Too late at 12 to become a pro ballet dancer?

Question

I have just started ballet lessons again, I did ballet from ages 3-7 and have just started again at 12... I have had one lesson, and I do ballet once a week.. Should I take more than one lesson a week and do I still have hopes of being a pro?

Answer 1

You'll need to increase your class load to at least 3 per week to see improvement in technique and strength. I would do more if you can. This still won't guarantee your ability to become a professional because body type and asthetics count as well. You may have perfect technique, but if you are built like a linebacker, your chances are greatly reduced. My advice, is to dance for yourself as best you know how and it will all follow from there.

Answer 2

I started ballet when I was 18. I'm not a professional ballet dancer, but I am still dancing in shows and stuff.

I definitely don't think it's too late for you. You should try to take at least three classes a week. You will also want to perform as much as possible. Try to set a goal for starting pointe when you're 14 or 15.

Good Luck!

Answer 3

You will not ever have any chance of becoming a professional until you increase your lessons to 3-5 per week at least (each lesson at least 1 1/2 hours). You need to get a really good school with really good teachers, have an absolute burning desire to dance and an ENORMOUS amount of talent without which you will eventually plateau out short of professional standards. You will need to attend summer dance intensives by major national dance companies (ABT, Joffrey etc.). Remember that for every professional ballerina there are hundreds if not thousands of girls like you that wanted to dance. Competition is murderous. Those who tell you that you can do anything if you try and want it badly enough are not realistic - in the end you will be limited by your talent, body type, and ambition. That being said...give dance your best effort - even if you don't make it, the physical and mental dicipline, grace, strength and character you develop will serve you well as an adult.

Answer 4

no way!!! i only took it when i was 7 and then quit and started back when i was 12 taking 2 classes a week and in less than a year i was head of my ballet class. When i turned 13 my teacher started me in pointe so i am now taking 3 classes a week. Its deffinatley not too late. But it also depends on how much you work and how much talent you have. If you are a person who was just not ment to dance there probably no hope but if your like me God gave you the great gift of dance and you will do great things.

Answer 5

Pros tend to practice for an hour or so every single day.

Body shape and various other issues can get in the way of becoming a pro, but for now, treat your weekly lessons as feedback on how you are doing and instruction for what to do better, then just go away all week and practice, practice, practice.

You will soon see a difference and find out whether you are going to catch up with your dream. You may still be very limber from your early training and just need to get back into good habits.

If the thrill is in the dance for you, then at worst you will develop excellent skills for transferring to other forms of dance, or be able to gain your teaching exams.

Go for it!

Answer 6

Nope, I started tap-dancing when I was about.. maybe 11 i think i lost count of how many years ago it was lol. A few months ago a professional tap dancer came to give us a workshop and I could keep up better than any of them!
I have dreams of becoming a professional tap dancer one day. I'm not doing the best job though lol. I'm thinking about taking for than one class a week. I want to sing, dance, and act on Broadway. I'd love to be in the musical "Singing in the Rain."
My schedule and wallet only allows me one class a week, but i'm practicing a lot! Working on my ankles, and *giggles* playing Dance Dance Revolution (the home-version).
Who says DDR can't teach you how to dance?? It's taught me a great deal of balance, speed, and streangth (also, being able to catch onto and learn stuff more quickly, u gotta follow those fast arrows after all) which is what both tap-dancers and ballerinas need.
I hope this helped!

Answer 7

okay, i totally feel you. my parents never had the finances to send me to ballet class until i was 13(15 now) I just started pointe. you HAVE had experience, so your chances are pretty good. It mostly depends on how hard you work on it. I practice for at LEAST 3 hours everyday, and i only take one class a week as well. the amount of classes don't particularly matter, its how hard you work for it and how bad you want it.
I wish you all the luck in the world and i hope to see you one day in the dance industry. Happy dancing

Answer 8

Of course you can still become a pro ballerina. It'll take a lot of practice and discipline but there's no reason why you couldn't. I think that you should just take once a week this year then gradually move up to more classes, of course you could take more classes and it might help a little but a would stick with once a week for right now. Good luck!

Answer 9

Read the positive answers. All good advice. At 12, you are not too old at all. I am 59 years old and I just started belly dancing at the young age of 57. I may never be a pro, but I sure do enjoy it and my teacher keeps telling me that I could go pro if I wanted to. So, honey, it ain't too late at all. I have a 77 year old aunt who tap dances professionally. She didn't start until she was over 70. If you want it, you can have it. GO FOR IT!

Answer 10

To be absolutely honest...
If you want to be a ballerina then you should definitely take lessons more than once a week. I know several ballerinas and they took dance practically everyday of their lives, including now. Most professional companies expect you to dance daily. As far as your age you will be "behind the curve" as it were, but a couple years of serious dedication will correct that before it becomes detrimental (when you start looking for post high school training.)