What Age Should Kids Start Ballet?

Series Summary

A form sweeps lightly across the stage, gracefully arching arms and neck, balancing posture with poise effortlessly—this is the image that ballet dancers the world over spend a lifetime creating. Originating in Italy in the late 1400's, ballet is a beautiful dance that takes years of training to perfect. Ballet dancers train their bodies, investing years in dance schools, perfecting their jeté, their rand de jambre, their relevé. When everything comes together, the ballet is a spectacle of wonder, telling us the timeless stories of history and the human heart through measured expressions of fluid and beautiful motion.

Starting ballet at a young age is the best way to develop your skills as a dancer. In this free video series, our expert will teach you how to enroll your child in ballet classes. Not only will your child be exercising and learning a beautiful dance, but she will also be able to develop listening skills and releasing energy. Our expert will give you tips on what to look for in a ballet studio, including why it's important to check the studio floors, bathroom, and teachers certification. Get tips on finding out about a ballet class style and competition level as well. If you have a child interested in ballet dancing or simply want to find an after school activity, let our expert introduce you and your child to ballet classes.

Video Transcript

"I'd like to talk to you about some tips when enrolling your child in ballet class. Due to the tremendous growth of popularity in the United States of dance, there are so many dance studios to choose from, and that's a great thing. You now have a lot of options for your child. The first thing you need to consider is enrollment period at the studio. Most studios start right at the beginning of the school year. You want to probably get your child in right about that time if you can. However, that's not to say that they will not take your child during the year if you perhaps move to a new area and need to enroll your child, but it's best if you can get them started at the beginning so that they can start learning their technique along with other students. You also want to obtain a list of all the studios in your area. You can go to the web. You can look in the yellow pages. Just be as thorough as you can. Find all the studios that are available to you. Find out if that studio has ballet classes. You might assume that they do, but perhaps they are hip-hop focused, or they are a ballroom focus. Some will just throw in a ballet class here and there. Just make sure if they have sufficient options for you. Good luck."