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  1. #1
    theriviera is offline Sapphire level (2000+ posts)
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    Default Do your kids take dance classes?

    DD1, 3, loves to dance and loves music. I am thinking of signing her up for dance classes in the fall. The class geared for her age group is 50 min, with 35 min of ballet and 15 min of tap.

    I feel totally out of my league as I never did dance nor did I have any interest in it. Can moms of kids in dance class give me some ideas of what to expect? Do they wear costumes at that age? Makeup at recitals?

    My daughter is such a girly girl and I am not so I am a little uneasy with all this, more from the unknown, probably.
    Mama to 3 awesome kids

  2. #2
    AnnieW625's Avatar
    AnnieW625 is offline Black Diamond level (25,000+ posts)
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    DD1 took pre ballet from 3 yrs. until 5 yrs. old. She enjoyed going a lot between the age of 3 and 4, the class was really laid back and free form. From the age of 4 and 5 I think she liked it but she was getting bored, plus the first teacher she had for pre ballet 4 who was the same teacher she had when she was 3 turned out to be a stickler (getting mad when newly 4 yr. olds needed a bathroom break, and overall just being stern) so we switched teachers, and DD1 liked the new teacher a lot, but by the end of the year she was 4 I think she was getting a little bored with pre ballet as she had been in it by then for two years and still had another year left to before going to childrens ballet. She said she wanted to go back when she was 6, but she hasn't mentioned it much and I haven't pushed it.

    I chose the classical ballet school I did because as silly as this sounds I didn't want to have to deal with the heavy makeup and often teeny bopper looking recital costumes at the other local dance school near us. I don't regret chosing that option at all, but if I send DD2 to ballet I am waiting until she is 5 yrs. old, and I have actually found another classical ballet school near us that is less rigid as the one DD1 went to.

    eta: the school DD1 went to has a very well known Nutcracker program in our area and it is optional as well for all students. There was no rehearsal outside of class so all of the students learned the routine (but I never heard any slack about that, but that could be a sticky point for some kids who aren't partcipating I guess). There was a $90 participation fee I think and we didn't have to buy a costume. For the spring performance there was a $50 fee and it included a costume.

    I will also say that for a classical ballet school I was very happy with the demographics of the ballet school and there were girls in all shapes, colors, and sizes, and all of the girls in all different shapes and sizes were also in the Nutcracker, and the spring performance.
    Last edited by AnnieW625; 07-11-2012 at 03:20 PM.
    Annie
    WOHM to two wonderful little girls born in April
    DD E, 17
    DD L, 13,
    baby 2, 4-2009 (our Tri-18 baby)

  3. #3
    lhafer is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
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    My DD1 did dance at a few places when she was littler (she's 6 now). I did Little Gym tap/ballet - she hated it. I tried hip hop for her when she was 4-5. She liked that a lot, but everyone else was older (closer to 6) in that class and more coordinated and it just frustrated her. She LOVES to dance and I may see if she wants to try hip hop again now that she's older. Tap/ballet was just too...slow for her (she's very very energetic).

    I got her shoes at Payless. No make up for us.

    I'm about to enroll my DD2 (now 2.5) in a dance class if I can make the time work. I think she would love the tap/ballet type of dance.

  4. #4
    brittone2 is offline Blue Diamond level (20,000+ posts)
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    We skipped the creative movement classes since we do some of that at home. Not that I don't see value in it, but I just didn't feel compelled to add it to our schedule. At 4.5 DD took a drop-in ballet class over the summer, which was great as there was no commitment. She loved it.

    We ended up signing her up at a local dance school for preballet 1. She took that this past year, when she was 4-5. She's moving to preballet 2 this year (she's 5.5 now and will turn 6).

    Her studio does "whatever makeup you are comfortable with" at the recital. The Nutcracker is optional for preballet 1 students, and is just a walk on role, no rehearsal. We skipped it this past year as we were on a business trip with DH, but she'll probably participate this year. I think we will have separate rehearsals for it, although hopefully not too many. The girls in ballet 1 on up have multiple additional rehearsals per week leading up to the Nutcracker. I found the amount of time quite surprising when I looked at the schedule. Some of the rehearsals for even the young girls go until 8 or 9pm on a school night, which was kind of shocking to me.

    My dear friend's DDs take a class at a local university. It is too far for me to drive, but they provide quality instruction (friend was a pretty serious dancer in high school), no huge recital or costumes, just a "show your stuff" thing for parents and grandparents, and it is held right in the studio. If it wasn't a 50 min drive from me I would have gone that route. DD's ballet school is very good, but I would have enjoyed something a touch lower key to start. She has learned a lot at her school, practices a lot on her own, and I've been happy overall.

    Even the "creative movement" classes at our dance school perform in the recital, with a costume, etc. Most had on makeup. I put a little blush and neutral eyeshadow on DD...not a big deal to me, but at 3 I wouldn't have wanted to go that route for sure. It isn't exactly mandatory at our studio though.

    Oh, DD took preballet 1 and is taking preballet 2 this year. Both consist of 45 min ballet, 15 of tap at our school. DD enjoys the tap but they don't perform any tap routine in the recital (only one costume needed thankfully).

    We pay about 60/month, and then there are additional fees (costume, performance fees, photos (optional), families are expected to donate items for elaborate gift baskets that get raffled off at performances, etc.).

    eta: each level at our school has a specific color leotard and tights they must wear, hair back (bun preferred) for all classes. A little rigid that way if you aren't accustomed to it.
    Last edited by brittone2; 07-11-2012 at 02:20 PM.
    Mama to DS-2004
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    and a new addition-ds born march 2010

  5. #5
    Pear is offline Platinum level (1000+ posts)
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    DD is also 3. We started her out at the community center class. This was a really low-key way to try out dance. Since she enjoyed her class we decided to move her to a local studio where she might be able to actually progress some over the course of a year as the community center class runs one 8 week session after another. We went to the annual recital for the studio we chose and it was a very large production with costumes and makeup for all ages. DD was enthralled and begged for a chance to dance on stage. I also got the chanc to chat with the studio owner on a few occasions, just luck actually as we live in her neighborhood. The older kids train fairly seriously, but she has a great attitude about keeping dance fun for youngsters. She also mentioned that she takes great care to not choose costumes that are too revealing or age inappropriate and at the recital that was definitely the case. I didn't cringe at any of the costumes or dance moves. I don't know if DD will pursue dance beyond this intro year. Hanging out at the studio while DD has her class, I am coming around to the thought that I will be happy if she sticks with it. Originally I just signed her up for dance because I wanted a physical activity in her rotation and she hated soccer. The girls at the studio all seem really close. They aren't all stick figures (another thing I liked about this studio), bman they are in fantastic shape. if Dd decides dance is her physical outlet I think it may give her a good start in life. The fact that I might get to avoid sitting in boiling or freezing weather watching her play a sport is another potential Perk.

  6. #6
    SnuggleBuggles is offline Black Diamond level (25,000+ posts)
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    There are so many different types of dance schools out there. I'd ask/ look around wrt class attire and recitals and see what a good fit is for you. I like summer classes b/c usually no recital and they can see if they like it. The ballet/ tap combo was personally annoying for me b/c ds needed so much shoe help (girl tap shoes are much easier to deal with than boy ones though!). I've been turned off by the way some schools handle recitals so I'm picky when I look now.

  7. #7
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    maestramommy is offline Pink Diamond level (15,000+ posts)
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    My older 2 DDs take ballet. Oldest started at 5, 2nd at 4. We enrolled at a music theater company that also had dance classes for very young kids, in conjunction with their preschool. They called it creative dance, then ballet 1 for older class. There was a recital for older DD which was very low key, had only the younger kids. She wore a costume but no makeup.

    We then switched this year to a real dance school, because ballet is not a strength for the previous school, and that was DD1's strong interest. This school is more hardcore. There is only one performance for all the kids, so it's very long (over 3 hours with an intermission), both DDs wore a costume AND makeup, and older DD had to dance in the "grande finale" because she was in Ballet 1. Younger DD was in pre-ballet, so she only had one number.

    During dress rehearsals I was sitting there wondering if I had the stomach for this kind of thing in the long term. Then older DD came out to rehearse the grande finale. It was a hip hoppy number. Older DD is a first year ballerina and probably never even saw anything hip hoppy before. I watched her trying to do her routine in deadly earnest. First I laughed, then I cried. I was SO PROUD of her.

    Just go with what you think your DD can handle, but always include her in your decisions. I posted her over a year ago because I did NOT want older DD to do the show. Everyone here suggested I at least ask her if she wanted to do it. And she DID. Since then I always ask my girls if they want to do something related to their dance classes before making a final decision.

    You'll be fine.
    Melinda
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    "Sunset to Twilight, Our Family's Journey with Alzheimer's." http://maestramommi.blogspot.com/




  8. #8
    wellyes's Avatar
    wellyes is offline Blue Diamond level (20,000+ posts)
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    The range is....
    - The more "serious" a dance studio is, the less likely it is to offer a recital. Some just have a 'parent watch week' where parents sit in on a class.
    - Schools with a competition team are the most likely to glam up the girls, from what I've seen.
    - Our rec center offered cheap classes and recital optional. The outfit was a $20 Halloween costume of a mermaid, no makeup.

    I've been to a few schools and the girls are always all shapes and sizes. I They all have a dress code, just a specific color leotard and tights and shoe. Some allow skirts/tutus, others do not. They all want hair up.
    Leotard - you can get at walmart, or a dance studio, $20ish max
    Tights - $5ish
    Ballet slippers - maybe $15ish
    Tap Shoes - maybe $15ish


    I've heard all dance training is basically "for fun" until around age 7. So, give it a shot, maybe, and don't worry too much about it.
    DD - 8
    DS - 5

  9. #9
    bigsis is offline Platinum level (1000+ posts)
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    You will love it! It's cute! My DD started at the age of 3 at the local Y. Now she's almost 9 and has been going to a dance studio. They will have costumes and stage makeup for the recital.

    You may want to visit your local Target for the leotard, tutu and ballet shoes.
    Lea

    Mom to:
    DD 8/2003
    DS 11/2005

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