How young do you let the children be in your classes, ballet? jazz? modern? tap? where do i draw the line from one class to the next? Please help!

Hey
Im not a teacher, but I thought I would share my opinion. I think they should be old enough to pay attention. Where thats 5 or 10. If they are a disruption to class, then no one can get things done. But if you want like an age, I would say around 5 or 6. Its the same year they would start preschool, and I think if they can handle that then!
Chantelle

Ballet-7
Jazz-7
Modern- I really don't know, I've never taught or taken it
Tap- 3

You can't really teach ballet until the kids are about 7. You can do creative movement when they're three and pre-ballet when they are about 5, and mix some ballet basics in, but you can't really teach a real ballet class until they are about 7. The same with jazz. Little kids don't really have the coordination and muscle capability to do much along the lines of jazz or ballet, (not to mention the attention span of a three year old). Anything before that is pre-ballet. Tap is a little bit different, and you can start that at three.

I have some three year olds in my classes - we do ballet jazz and tap, usually 2 out of 3 each week (ballet and jazz are quite similar at this age really - skips, gallops etc) The younger ones are more focussed than the older ones and try so so hard! It really depends on the child I think. I don't really do a full scale ballet class - just the basic positions, plies, basic tnedus and skips, gallops etc as I said. Jazz, we have been working a lot on jumps and travelling steps. tap - basics like toes and heels, fwd and backward, shuffles, steps and stamps etc (their tap isn't that great but their jazz and ballet is coming along nicely!) And also basic stretching and posture.

I agree, I think you can have a sucessful class of young children if they are ready to listen and take part, some can do well at 3, some of my 7 year olds still have trouble with listening!

When I saw the Ohio Ballet, the director gave a little lecture about kids and ballet. He said that it isnt reccomended that kids start ballet before the age of 8, so it doesnt interfere with their normal growth and development.

It depends on the child a little, but at the studio I teach at children are allowed to start creative movement/pre-school class at 3 years old.
They can start proper ballet classes (ie. syllabus classes) when they start school, unless they're finding pre-school ballet too simple in which case we allow them to start proper classes at 4.
We allow students to start tap and jazz when they are 6 or 7. We feel they aren't quite developed enough until then.

Right now I am teaching kids as young as 2 1/2 to kids as old as high school. If I were a mom, I don't think I'd put in my child until 4 or 5, but definitely not 3, and never 2 1/2. They may remember a few things from week to week, but they're attention span does not allow for much. Although I teach them, I don't think it's the best idea ever. Especially after half a year and carrying a kicking/screaming child into class. I wish some parents would get a clue sometimes.....

Well that might be a clue your child isn't ready for dance classes! I hardly ever have a crying child, even the few 3 year olds all can't wait to get started, and now and again a child might be a bit clingy (even the 5 year olds) but are easily distracted, usually I ask them to come and be my helper and they're fine with barely a second glance to mum!

Each teacher/studio usually sets the acceptance ages for each class. Here is the age guideline I use for my classes:

CREATIVE DANCE: 2 years and older. *Teachers for 2 year olds should be well qualified to work with younger children. This age needs a very nurturing, slow-paced environment.

TAP: Ages 3 & up: *At ages 3 and 4, tap shoes are used for the 'fun sound effect'. By the end of the dance year my 3's & 4's can begin a tap barre, have learned their right from their left and work on counting rhythms. 5 and up we start a formal barre (I use Al Gilbert) but still use tap in a combo class.
Ages 8 & up can begin a full hour tap barre, technique & floor.
BALLET: 4&5 as a combo class. At age 6&7 can begin a 45 minute ballet class and 8 and over can start a full hour ballet.

JAZZ: Age 6&7 begin jazz combo class (usually with tap). 8 and over can begin a full hour jazz class.

This is the way it works best for me. It's helpful to read information about the development of children's brains and how they learn best at different ages.
Bon Chance!

I started dancing at almost 2 years, but where I used to study dancing we were about 8 girls and like 3 teachers so we didn't have problems like dis obeing or like that because we had enough teachers.

I think kids should start dance as young as their parents will let them. I don't bring them into an organized class until 3, but I tell parents that the earlier and the more they listen to music and move to it at home, the better class seems to go. Children are so much smarter than people think. Repetition is the key.

Having raised three dancers, and now starting over with a grand daughter - I have some real strong feelings regarding when kids are ready or not for dance.

My oldest was 11, middle was 9, and youngest was 3 1/2 when they begun dance. Nine and 11 is way too old to start I feel. 3 1/2 is way too young. I like 5 years old for beginning ballet, tap, and gymnastics. I did have my granddaughter in a Mommy And Me class at 3 1/2...it was just a fun class to get her used to the social aspect of being around a dance studio and all the kids. She also had me or her mom with her at all times as well. She performed in a little recital and all was cute…..Very emotionally healthy experience.

Since we are affiliated with a competitive studio - I don't want my granddaughter to become disillusioned with the whole competitive scene at 3 ½ years of age. I remember my youngest at 3 1/2 sat in the floor and cried. I ended up taking her out for a while. When she returned she was the one who asked to come back at 4ish....and has been there ever since. My granddaughter is already wanting to come back, and likes to watch all the dance videos we have collected throughout the years.

The big picture is this: It really doesn’t matter if they begin at 3 ½ or 5. What matters is the emotional aspect of the childhood experience. If the experience fails to build self-esteem at this tender age – you can scar their little psyches. Small children are more able to deal with win/lose issues at ages five and above. Childhood is important first. Dance will be there when they are ready.

TEAM MOM
geocities.com . . .

I have 3 levels of creative movement - one for girls 2 by sept. 1st, one for girls 3 by sept. 1st, and one for girls 4 by sept. 1st. Creative movement in our studio is just the very basics of dance, a little combo of ballet and jazz it ends up being. In kindergarten they can choose to take ballet, tap, or jazz. Students are allowed to start on pointe in 7th grade.

My preschool class consists of mostly 3 year olds, some who turn 4 over the course of the year. In all of the experiences I have had with children younger than 3, they either don't have the attention span or simply don't understand the idea of following along with the class. (and they're only 2, so that is perfectly normal for them!) What I don't understand is the parents who continue to drag the crying screaming kicking child to class each week when it is obvious they don't want to be there, or they are extremely disruptive to the class. How can you sit and watch me repeatedly stop the class to remind your child of the rules and not say a word to them?? AAHHH!! In the long run, I feel that the child will NOT want to continue to dance as she gets older because they will associate it with bad feelings instead of fun. Just needed to vent, thanx for listening...
-Domi xoxo

I do a parent tot creative movement class with children ages 18-36 months and a caregiver. The kids this age love it. The class is short, 30 minutes, and is face-paced as to keep their attention. We work on body parts, colors, fast and slow, up and down, and mostly gross motor movement skills. The kids do well because their is one on one adult supervision.
I also teach a 3/4 creative dance class. I have found that the 3 year olds who have not been to pre-school or who have not been in a class setting have the hardest time.
I do not require this and am very willing to work with students who are timid and shy or upset the first few classes. Usually by the 3 or 4th class they start getting use to the routine of things and do very well. It is only when parents get upset about their child being upset or not participating that it makes it hard.
I would be interested to know what percentage of professional dancers started at a young age. Does anyone know any stats on this?

I see that most people aren't mentioning modern too much...with my studio, they start with modern around 7 yrs old...I think it is important for the kids to see and feel the difference in another form of dance. with modern, you deal with such definite movements, and flexed feet alot of the times. I think it's awesome if they take it starting from younger.
Christine

Wow...we don't start modern until they are about 12 and have lots of dance experience.

The ability to isolate, balance, have a good understanding of dance vocabulary as well as the desire and discipline to embrace concepts "outside the box" is essential for a modern dance student.

Good for you if you can achieve this at an earlier age!

TUTUFUN

Fountainarts: I wouldn't call myself a professional, but I do teach and have been for quite a while. I started when I was 3 and never looked back.

TipTapTam: I agree with you 110% Children are smarter than people think. If you go into class expecting them not to be able to do anything, you're not going to get them to do anything. Give the kids the benefit of the doubt! I have a three year old that could dance with the 5-6 year olds. I have a 5 year old that would do better in the 3 year old class!......Kids are different. As a teacher of that age you should be able to recognize that.

moabcricket: I agree with you too.....It should be a class filled with positivity. As a teacher of that age you must understand that they just started WALKING let alone dancing....usually mothers bring them to class because they dance all the time around the house....Teachers get frustrated and don't allow young ones to dance because they don't get the steps right or don't know their right from their left......that irks me.... teach the kids what they CAN do.....if they can hop up and down and sing a song, teach them that and praise them out of the wazoo for doing it.

I have taught as young as 1 1/2.......Most of my kids start in diapers or pull ups......I never tell them WRONG....or NO....or even do it again!.... Usually in class all the mothers hear (there is a wall so they can't see)...."show me shuffle....can you kick the floor?...good job!....can you do it that pretty on your other foot?.....other foot....other foot shuffle....good job...there you go!" If they don't do it, I don't make them....if I say hop, and they don't hop I give them an alternative...."can you smile for me?" if they do that then they are praised.....I spend A LOT of money on stickers....I don't have time out......I don't take away stickers.......if I am losing a bit of control I start to count....they usually settle down by 2.....I don't know how high I would go and they don't know what would happen if I went higher....the most discipline I've ever used was telling mommy.

As for the cryers....it's okay for them to cry. Understand that this is a new environment and new person to trust....hello, they've only been in this world 2 years cut them some slack. Tears, and screams don't scare me.....usually I have mom come in and sit the first class or two.....once they get used to me and dancing mom can usually wait outside. "Mom, Lizzy's gonna dance by herself like a big girl!" and we have no problem. I have one now that had to have mom in class for like 4 weeks, now she is letting mom outside with the door open....pretty soon she'll be able to close the door. Give them time!

I just hate it when I hear that teachers won't teach younger than 5 because they don't know anything....no, they don't know what tendu is, but they know what touch the water means or point your toe.....they don't know what plie means but they know what open your window means..hec half of them can't even stand in 1st position THAT'S OKAY!!

Just let them have fun, it's just a place for them to release the energy they have to dance around the house......from a studio owners point of view they are your real money makers....mom is happy with the teacher and recital they'll be back...before you know it they are 7 and doing what it is you want them to do and the rest is history!

I'm sorry, I'm just really passionate about this subject. I enjoy teaching the young ones so much......I love the babies...I love to watch them grow....I might have one in a pull up in August and by March they are potty trained......I get colored pages with my name scribbled on it......It's such a reward.

I had one student that I taught for a year. Her first two classes she cried herself to sleep in my arms....I never gave up on her...I told her mom, give her some time...she'll be okay...she's 7 now and is front and center and got 1st overall in her solo last year. ( I don't teach at that studio anymore, but she sends me letters from time to time and invites me to her competitions and recitals.) She was 1 going on 2 when she started.

I had a student last year...she was 4. She was so sweet and so good and would just talk my head off. Mom stayed at home during the day. When she turned 5 they put her in school and that traumatized her....for a good month she'd cry in class....One day I was getting my car fixed and was driving another car and she flipped out......I didn't give up on her and she eventually got better...now she's working on her first solo.

Don't give up on them because of tears or shyness...that's how they communicate......love them and make their experience enjoyable.

I started dancing when i was 3 but my children didn't start until they were almost 5.

I teach pre and beginning ballet. I let kids be in my pre-ballet class as long as their potty trained.

Dear Ms Joy,
I totally agree with you!

~missdancediva~

Our pre-school classes are ballet and tap and are divided into 3 & 4 years; the next level is older 4's and young 5's; next level is 5-yr.-old kindergarteners. Primary level is beginners ages 6-8, and from there they are placed by ability and experience. We teach the basics of ballet terminology to the pre-schoolers, like first and second postion, demi-plies, eleves, point passe, etc. but don't focus on technique at that age (they are not ready for serious technique). They actually remember the terminilogy better than some of the older ones! Some schools do the 2-yr. old parent-tot classes, but I'm not that brave, and only once had a teacher who was experienced with this and did a great job. Will not enroll anyone in class who is not potty trained. We don't start jazz until age 7 or 8.

I start them at 2 and they take a basic combination class.
For tap & ballet, they start at 5, jazz at 5 or 6, hip hop at 8
2 year olds are a huge money maker. They may be somewhat difficult to handle, but especially around here, people want to get their kids in at 2 and not too many schools accept them. And once they are with a studio, they generally stay there. See all those students I may not have gotten?

We have two levels of creative movement, or small fry combo classes, as we call them.

First level is 4 1/2 to 6-tap and jazz.
Second level is 6 to 8-tap and jazz.

This year, for some reason, don't have a first level class. Well at least, not enough students for a group class. So, the owner of the studio decides to combine both levels, which is so hard. I have 10 students in my class. 3 are 5, and the rest are either 7 or 8. There is a huge gap between the 5 year olds and the 7 and 8 year olds. The 5 year olds have never danced before, and so I have to go slower with them , therefore making thr rest of the class get bored. But, I have semi solved this by giving the 5 year olds privates to *try* and catch them up, which as we all know takes more then a pretty private lesson once a week. It's frustrating, but I deal with it.

at our studio ballet , creative movement, and tap start at age 3. Jazz starts at 5 because the isolations and sharp movements are really a bit to much for 3 & 4 year olds. hour long classes that begin to stress technique do not start until about 5 or 6. After the students have started a technical class they should move up based on ability not age It is very important to do so because moving up a child who is not ready will only discourage them. Only preschoolers should be placed by age. I hope this helps hace fun teaching:)!