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?

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

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.

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

Sorry, this is completely off-topic, but it kinda relates to what you're saying. I'm 12, and I take ice-skating and i'm fairly serious about it even though i've only been doing it for a year and a half. I practice a ton--the other girls in my lesson group have been skating for 3-4 years, but then again they are a lot younger. Anyway, I think ballet looks like something that I would really like, and it would also really help my balance and line in skating. However, I'm 12, a.k.a. kinda really late to start ballet. And the other thing is, a bunch of my friends and the popular girls at school take lessons at the local ballet studio and are going on pointe and such, and it would be so embarrassing to be in a absolute beginner class, especially because this "friend" is kind of a snob and I know she will bug me about is, but she is my friend so I don't want to fight with her. I know what you're probably thinking, well, just take at another ballet studio where you don't know anyone. But this ballet studio is a block from my house and it's REALLY good, the teacher is an ex-rockette and she absolutely knows what she's doing, and the teachers at the other ballet studios don't. Also, I would be in a class of much younger kids that would probably progress way slower than I would. I'm really not sure what to do, just not take ballet and concentrate on skating or take it even though i'm 12 and just deal. Can you give me some advice???

well thanks for all the suggestions....i really did read them. i posted that original message in January and it's now March and i am happy to say that i am now on pointe in studio 1. this came about after a new student joined the studio last month who is also in the situation i am in, she was stuck inbetween pointe classes, the only thing is that she had just started pointe in her old studio before moving to the town i live in.

so with a little help from my tap and jazz teacher (who really tries to get everyone in the proper classes according to their technique. she really cares about her students), and with some hard work trying to make all my corrections in class, and finally fixing my my weight placement habit of many years (i always tended to sit on my heels a little bit too much) me and the new girl got a private pointe class with my teacher, we just started 3 weeks ago.

but during the month of february i did take ballet classes at studio 2 and i relieased how much more comfortable i am at studio 1. i know everyone there and the teachers know me and my abilty. the teachers at studio 2 do not care for the wellfare of their students, i figured that out when i took class there and got injured in the process because the teacher made me do some steps i was not ready for. and after watching some of the pointe classes at studio 2 i realized that they're a studio like u guys said, a studio in it for the money, not for the students like studio 1. so after 3 weeks and 1 injury later i was back at my studio 1 with no more classes at studio 2. and we once again dominated in festival (which i must say, it felt pretty good beating studio 2 in festival).

and i must say those 2 years of waiting and practicing, prepare me more then i thought it would (both mentally and physically). i'm progressing extremely fast, even my teacher thinks so. i'm already able to do pose turns and senna turns (i'm pretty sure that's not how that's spelt).

so i did learn my lesson, stay with the studio you started with because they know you and your ability and they know what is best for you. even if you yourself don't think it's best for you. the waiting helped me considerably and now i'm quite happy with where i am and i'm glad i didn't switch to studio 2 because i have a feeling i wouldn't have liked it nearly as much as i like studio 1.

so thanks to everyone that replied to me, you really did help me with my deciscion.

thanks
~*tbka*~

Hi tbka, that's great that you're doing pointe now! I hopefully will be starting next term or the beginning of next semester.
To all the girls who want to start ballet but think that they are too old or don't want to be embarrassed, I had exactly the same fear! When I was 15 I started to take a jazz class at a studio (they didn't want me to do ballet without jazz) and I wasn't taken seriously because I was so old and didn't know how to dance, I only stayed there for a term.
I turned 19 at the beginning of this year and I have always wanted to be a ballet dancer (just for fun not a pro, for that I am too old!). Anyway I went to a different studio that's quite far away, but I'm glad I did because they have been very supportive. I am in a class of 12-14 year olds and I just felt huge! But they girls are great! I was a bit of a novelty at first because I drive myself to ballet and I don't go to school anymore. I am slowly learning everything and as soon as my knowledge is good, I will be able to go onto pointe. (I already have very strong feet and legs from, cross-country running). I am so glad I am taking classes I feel so much stronger, flexible and graceful. It has been very painful but I have loved every minute of it!
And I also have taken a class in the dreaded jazz and yet again the studio is nothing but supportive!
So don't worry about how old you are, plus pointe isn't everything all the girls do it for the first 30mins and I just follow along in my flats. When I do go onto pointe I will already know what corrections the teacher is looking for and how to do all the exercises. So you might even be better off!
Oh and another thing to make you fit in better is stretch like there is not tomorrow! I exercise my legs and feet constantly whenever I sit down. Or if I'm studying I will do Relevés and Pliés. I also found the New York City Ballet Workout was great.
Best of luck, Keryn