What to do without summer school?

[ArucariaBallerina]

 

Hi everyone,

 

Because of the costs of full-time training from September, I am not allowed to go to summer school this year (apart from a 3 day intensive). As you can imagine, I think I am going to go insane if I cannot improve my technique and do ballet! So, I guess is there any way I can still improve without summer school? Is there something I could do, besides hopefully being able to do a few drop in classes here and there and my usual conditioning, stretching and running/swimming etc?

Last year I spent 3 weeks at summer schools plus 2 weeks of EYB in summer so it's going to be a long difficult summer :((

 

Oh dear I sound very ungrateful... I honestly feel like the luckiest person alive to be able to fulfil my dream of so many years but I don't want my technique to go backwards. 

Thank you all! ❤️

[Moneypenny]

Arucaria, enjoy your summer, maybe focus on some non ballet stuff, by all means do some exercise, swimming is good, rest, have a good time. Start your upper school training with a rested body and maybe just try to find some back to school classes towards the end of the holiday. Please don’t feel that you will be somehow “behind”, that you’re missing out  and that your technique will go backwards if you don’t keep up training through the whole summer. Upper school training is pretty intense and days are long, so start with a rested body and mind. As much as ballet may be your passion, look at the summer as an opportunity rather than being long and difficult. I speak as a parent who was on this journey with a dd for many years. All the very best for when you start upper school. x

[Ruby Foo]

Firstly, congratulations on your gaining your place, with finance, at vocational school. Fabulous achievement. Do you have space in your home to work out? Can you move things around? Do you have a ballet barre or can you make something that will do? David Plumpton does music for ballet class you could download and give yourself a basic class 3 times a week focusing on technique and corrections you have had recently. I wouldn’t try allegro though, unless you are lucky enough to have sprung floors! Instead you could go for a gentle 20 mins  jog providing you have supporting trainers. There are also some great Pilates videos online you could try and strength and conditioning exercises to compliment your class. Sometimes Pilates and yoga classes often offer a free taster sessions if you fancy some variety.

And don’t forget to rest!! So important to for your body and mind.

Best of Luck for September 😀

[Karen]

Don’t think that a break is a bad thing. I used to worry that my Dd resolutely rejected summer schools, saying that she needed a holiday. She has felt at no disadvantage when returning to vocational school over the years. More recently she has recognised that regular stretching at home is a good thing, and that occasional family (all except me!) trips to the gym mean that she can just keep ticking over. I do think that letting your body rest is very helpful in preventing injury too. Enjoy the rest! 

[Mummy twinkle toes]

Pilates and yoga are good suggestions and are often available throughout the Summer.

[FlexyNexy]

Your body and muscles need break to recover. I would not worry, my DD never did summer schools (maybe twice in her earlier years). She has just returned home from her vocational school and is looking for long rested summer break. She has her schedule that she has created; stretching, running, swimming, will attend local gym but other than that just rest and spending time with family and friends she has not seen for a while. In previous years she did some classes in Danceworks if she felt the summer break is too long but other than that just stretching at home.
Enjoy summer! x

 

[drdance]

I'm so pleased to see how things have moved on in the last 10 years! It sounds like lots of dancers at vocational schools are hearing that rest and cross-training/strength and conditioning is really helpful for their bodies and minds and this makes me very happy!

 

Summer schools and summer intensives are great experiences but they really aren't the be-all-and-end-all. The advice given here is all the same as I'd say. Work on strength, general fitness, maintaining active flexibility and do some work on basic technique (posture and turnout are always my go-to areas to keep working on). You can do PBT exercises, pilates work, floor barre etc all at home. If you're stuck and need some direction please PM me! 

[Bex does ballet]

I believe this is somewhat from the USA perspective but is an article on just this subject so there are some pertinent points

 

https://www.pointemagazine.com/diy-ballet-summer-intensive-2638866429.html?utm_source=Pointe+Magazine+Newsletter&utm_campaign=2f73997824-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_06_19_02_51&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_379f4c7666-2f73997824-50764331

hope the link works, I’m no good at that sort of thing

havingbsaid that, the advice above is excellent advice which  I wholeheartedly agree with

Edited June 19, 2019 by Bex does ballet