The Path to Professional Ballet: What Classes Should a 16-Year-Old Take?
If you're a 16-year-old ballet enthusiast who has been dancing for a couple of years and aspire to pursue a professional ballet career, you might be asking yourself, 'How many ballet classes a week should I take?' The answer depends on your aspirations and the stage of your training. However, at 16 with only a couple of years of training, it's likely that the path to a professional career is already challenging.
Realistic Expectations
Unfortunately, if your goal is to start seriously considering a career in professional ballet at 16, it may be too late. Dancers who are company-ready or become apprentices and progress to corps de ballet are usually in their late teens or early twenties. With only a couple of years of training, you have aged out of the kind of training that could realistically provide you with a small chance at a ballet career. Most recreational dance schools do not offer the specialized training needed for a professional ballet career.
What It Takes to Be a Professional Dancer
Becoming a professional ballet dancer is a multifaceted journey involving physical attributes, musicality, and rigorous training. Here's what you need:
Bone and Muscle Structure: You need to be born with the right bone and muscle structure that suits ballet. This is a significant factor, albeit not the only one. Musicality: A natural sense of music and rhythm is crucial. Ballet is as much about conveying emotion through movement as it is about technique. Rigorous Training: Those on track for a professional career typically take 20-30 hours of ballet technique classes every week, year-round, in a world-class school. These schools usually have affiliate relationships with professional ballet companies. They screen candidates very carefully to ensure they have the necessary attributes and skills. Early Start: Most aspiring professional ballet dancers start their training at a very young age. Even if you have the right attributes and skills, if you start late, it may be too late to catch up. Pas de Deux and Character Dance: Advanced training includes pas de deux, character dance, and variations that dancers must master to qualify for professional positions.Conclusion and Enjoyment
It is true that ballet careers do not often pay well and are brief. Therefore, it is entirely possible to pursue ballet for the joy of it without aspiring to professional status. If you still want to take it seriously, aim for at least 15 hours of classes per week, practice 6-7 days a week, and ensure you take at least one day off to let your body repair.
Beyond ballet technique classes, it is beneficial to engage in other forms of physical activity such as dance, cardio, Pilates, and strength training to improve your overall fitness. Flexibility and strength are crucial in ballet, so stretching and strengthening exercises should be an integral part of your training.
Lastly, remember to take breaks from ballet. While dance is a passion for many, overtraining can lead to burnout. Breaks can refresh both your mind and body, making you even more passionate when you return to the dance.