Is it too late to do Ballet?

[CottonVenus]

I'm turning 16 in the next 5 months, and really wish I had took on Ballet at a young age~
I've thought of starting now, but on the same not, is it really too late? I adore ballet so much... It's incredibly graceful, and yet is probably a much more exhausting type of sport/dance than something such as two full rugby games~

I'm at a height of 5"3, medium boned, and a curvy size 8~ wouldn't my body shape also be the wrong type for ballet? Ballerinas are very lean, with narrow hips and petite figures~

Is there any chance of me being able to do it? I need some kind of advice on whether it is too late to start or not, or what I could do otherwise~

[Light Soprano]

Ballerinas are not very lean with narrow hips and petite figures--I don't know where you are getting that stereotype from. o.O; My ballet instructor was nowhere near lean or petite at all.

That said, it's not too late for you to take ballet; however, you won't be at the same level as those your age that started when they were young.

[one september]

You can definitely still start; I started at 14 and have progressed to Advanced Ballet and Pointe over the course of two and a half years. Hard work and determination is all it takes, love. Also, don't fret about your body type! Ballerinas and dancers in general truly do come in all shapes and sizes and so you shouldn't worry yourself about that. Good luck <3

[Antlers]

Yes.
You may find my article on Staring Ballet as an Adult or Older Teen at my blog to be helpful. I go more in depth about classes for older folks, as well as answer some frequently asked questions. If you do end up taking the plunge and enrolling in lessons, there is also an article on ballet clothing for beginners. smile

It's important to understand that while contemporary and modern companies have all sorts of different body types, all of those dancers are at an extreme level of fitness. Classical ballet dancers in professional companies will almost always be long and lean, since that is the desired body for ballet, and that is the body that results from ballet training. People pay to see Swan Lake, not Swine Lake.

That said, there is nothing stopping you from enrolling in ballet lessons and even performing at a local level. You can physically perform ballet with any body type, but going en pointe will be challenging if you are carrying extra dead weight (especially if you have flexible feet!), and classes may be disheartening if you feel uncomfortable in a leo and tights.

If you do not intend to go professional, you have nothing to worry about. smile Ballet is incredibly rewarding and the movement and music makes all girls feel beautiful. As soon as you pull on your tights and slip into your slippers, you are a princess. Love who you are!

[FightingTears]

Of course you can don't give up on a dream

[LostInsideMyMind]

It's never too late to start. My dance teacher for four years, one of the greatest dancers I've ever known, didn't start dancing until she was sixteen. You may feel a bit left out because the other girls your age already have pointe shoes and are on an intermediate or advanced level, but that's no reason to be discouraged. Pointework itself is not too difficult once you've gotten up the strength for it.

You are right on the ball about the amount of energy it takes for ballet--it can be physically exhausting, especially once you break into the higher-difficulty classes. While most don't consider it so, ballet is almost more of a sport than an art form until you get it up on a stage--it can be taxing. And it takes buttloads of work to be able to do what the professionals do--those girls are dancing their asses off for five or six hours a day for five to seven days a week. It doesn't take that to get to that level, but that's what they do. Ballet is their life, they eat, sleep, and breathe ballet, and they do very little else.

As for the size thing, that just doesn't hold water to me. I'm 5'4", medium-boned, short-legged and long-torsoed, curvy size twelve, and I danced for ten years, the latter two of which were spent at this size. I knew girls of all sizes in my company. It doesn't matter what size you are; what matters is how badly you want it. Anyone can be a ballerina, at any size and at any age.

And I definitely have to agree with Antlers: it really does make you feel incredibly beautiful to dance. I didn't have the greatest self-confidence growing up, but as soon as that music started playing, as soon as I was in the middle of a grand jete across the floor, I felt incredible. There's not a day that goes by that I don't miss it, and there's not a time I see a dancer on stage that I don't wish was me. I had to quit because of joint disease, but the pull of ballet is lifelong.

[CottonVenus]

WOw, biggest thanks to Antlers and LostInsideMyMind~
This advice is such an encouragement, I can't wait to start!
I really appreciate all this, and it's been a pleasure hearing off the kind of people who come from this background~~

Thankyou all very very much!!
x

[ginnangel]

girl just try it .. follow what you feel and you'll be great!

[PinkieKitty]

I want to go into Musical Theater in college. I'm 17 and a half, and I just started ballet a few months ago. It's muscle memory, like everything else! Go for it!

[zelda11223344]

It's never to late to start ballet for the joy of it! If you want to become a professional it would be difficult though. Most 16 year old ballerinas have already mastered pointe and are starting to join companies. However your definetly not late to start ballet!

[Psychotic202]

I say go for it and give it your ALL.

[Sakura Parfait]

It's never too late to start learning ballet, as long as you have the drive to go through with it.

[georgia1993]

i do ballet and started at 16. im almost 18 now and am in a company where we do performances. It took alot of hard work but it was worth it. It also helps to take other dance classes or yoga to help with simple things like balance and technique smile pm me if you have anything specific to ask

[CottonVenus]

georgia1993

i do ballet and started at 16. im almost 18 now and am in a company where we do performances. It took alot of hard work but it was worth it. It also helps to take other dance classes or yoga to help with simple things like balance and technique smile pm me if you have anything specific to ask

Oh! Thank you very much ^^

[O-P-I-Baby]

I'm the exact same. I'm gonna start a ballet class soon smile