How many hours dance?

[Missfifi]

Hi, have been following this forum for a while. As we live in Spain though it's a little difficult to relate to everything. Vocational training is subsidised here from age 8 and my daughter was recently accepted. She goes to the local conservatory 8 hours a week after school, and goes to her usual dance school for another 2 hours at the weekend.

 

I guess I want to know whether 10 hours is enough for an 8-9 year old? What ages are your kids and what hours are they doing?

[Dance*is*life]

It sounds quite a lot for that age in my opinion.  In our school the 8/9 year olds get about 4 1/2 hours - 2 x 75 minute ballet classes, one hour of modern and an hour's flamenco. Some middle schools have dance streams here, but that's from year 7, which is 11/12.   And if I am not mistaken vocational schools in the UK also only start from around 11 years old?? 

[aileen]

I don't think that you've ever said what country you live and teach in, Dance*is*Life. In the UK it is rare for local schools to offer classes lasting longer than an hour to 8/9 year olds. Unless a child is attending associate classes most 8/9 year olds will not be doing more than two or three ballet classes a week (amounting to no more than three hours a week). However, I get the impression that in many other countries children start ballet classes slightly later but start training more intensively at a younger age.

[Missfifi]

She does 1.5 hours of 'expresion'. I guess that's like either character or intro to contemporary. 2 hours Spanish dance. 2.5 hours of ballet and 1 hour musicality and then a rehersal class. Saturdays are the usual mix of ballet tap and modern. From what I understand, at age 8. It wasnt a pre-requisite to have had dance experience but most have. Although most of the intake are 8 some girls can start as old as 14 in the first year.

[Piccolo]

Yes, DiL, I have also wondered where you are... I shall carry on imagining that you are somewhere in South Africa (no idea why!) if you'd rather not reveal your whereabouts.

[Jan McNulty]

Hello Missfifi and welcome to the Forum.

 

Here's an earlier thread on a similar topic:  http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/8902-is-this-too-much-for-a-6yo/

 

And another one for a slightly older age group:  http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/10232-progress-in-balletenough-training/

 

I do hope you will let us know how your DD progresses.

[sarahw]

I thought DIL is in USA?

[Piccolo]

Is it possible to live in America and retain so much Englishness that comes across when DiL talks about her ballet teaching experience? Maybe a place with lots of ex pats? Anyway, I think we should revert back to the original topic!

[sarahw]

Missfifi - hi, my guess is that your dd is doing a lot more than 8 year olds in the UK...... But Spain may well have a different training structure to the UK. It sounds as if she has done very well. ..

[Dance*is*life]

Oh goodness - I see that I shall have to put an end to the guessing game!  I live in Israel -  bet none of you thought of that!  I teach at a well established dance school, which uses RAD as the foundation for the ballet training.     There has been an RAD branch here since before 1967 - it was started by South African immigrants - and actually the first exams were held in 1967, just before the outbreak of the Six Day War.  The examiner arrived from England as scheduled and refused to leave until she had completed the exams!  She did a whirlwind tour and went straight to the airport after the last one catching the last flight out!  She came back the following year to examine at the request of the teachers, who wanted to thank her properly. 

 

I have been living here permanently since 1983, but I get back to England two or three times a year to visit family and friends and to stock up on West End theatre visits, so I am in touch.  I actually have quite a large branch of my late father's family in the US, but although I love to visit and tour America, I really don't think I could live there - no marmite for a start!

[aileen]

DiL, I was intrigued by your reference to your young students learning flamenco. I hadn't thought of Israel. Is ballet popular there? There are certainly a lot of contemporary choreographers coming out of Israel.

[Dance*is*life]

Yes modern is the big thing here and always has been, but ballet is very popular. There has been a classical ballet company here since 1967 and its performances are well attended. There are numerous ballet schools all over the country and as I have mentioned there are dance streams in regular schools which also have to teach ballet as well as modern. The matriculation dance exam is very complex and there is a special exam for more advanced dancers in addition to the regular one for double points. All kinds of dance here are very popular and yes flamenco is one of them!

[Missfifi]

Wow..thanks for the info and the links to previous threads. I'm certainly pleased to have found her an avenue for more training. I am very loyal to her current Saturday school but was a bit worried as she is still on grade 1 (no exam done last year due to show) and there are only one set of classes offered at her level. Obviously DIL flamenco is a big thing here too. After the first 4 years, you can choose to specialise in either ballet or danza espanola. Wasnt aware that it was such a hit in Israel though!!

[Dance*is*life]

Our teacher is Spanish and she works with her husband who plays the guitar and sings, so the girls learn to sing and clap as an accompaniment as well as dance. Two of our graduates actually became professional flamenco dancers and teachers themselves and they all go to Spain regularly to study and perform.  There are other excellent flamenco teachers in other centres, plus performances and workshops galore, so yes it's surprisingly popular!

[Piccolo]

DiL, no, I would never have guessed Israel! Thank you for sharing that. No wonder the cost of exams are an issue for you, among other challenges I would think!