet was the first technical style of dance. All other genre's of technical dance, were developed from Ballet technique.
Without ballet, the movements in Jazz, Contemporary or Lyrical wouldn't be performed properly. Unfortunately, this is something that dancers (and parents) don't realise until it's too late and the dancers has already missed out on crucial years of proper Ballet training. With a solid foundation of Ballet technique, dancers can transfer their skills into jazz, lyrical or contemporary at the professional standard.
Even if your dancer is looking to pursue Musical Theatre or Contemporary dance as a career, Ballet training is crucial to their performance success. If a dancer is hired to perform in a show, not only will the dancer be required to execute choreography correctly but they will need to execute it correctly show, after show, after show, without the risk of injury or fatigue. A strong Ballet foundation will allow the dancer to meet the demands and requirements of any show.
So if you're child expresses negative thoughts in regards to Ballet, try to help them see the positive. Once they better understand the requirements of dance and technique, they will see that Ballet is challenging and that even the most simple moves like a plie and tendu can never be mastered but always improved and perfected, no matter how old or advanced you become. Encourage your child to enjoy the discipline and class structure as well as the traditions and music. Maybe organise an annual trip to see a Dance show to gain appreciation for dance technique and inspiration.
Want to get better at dance? Enrol in more Ballet today. It doesn't have to be a older class or more advanced class, even a basic beginners Ballet can assist you in reaching your full potential in Ballet and Dance.
Happy dancing!
