An Overview of Ballet Training Practicalities

The ballerina on the stage looks very glamorous. The danseur who carries her around appears strong, making it appear effortless to pick up his graceful partner. But there are a lot of practicalities that go into creating this scene of elegance you watch on the stage. There are years of training that are required in order to achieve that level of ballet dancing skill. It doesn't happen without a lot of effort, and a not too small financial outlay! Ballet Training Finances Ballet dancing isn't cheap. There's both tuition and incidental expenses that can total up in the hundreds of thousands of dollars if you, or your child, are passionate enough to want to take their ballet skill up to a professional level. The higher standard you need from your ballet school, the more expensive this will be. There are the formal tuition costs which vary depending on whether the dancer is enrolled in a formal ballet school where both dance and academic subjects are taught side by side, or whether there is private and group tuition to be paid on a weekly basis. The higher the skill level, the higher the costs. The same can be said about the incidental costs that are also incurred. These include appropriate clothing, transport, living expenses where appropriate and even school supplies. You can see how the costs mount up into the hundreds of thousands if you consider a child beginning a ballet class at age 5, and working her way up through the various levels and stages. Most parents are prepared for the first few years of one or two classes per week, but if your child wants to take this more seriously, then you need to consider the full outlay well in advance. There are scholarships available, but these are limited and competition to get these is high. The other costs to take into account when considering ballet are the emotional and physical effects that ballet can have on those who choose this form of dance. Not only the practice hours of the novice, but the rehearsal hours and then performance hours of the professional ballerina and danseur mean that the body can become tired and needs to be looked after carefully. There's little opportunity for a social life with anyone outside of the ballet culture. Taking Care of the Dancer Ballet dancers ask a lot of their bodies and therefore personal care is a priority. They are aware of the importance of taking care of themselves, and especially their feet, so that their bodies can carry out the demands made on them. You have strict rules to follow for this purpose: You must avoid alcohol and drugs. You must have sufficient sleep and eat properly to sustain your strength during long performances. You must perform daily warm-up exercises before rehearsals. You must consult your doctor for even the most minor of injuries to your legs and feet. You must maintain a positive attitude through your ups and downs. You must strive for perfection otherwise you will find yourself either out of school or out of work. So many rules, so many things to do but it must be done! Compensation for the Hard Work Ballet dancing isn't about the money. From the moment a young child feels the approval of the audience, and hears the applause, they know that there is more to life than financial gain. They will put up with the long hours of training for little more than their next time in spotlight followed by a round of applause. Financial rewards for ballet dancers aren't great. Unless you have some form of national or international following you are only as good as the show you are currently performing in, and how long that show runs can vary from weeks (or even days) to months. Even a prima ballerina isn't likely to be compensated financially for anywhere near the amount of hours she spends training and dancing in order to achieve her high level of ability. For most ballet dancers, the money is secondary to the thrill of dancing in public. As long as they have enough to get by on, they're happy to follow their dreams and feel privileged to have the opportunity to do so.