Competitive gymnastics or ballet?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let her do whichever she prefers, or even better, take classes in both. Same for the 5 year old (I was 5 when I started gymnastics and knew immediately it was what I wanted to do).

I think maybe the OP wants to steer clear of the travel and expense, and so wants to direct her daughter.

[Anonymous]

Assuming that you are willing, I'd try 1-2 of each per week, depending on what works for you.

The more reputable ballet-focused dance schools will have only "pre-ballet" or "creative movement" at age 6. "Recitals" will be once/year and should involve minimal costumes/cost.

That said, I think that gymnastics provides better conditioning than any other sport up to age 10 or so. If the child shows exceptional promise, it seems easier to shift from gymnastics to ballet around age 10.

Either teaches valuable life lessons. Neither, when properly paced, should lead to lots of bandages on a regular basis...

[Anonymous]

DD (5) started taking gymnastics at 3. She has always been well balanced, strong, and capable for her age. At 4.5, she started taking ballet, and at 5.5 we will add in street dance. DD says she likes gymnastics best - I think she finds ballet a bit too slow, that is why we are adding street dance. I've told her a combination of all the lessons will help make her better at all of them. Honestly, I don't want her to stick with gymnastics too long because it is so hard on the body.

I imagine dance is cheaper in the end.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let her do whichever she prefers, or even better, take classes in both. Same for the 5 year old (I was 5 when I started gymnastics and knew immediately it was what I wanted to do).

I think maybe the OP wants to steer clear of the travel and expense, and so wants to direct her daughter.

PP here-my point is that the child is likely to self-select anyway. My parents put me in ballet with the same idea, but I got kicked out for doing gymnastics in class. I was 5. They put me in gymnastics and I ended up competing for 6 years.

[Anonymous]

My husband was involved in competitive gymnastics from a young age through high school. The strain placed on his body back then has been causing him increasing pain as he has gotten older. Our daughter seems to have an aptitude for it, but neither of us want to encourage her to go down that path. It just isn't worth it.

[Anonymous]

I would sign her up for dance, but I would start with jazz, hip hop or tap.

If she enjoys it, add ballet at eight, which is the appropriate and traditional age to start ballet.

[Anonymous]

The risk of eating disorders is much greater in ballet than in gymnastics. Ballerinas focus on being long and lean, while gymnasts are focused on being strong. Most high level gymnasts are not slender, and slender is not the goal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband was involved in competitive gymnastics from a young age through high school. The strain placed on his body back then has been causing him increasing pain as he has gotten older. Our daughter seems to have an aptitude for it, but neither of us want to encourage her to go down that path. It just isn't worth it.

My ds is a competitive gymnast. He has progressed rapidly and is a very young level 8. He has yet to have an injury. However, his friends involved in soccer and basketball have had numerous concussions, broken ankles, broken arms, broken wrists, broken thumbs, broken feet...I could go on. It's a shame to steer your child away from any sport because of the risk of injury. Every sport has a risk of injury.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The risk of eating disorders is much greater in ballet than in gymnastics. Ballerinas focus on being long and lean, while gymnasts are focused on being strong. Most high level gymnasts are not slender, and slender is not the goal.

That is why I suggested hip hop or tap. Those disciplines are much more open to non ballerina body types. In hip hop especially, that waify super thin look is not seen as beneficial. Hip hop dance favors real bodies. So does rhythm tap.

To a lesser degree, jazz/commercial dance and contemporary also allows for more varience in body type. A muscular body is seen as a plus and not a minus in those genres.

Ballet training is important for building a proper technical foundation, but it does not need to be the goal for dance. There are plenty of other styles where OPs daughter will have opportunities should she decide down the road to pursue dance seriously. It does not need to be ballet and the ballet body requirements.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The risk of eating disorders is much greater in ballet than in gymnastics. Ballerinas focus on being long and lean, while gymnasts are focused on being strong. Most high level gymnasts are not slender, and slender is not the goal.

That is why I suggested hip hop or tap. Those disciplines are much more open to non ballerina body types. In hip hop especially, that waify super thin look is not seen as beneficial. Hip hop dance favors real bodies. So does rhythm tap.

To a lesser degree, jazz/commercial dance and contemporary also allows for more varience in body type. A muscular body is seen as a plus and not a minus in those genres.

Ballet training is important for building a proper technical foundation, but it does not need to be the goal for dance. There are plenty of other styles where OPs daughter will have opportunities should she decide down the road to pursue dance seriously. It does not need to be ballet and the ballet body requirements.

But ballet is where it all begins. You need a foundation in ballet before you can dance well in other disciplines and many reputable studios require such.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The risk of eating disorders is much greater in ballet than in gymnastics. Ballerinas focus on being long and lean, while gymnasts are focused on being strong. Most high level gymnasts are not slender, and slender is not the goal.

That is why I suggested hip hop or tap. Those disciplines are much more open to non ballerina body types. In hip hop especially, that waify super thin look is not seen as beneficial. Hip hop dance favors real bodies. So does rhythm tap.

To a lesser degree, jazz/commercial dance and contemporary also allows for more varience in body type. A muscular body is seen as a plus and not a minus in those genres.

Ballet training is important for building a proper technical foundation, but it does not need to be the goal for dance. There are plenty of other styles where OPs daughter will have opportunities should she decide down the road to pursue dance seriously. It does not need to be ballet and the ballet body requirements.

But ballet is where it all begins. You need a foundation in ballet before you can dance well in other disciplines and many reputable studios require such.

Not for hip hop. Ballet is often seen as detrimental to hip hop.

Ballet is also not required for rhythm tap.

Ballet doesn't even start until eight. OPs daughter has a couple of years to enjoy some other styles before commiting to or even trying ballet.

Even reputaboe ballet programs do not actually start ballet until 7-8 years old.

[Anonymous]

Wrong. See Children of Theatre Street. You must start young in order to perfect the turnout from the hips while the bones are still growing and are pliable. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YU7UP9gXHt4

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

But ballet is where it all begins. You need a foundation in ballet before you can dance well in other disciplines and many reputable studios require such.

Really?

How about, "You need a foundation in ballet before you can dance well in other types of dance that are related to ballet"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My husband was involved in competitive gymnastics from a young age through high school. The strain placed on his body back then has been causing him increasing pain as he has gotten older. Our daughter seems to have an aptitude for it, but neither of us want to encourage her to go down that path. It just isn't worth it.

My ds is a competitive gymnast. He has progressed rapidly and is a very young level 8. He has yet to have an injury. However, his friends involved in soccer and basketball have had numerous concussions, broken ankles, broken arms, broken wrists, broken thumbs, broken feet...I could go on. It's a shame to steer your child away from any sport because of the risk of injury. Every sport has a risk of injury.

He didn't have an injury. The long term wear and tear on his back and joints led to chronic pain later in life. Maybe it doesn't happen to everyone, but it's been really unpleasant for him. If my daughter is equally interested in competitive gymnastics or a traveling soccer team, for example, I'm signing her up for soccer.

[Anonymous]

Post 07/13/2014 12:42 Subject: Competitive gymnastics or ballet?

Anonymous wrote:


But ballet is where it all begins. You need a foundation in ballet before you can dance well in other disciplines and many reputable studios require such.

Really?

How about, "You need a foundation in ballet before you can dance well in other types of dance that are related to ballet"?

Why such an aggressively ignorant response? Your PP was right--ballet is the basis for all types of formal dance instruction--jazz, tap, flamenco, lyrical, character, etc. Even pro sports players are known to take ballet for strength training.