At The Dance Corner, you might hear us talk a lot about the importance of ballet in a dancer’s training! You’ve probably heard us mention how we recommend including ballet as part of your young dancer’s studies, particularly in first, second, and third grade.
But why is ballet such an essential dance style to learn? What distinguishes it from jazz or tap or lyrical? In this blog post, we explain ballet’s significance to your child’s education.
- Ballet builds a “technique toolkit”
Especially at a young age, dancers who take ballet are being taught the technique needed to master more complex movements in multiple styles of dance. You may have heard us describe ballet as “the foundation of dance” and this is why! The skills taught, the positions learned, and the repetition practiced in ballet all contribute to a dancer’s long-term advancement in other styles. Ballet technique is like the universal language that all types of dance speak. And the earlier a dancer is exposed to that language, the better (although it’s never too late!).
- Ballet increases strength and flexibility
Because ballet emphasizes good posture and alignment, young dancers are able to become more aware of their muscles at a young age. In our youngest ballet classes, after graduation from the combo class format, dancers begin working on age-appropriate core exercises. This type of classwork gradually strengthens the abdominal and back muscles for a strong “center” of the body. The amount of stretching exercises increases in ballet as well, so that dancers can begin to learn safe and correct methods for becoming more flexible, particularly in their legs and back.
- Ballet develops confidence in other styles
We believe that no matter what, studying dance boosts our students’ confidence! But ballet has a unique influence on just about every style that exists. As young dancers feel more confident in ballet, that feeling spills over into jazz, lyrical, tumbling and everything else! A dancer’s ballet technique is already helping them remember to stretch their feet, stand up tall, control their arms, extend their legs, and more. The ability to remember and practice these physical cues translates into self-confidence, resulting in an easier time adapting to other dance styles’ movements.
At The Dance Corner, we pride ourselves on teaching ballet classes that develop strong and healthy dancers and remain fun! Our teachers are skilled at engaging each dancer’s imagination to make learning ballet enjoyable and exciting.
Whether we are practicing how to balance in arabesque or how to spot in a pirouette (or anything in between!) we know that each student is experiencing the long-term benefits of a solid ballet foundation.
