hey i just started figure skating a year ago and i realy want to start ballet although i am amazingly flexible and know a few things from ballet wen i was 4 i will still be put in a begginers class how embarasing but i hope to one day in the near future get onto pointe so plz take up ballet hey im 14 lol i was so worried wen i went to my first class lol but the teacher was ok and i was put in a class with begginers around age 12 - 14 some on pointe most absolute begginers just try to find a nice ballet school to be honest the one your friend goes to doesent sound very fun lol.

what i think u should do is ask ur teacher if u can just go to studio 2 for pointe classes until u can do pointe classes at studio 1 so when u do pointe classes at studio 1 just quit studio 2 but just keep trying hard at your ballet i do exaclty the same as u and come to think of it i joined ballet at 7, tap at 11 and jazz at 10 lol snap im in the same position as u and this is what i done and it has worked out for e.

good luck in ur dancing

ok........im new here and i need a place to vent, really vent, and i need some help making a very important descision

im 14, i have dance in ballet since i was 7, jazz since i was 10, and tap since i was 11, but ballet is what i like most and the main focus of my dance studies......for 2 years my dance teacher has said that i am ready for pointe but since i started dance later then alot of people in my studio (most started at the age of 3) i got stuck in a class with kids who are 10 and 11 and they aren't ready for pointe yet. the other class ahead of me is my age but they are 3 grades ahead of me and have been doing pointe for 3 years. but my teacher will not put me in that class beacuse they are 3 years ahead of me in pointe (and i understand that).

but i have enquired about private lessons for pointe and she says she doesn't have time to teach just one kid pointe and it wouldn't be good for her because i would never be in a proper pointe class then. i would always be inbetween the 2 ballet classes if i got private lessons. she told me to just be patient and wait for the others to catch up with me physically and technically but i've been waiting for TWO YEARS!!! all the kids in my class don't care if they ever go on pointe so they don't work hard to get on pointe and its making the process for me alot longer....i asked them to work harder, if not for themselves then for me because we're all really good friends and i REALLY want to go on pointe. but they haven't worked harder.

so i went and took a few classes at another studio (lets call it studio 2, mine will be studio 1) in my town (my friend from school goes there) and the ballet teacher there said that if i joined the studio she'd put me in a pointe class right away because she really thinks i should go on now and not wait. the only problem is that studio 2 is not the best studio in my town.....everyone knows that studio 1 is the best....we dominate in festivals (large groups, small groups, trios, duets, solos) in our town and the surrounnding towns.....we even dominate in towns 6 hours away. and according to both my ballet teachers and my tap and jazz teacher i am the most promising kid in the studio for my age group. i've made a lot of friends at my studio, there like my second family. i spend pratically all my free time there, im at the studio more then im at home.

so i don't know if i should stay at studio 1 and wait to go on pointe or transfer over to studio 2 and go on pointe there. and i can't take classes at both studios because studio 2 really wants to be the best studio in the town and they won't teach kids who are taking classes at studio 1 at the same time. so i'm really torn at what i should do.

what do you guys think i should do?

I feel for you. I want to be a broadway actress and I need to learn dance like tap,jazz,and ballet. The problem is I'm almost 15 and havn't done dance in a while like since 9. I am afriad to join a dance place becuase I could be placed in a class with people my age and they are really good or I will be placed in a class with people younger than me and that is embarassing.Ithink you should go to Studio 2 because you cam learn more faster and then you can move on to more challeging stuff. You might be leaving the fame of Studio 1 but you'll be learning more and getting better faster. Can you PLEASE HELP ME. WHAT SHOULD I DO??

ok im sooo sure this is not what you want to hear, but i really think you should stick with studio 1. you have been there a long time and there may be some reason you havent been rought up to point yet, while im sure that you are an absolutely wonderful dancer, your teacher may see 1 or 2 things that she still wants you to improve on a bit more before you moveup. then again i could be completely wrong. but remember, studios ARE a business, and they tend to like to make money. theres a decent chance that that stidoi 2 is willing to put you in a pointe class to get your business. also that studios teacher/s havent known you for long so they dont know anything more than what you have told them or showed them. im going to say this again, i am sure that you are a wonerful dancer, ive always wanted to do ballet, but i never did and its a bit late for me now (18) and ive fallen in love with ballroom. anyhow, if you stay with studio 1 then just remember that when you do get to move up to point all the extra pre pointe work just may pay off for you in a big way. i hope everything goes well for you whatever you decide.

I would say definitely stay with studio 1... they know you and your abilities/weaknesses the best, while as crimson_tear said, studio 2 may just be trying to get business. It is definitely best to wait until your teacher says you are ready and strong enough, and I of all people should know. I was put on pointe WAY too early (age 10) and picked up all kinds of horrible habits that I still haven't been able to get rid of (I am now 18 and a dance major in college) Besides, it really helps to get all the strengthening you can get... this will really pay off in the long run. Good luck!

After reading your post my heart goes out to you and your frustration with studio 1. It seems unfair that you should be held back because you are in between age groups at your current studio. The teacher seems unwilling to offer additional help in preparing you for entry into a higher level and according to you, you are way ahead of the dancers in your current class. I just don't know if I would switch schools at this time since you have so much invested in Studio 1 as far as teachers that know your dance history. Maybe studio 2 has lower standards (i am not implying that you are not ready and able)and just wants to lure girls away from studio 1 so they can bolster their enrollment and try to compete with #1. We have a similiar situation in our town as i'm sure most do. Maybe you could show this letter to your teacher and let her know just how serious and sincere and frustrated you are. Ask her if she can recommend a coach to accelerate you into the next level. Take some workshops and work hard this summer. I know it can be gut wrenching to feel that you have been dismissed but keep up a good appearance and attitude. Sometimes these dance teachers don't like it when you tell them where you ought to be. I think the trick is to make them believe they have discovered you on their own. Go out for the studio auditions, be seen, be available, volunteer as a helper for beginner dancers, hang with some of the older girs and learn some of their routines. Give it a little more time. You've made your wants and desires known. Again, maybe consider showing your teacher your email in a letter form. I would leave out the part about studio 2 though. Lastly, and most of all never let andyone crush your desire and love of dancing! Surely you stand out as a shining example to your classmates. Bask in the glow of your abilities and smile.
All the best to you,
Donasaida da.lewis@comcast.net