I want to start dance [ballet, pointe, ballroom, or latin] but i think i'm too old. I'm 15 with no experience.

Answer 1

You are never too old.

I am a very avid dancer. When I was about 11, I started dancing Ballet. At that point, I was already through puberty. I worked really hard and stretched alot. In one year, I advanced into pointe. By 14, dance was taking over my life so I had to stop. It is a little difficult to start ballet at an older age. But, there are lots of adults who start. Unless you are absolutely amazing, I would suggest Ballet as a hobby (and not dancing professionally).

At 14, I started to dance Jazz and Hip Hop as Hobbies. I progressed fairly quickly.

Mid way through University, I picked up Swing Dancing. Now, after 2 years, I just competed in the Canadian Swing Championships with my swing team.. placing in the top 3.

After I started swing dancing, I very very easily picked up salsa (Latin). It was less interesting. I do it for fun when I go out, but I haven't persued it.

This summer, I just started Ballroom. It's not very difficult, but very different than anything I had done before. I'm not yet very good, but I'm steadily progressing.

I think 15 is a slightly iffy time to persue professional Ballet. I know the National School of Ballet still takes students at your age, but these students usually have had quite a bit of prior training. If you think you will like Ballet, give it a try. Perhaps you have talent for it! If not, as a hobby, you can start anytime, anywhere.

As for Ballroom and Latin, lots of people start when they are old. I dance with lots of dancers who are 22, 25, 30, 40... who've never done it before. It dosen't take alot of flexibility like Ballet... just passion. Therefore, at 15, I'd consider you young... and there's no worries about starting now and competeing. Of course, as a hobby, you can start anytime, anywhere.

You will find adult classes for Ballet at any studio. However, you will find that the majority of beginner classes are for Children. For Ballroom or Latin, you will find that there are very very few childrens classes and that the majority of the people dancing in your beginners class will be older than you. I'd check out your local college, university or community center for classes.

Answer 2

The cold, hard facts are that unless you have been trained very hard and very well from a very early age, pursuing ballet as a career as anything other than a teacher is 100% unrealistic. The field is flooded with too many talented dancers to put on the stage as it is. If you were a man, it would be different, due to the shortage of male dancers in ballet, but you would still have a VERY difficult time making it anywhere.

It is never too late for ballroom. It is also never too late for strength and flexibility training. You could do VERY well in ballroom, but only if you have good instruction. Many chain schools just don't offer great training - sorry guys, that's just the facts. However, assuming that you found good training, you could do very VERY well in ballroom, even in theatre arts.

The one problem with ballroom is EXPENSE. None of the schools will be upfront with you about costs. By the the time you have paid for your private lessons, competition fees, and dress, your first real comp, all totalled, will be around $15,000, if it is a serious circuit comp. There are many independent competitions around there that cost much less and are really, much more fun, but chain schools don't like to tell their students about these. They just want the money.

So, in short, you would do very well in ballroom, but money could be barrier if you are stuck with a money sucking chain school. BE CAREFUL! Many schools will try to rip you off.

Answer 3

I started dancing (for the first time ever) when I was 18 and went to college (I signed up for four dance classes)

I haven't stopped dancing. And now I'm even dancing en pointe. I suggest just taking ballet before pointe. You need solid technique before you should start and it'll help you build strength.

Ballet is hard, so don't get discouraged! It takes patience and ambition but eventually you will get better. I suggest reading "The Dancer's Companion" by Eliza Minden, it's geared toward adult beginners and such.

I took ballroom too because I just wanted to move. If you do go though, try to bring a partner with you. I have found that most ballroom class Male to Female ratios are very off.

Good Luck and ask questions if you have them.

Answer 4

You can start dancing anytime. I took some initial ballroom lessons (including Latin) in my mid-30s, but didn't really start doing it a lot until my mid-40s. My wife and I are too old to get into competition and earn titles, of course, but we just do it for recreation in a social dance setting. We're like the vast majority of ballroom dancers--we're people who picked it up in middle age and do it socially.

I've heard that the very best ballroom competition dancers started young, and that age 15 would represent a bit of a late start if you wanted to go right to the top in ballroom competitions. But I've also heard that there are a pair of national-level competitors who didn't start until they were in their 20s. So I guess it's possible to overcome a late start if you're really driven.

Anyway, give it a try. If you like it, you can always do ballroom and Latin socially. And there are other competition levels (Pro-Am, etc.), or you can teach, or you can dance professionally, etc. You don't necessarily have to be the number 1 dancer in the country to enjoy dancing and even make a living at it.

Answer 5

there's no such thing as too old, and experience comes with time. just try your luck with ballet, ballroom dancing, or latin. i wouldn't suggest pointe until you've had at least 2-3 years of ballet under your belt. I started ballet when I was 5 and they allowed me on pointe recently, when I had just turned 13. as for ballroom, my parents started classes 3 years ago, and they're already about 50. I'm pretty sure your luck will be much better. have fun with it, and you're not too old.

Answer 6

You are not too old to dance. Anyone at any age can start. You just need to find an appropriate beginner's class so you are not in a room with a bunch of 4 year olds. However, if this is what you want to do professionally, you will have a lot of work to do to catch up to the other 15 year olds who have been dancing for years.

Answer 7

I started my ballroom dance lessons when I was 22 or 23. I have never danced before. I've been dancing for almost 20 years now.

No, you are not too old. I see people in their senior years come to lessons. You are not too young either as I see highschool students also.

Answer 8

Nah, you're not too old!

If you want to do it, you should definitely try it. Lots of stuff you learn in early years is not really what I would call "dancing"...it's kind of more like babysitting. I took dancing when I was younger, but believe me...I have no "technique" or "experience".

When you start getting 16-18 that's when it really starts to take off and you get to do really good stuff so you're joining at the right time! If you stay in it, at 18 you'll have 3 years experience and you'll be great! So, don't think you're too old! NO!

Answer 9

Don't worry. You can never be to old to dance! Dancing is like part of life! If you are in ok shape and everything you will do great. I know how you feel. I started ballet and jass when I was 13.5 years old. Of course it was a little embarrasing because I was in ballet class with like 7 year olds. But now I am one of the best dancers in our group.

Answer 10

You're not too old. I started at 18!!! In a class full of H.S. freshman who all did Cheer! I felt like quitting. but now I dance a least three times a week. I've passed up everyone in my class. But you will have to work harder, be prepared!
I highly reccomend jazz and ballet to begin with. (you'll never make it to pointe if you don't start ballet now!)