Seeing as I am no longer competing in Irish I am thinking about starting ballet. It's something I have always wanted to do but because I had so many other dance classes I didn't have the time.

I am 16, I only want to do it as a leisure thing because I enjoy it and not as a serious career path or anything. Because of Irish dance I have good flexibility and strength from the hips down and good turn out so I think I would be able to keep up with it. We also have a lot of ballet schools in our area so I have plenty of options.

Would it be a good idea to start a brand new dance at this age? I wont have to be in a class with like 4 years olds will I?

No, many studios offer a teen-beginner or adult-beginner class that you can be in...you won't be stuck with 4 year olds or 7 year olds. Go ahead and start poking around studios in your area and make a list of questions you can ask them: how long are their beginner classes, what ages would you probably be with, how many ballet classes do they offer...all that kind of fun stuff.

And remember, you're only 16! If you're just looking for a fun new style to enjoy, then you have at least 50 or 60 years before you should start questioning if you're too old to start. I know plenty of people who started in their 20's, 30's...even 50's!

I started ballet at 17 years old, after taking Irish dance for about 7 years. I was put in kind of an advanced class (as in not a beginner class) and picked things up fairly quickly. My class consisted of dancers only a few years younger than me, and occasionally an adult or two. I enjoyed it a lot, it was a nice change from Irish. . They are VERY different though - they are two complete polar opposites. I struggled with things like arm movements, using a plie while jumping, and not overcrossing, because of my Irish dance training. It was definitely worth it though, and I loved every minute. I originally started ballet as cross training for Irish, but I also took a break from Irish for a few years and continued ballet for part of it just for recreation. Definitely give it a shot!

I started taking ballet in a studio (I had previously taken it at school, but not seriously) at 16. I chose not to take a teen beginner class because I had heard that the class would not challenge me as much as if I took regular classes. I am in a class with 8 and 9 year olds, but I love it and feel like I'm progressing much more and being challenged much more than I would have in a teen class.

So yes... I think it's a good idea. And considering you have studied a different type of dance for a good amount of time, you definitely wouldn't be in a class with 4 year olds.