RAD or ISTD ballet?

[glowlight]

My son is currently working at istd grade 1 at his dance school, his dance teacher puts them in classes through ability rather than age, in my son's theatre school it is based on age and i know that my son is working at a lower level in his class pre primary/primary, i have spoke to them and they are not prepared to move him up as they feel it wouldn't be fair on the older children working at level 1 having a 6 year old in there class, due to this i don't know wether to continue with the ballet classes there as i feel they are holding him back and not beneficial to him....

 

My feeling is there is no harm in doing classes at a lower level than his 'main' class. It certainly won't hold him back and may give him a chance to consolidate things he has learned, rather than always be stretching himself to learn something new. Also, as this is is only opportunity to dance in a group, this is very valuable as it is important for him to learn about his own spatial awareness in relation to others. He may also learn from the corrections the others get and hopefully he will enjoy the social aspects of dance. Think of dance as a 'Team Sport' like football, rather than an individual sport like tennis.

[Julie 2 Milner]

Couple of things. If he is doing grade 1 at his ISTD school it really doesn't matter that his theatre school is a lower level. In fact may be an advantage as at least no conflict prior to the exam, in style of teaching.

 

I just do not think at 6 it matters whether he is in an all girls class or not. Sure boys would be nice but, at most local dance school boys classes are still limited. Does he notice? He is so so young to be worrying about anything is my heartfelt view. I can't stress what others have said. Just enjoy what he does. He may well be less aware than you, of sex split etc.

[DancingPixie]

This reminds me of the time I took DS age 3 to buy his first ballet uniform after his trial class. He was very quiet as we measured his feet and tried on the leotard and shorts. As we waited to pay he tugged my sleeve and said, "But mummy, when do I get my ballet skirt? Everyone else in the class was wearing pink skirts, why do I have blue shorts?'

That was the day he learned about discrimination...

[famcandance2]

Hi

 

Just wanted to say my son did ballet from the age of 3. He was the only boy in the class and I believe the only boy in the whole town at the time. He came in for a lot of flack but I put parents straight when I got comments and I taught him to overcome negative comments from the kids (mainly boys) by explaining to him that they were not aware of the facts, just echoing parents. He learned to ignore the comments because dance was what he really wanted to do and nobody was going to deflect him from his chosen path. I found also that the girls in his dance class who were at school with him protected and defended him quite a lot as they appreciated a "different" boy for a change. As he grew older, he also grew stronger and the boys didn't bother him anymore. We never broadcasted his successes but those who needed to know knew he had done well. He is now 15 years old, a pupil at the Hammond school and still dancing. All the people who were negative before now want to be his friend and are amazed he has done so well. So keep your chin up and let him do what he wants to do. No-one should have the power to take away anyone else's dreams, so tell him if this is what he wants to keep dreaming and keep working. At the end of the day, he will have the last laugh! Stick with ISTD as a lot of vocational schools seem to think it builds strength for boys more than RAD. Just my opinion though. Hope this helps.

[Fiz]

Isn't it amazing how people want to be friends as soon as you have a little bit of fame! I hope your son ignores them, Fam!

[famcandance2]

Yea he does, lol. only keeps in contact with those who were his friends before. Now they try to talk to his younger sister but she's not having it either!