"Is it too late?"

"Can I start dancing at -insert age here-?"

"I quit dancing for a few years, and I want to start again, am I too late?"

I'm sure that we've all noticed an overrun of these questions lately...in fact, I saw four on the first page alone.

In the future, please post your "Is It Too Late" related querries here. And, if anyone has any thoughts on the "Is It Too Late" debate, they would also be welcome in this thread as well.

Theresa

My thoughts exactly. There's been WAY to many questions like that not just in this forum, but the ballet board and other boards. People: IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO START DANCING, AS LONG AS YOU ARE STILL ABLE TO WALK.

thank you! so many threads are used asking these questions over and over again

Thankx! I totatly agree!
-Dreamin' Dancer

Wow I've always wanted to be a ballerina since I was a kid but because there where no schools or teachers in my country I couldnt I'm 24 now and there is this one new school in here now that I'm going to join on 1st of Feb thanx for giving me the hope I was so scared that its to late coz of my age tho I did gymnastics for 9 years taekwondo for 5 years and I do belly dancing and I'm flexibule....thanx again

Wow I've always wanted to be a ballerina since I was a kid but because there where no schools or teachers in my country I couldnt I'm 24 now and there is this one new school in here now that I'm going to join on 1st of Feb thanx for giving me the hope I was so scared that its to late coz of my age tho I did gymnastics for 9 years taekwondo for 5 years and I do belly dancing and I'm flexibule....thanx again

Wow I've always wanted to be a ballerina since I was a kid but because there where no schools or teachers in my country I couldnt I'm 24 now and there is this one new school in here now that I'm going to join on 1st of Feb thanx for giving me the hope I was so scared that its to late coz of my age tho I did gymnastics for 9 years taekwondo for 5 years and I do belly dancing and I'm flexibule....thanx again

Check out "How Old Is Too Old To Go Back To Dancing?"

www.dance.net . . .

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Your never too old! As long as you have the desire, I think you can do it! Never give up!

Theresa

thanks I didnt give up all these years I even have lots of leos and slippers and even a poite shoes and I didnt have a teacher or a school to go to but I was trying by my self and now here is a new school that I'm going to join on 1st of feb coooo l...I'm exited, so exited...I'll go check that "how old is too old to go back to dancing" now....

i know it is never too late to start ballet... i am proof of that. i began at 14 and almost 2 years later i'm going on pointe soon. but i was wondering since i began so late does that mean i have no chance of a future career in dance? this is what i want to do and i wouldn't want to do anything else. i worry that because i of my late start my dream won't be able to come true... a previous teacher told me that i had the drive and talent to go pro, but i'm afraid i just started too late, what do you think?
kristin

I just wanted to add some inspiration to this board. I know of dancers who began at 12 and became Ontario champs. I also know of dancers who started at age 30 and above, and still did well in competition. There are so many reasons to dance, but the most important one is because you love it! There are also so many goals that can be acheived no matter what age you start. So get your feet moving, and enjoy!

Like the post it's so awsome to know that it's never too late.
and that I am not the only one who has the same question. Thanks

I used to tap dance with some seniors (50's on up). Some of them had actually performed in a group(The Satin Dolls) for years. It was so much fun and inspiration to dance with these "girls". I was under 50 at the time and they treated me like a daughter.

I think it's never too late for anything. if you followyour dream you'll go where you wanna go.

Do you think it's too late to start acro if your 17 years old? I've been in heerleading for the past three years so I'm always practicing my bridge and my splits. I can go to the floor all three ways for the splits and have been dancing jazz since I was 3. What do you think? Same ?? for ballet.

Things might be a little more challenging since you are already full-grown, but the fact that you have already been working on your flexibility will help tremendously. Ballet should be a relatively easy transition for you if you've been in Jazz for a while. There will be some akward positions that will take your body a while to get used to (give it a few months, and even then, ballet is never "comfortable"!), and certain things specific to ballet will take some extra patience to achieve, but it is most certainly possible.

As far as acro is concerned, I would consider taking an adult acro class, where they concentrate on training for people of your size and ability. Younger kids are much lighter, typically more flexible, and certainly more fearless! Acro has a lot to do with strength, though, so building up your wrist muscles, ankle muscles, and upper body might be a challenge. You'll need time, dedication, patience, and good guidance, but it is most certainly possible. Don't set your expectations too high (Olympic quality is not likely!), but go in with an open mind and optimism! Good luck.

Yes, it can be too late.... WHEN YOU'RE DEAD!!!!

I also wondered about going en pointe because although I have been doing Highland dance for 3 or 4 years, I've only recently started "serious" ballet, and I'm 13. I want to go to dance school when I'm 16, do you think i will have not been en pointe for long enough, because I thought most people go en pointe when they're about 11?

I agree... ITS NEVER TOO LATE!!!

Hi! I had been taking ballet since I was 3-11, but quit 3 years ago (now I'm almost 14). I had even just started to train professionally and had been on pointe for a little over a year, when I stopped. I quit because I had too much to do with homework and everything, but now I am really starting to miss it. The ballet school was really demanding of my time [five or more days a week] and I wasn't ready to fully commit, but now I think I am. I know that everyone said you could go back to it if you really want to and I know that, but I'm just afraid I'll be so much behind everyone. I know I'm definately not as flexible as before. I really love to dance though, and was wondering if I could get back to the level I was before, and if it would take a really long time??
Thanks!!!

I am 13 and am interested in starting ballet. I went to one class and tried it and loved it, and now I do it at home about 3 times a week for about an hour each. I am only in one dance class at the moment, a lyrical dance class, and I'm not extremely flexible. I don't have a perfect balance either, but I have improved TREMENDOUSLY over the past 6 weeks, because I started dancing 6 weeks ago. I danced on my own a little bit before that. My mom thinks that I have a natural talent for dance. I LOVE dance and am willing to do whatever it takes to be a professional dancer. Is it even worth my time to try? Please be honest with me!

hi,

I just wanted to respond to all of the people asking if it's to late, i quit dance for 6 years and am just starting to get back into stretching etc. I am 21 years old and it's really tough trying to get back to were i was. It will hurt, and be rough but if you love dance then you'll have no problem in training yourself to dance.

allison

Thank you so much for your post! I am 22 and I quit for about six years as well and I have been taking classes again for almost a year and I have improved but I want to get better. Your comment has encouraged me to keep going! Knowing that other people are in the same boat as me makes me feel better! If you have any advice on how to get better I would appreciate it!

it's definitely not too late. i did start dancing when i was really little, but i wasn't serious about it until two years ago. i had enough drive to become up to par with the professionally oriented dancers who were even older than me... if you believe it, you can achieve it.

its never to late to start dancing just as long as you have the heart to do it