I'm a gymnast. What kind of dance should I try?

Question

I am a gymnast, but I'm getting to tall. I do floor and bars the best, but I'm not good at walking on my hands or that kind of stuff. My back is extremely flexible and I can do a split all three ways.
I went over and asked the sports people what sport I should do. One said gymnastics (that's the sport i'm quitting), another wrestling. I forgot how stupid jocks can be. Anyway, I think I'll try a type of dance. Not cheerleading. And I'm not too fond of tu-tu's either.

Could you give me some information about the kind of dance or a link to a website where I could learn about it? i'm reall unfamilar with dancing.

The tutu thing? I don't actually mean I wouldn't do ballet just cause of tutus, it's just a reference, a way to say I'd prefer not to do ballet.

Answer 1

Same thing happened to me.....I also switched to dance. To bad about the tutu Cuz it sounds like you would be awesome at ballet especially with your flexibility and your strength from gymnastics. Not all ballet requires at tutu either but maybe you would like lyrical dance. It is a lot like floor and can be adapted to how you like it. Another type of dance you might like is Modern dance that is sort of like floor with similar movements. Jazz is also fun and the music is similar to alot of music used for floor and can require flexibility. Hip hop is also fun and being flexible can really help. If you really are looking into dance i would recommend that you check your local dance schools and sit in on a few classes, you can also talk to the teachers to determine what you would be more interested in. Websites can be helpful but human contact works better. Have fun and dance is awesome :)

Answer 2

Try ballet. You never ever wear tutus in class and if you go to a neoclassical school (balanchine, the style of SAB where I went http://www.sab.org/ ) or modern school (like the style of ailey school http://www.theaileyschool.edu ) you won't be wearing them for performance either. Usually if it's not a character costume then it's just a leotard and mini wraparound skirt, often either white or black. I don't know why everybody thinks ballet dancers all wear tutus, they're dreadful huge things that get in the way and make you look like you've got the top of a birthday cake hanging off your butt. They're perfectly avoidable (and you don't need much in the way of pink clothes either). Also your flexibility (and long legs since you're tall) will make for beautiful lines in ballet (I have a good back and all 3 oversplits and use it every class). here are performance photos from some of my favourite ballets to dance. notice no tutus, no pink leotards/skirts. http://www.obt.org/images/About_Us/Gallery/04-05_Season/Movement_As_Metaphor/Concerto_Barocco_1_500px.gif
http://www.nzballet.org.nz/files/rhs-images/agon.jpg
http://www.arenapal.com/activ/ballet/small/1040968.jpg (i've seen this with a better arched back)
even the ones with costumes aren't bad
pics:http://www.artsjournal.com/tobias/images/rubiesf1.jpg
http://www.danceviewtimes.com/images/winter04/6/Rubies%20-%20Ansanelli%20Woetzel%202.jpg
and a video of one of my favourite ballets. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHCUpEEqPSU (they're wearing green in the colour version) watch the first 30 seconds even if you don't think you'll like it, just see how flexible and strong she is. your years of gymnastics training will not be wasted!

Lyrical is a joke. Don't take it. It's what happens when you smush together ballet, modern, and jazz, and then take out all of the technique. No reputable dance school teaches lyrical, so don't go to one that does even if you're not planning to take it. If you go to a bad school you won't enjoy any of the classes because they won't teach you right.

Unlike in gymnastics, dance is a non-competetive art form and the schools that drag you around to competitions all year and put on 'recitals' are horrible and can't teach you well. You need a school that focuses on technique and has just a couple performances a year, that are good enough the public pays to see (not just your parents). Ballet is the foundation of all western dance forms so if your learn it you will have an easy time picking up things like jazz and even hip hop. If you want you can take ballet a few times a week and then a jazz or hiphop class once or twice, because the ballet will help you learn all 3 kinds of dance faster. You might also think about taking up pilates or yoga (not the introspective meditating kind, one of the active workout kinds) if you haven't already done those as conditioning for gymnastics.

Answer 3

I think you should try a little bit of everything...ballet, jazz, lyrical, hip hop. Just try a class because that is really the only way youre gonna figure out if you like it or not..oh and you pretty much never wear tutus to ballet class unless your like 3 or if its a for a costume. I would just google the different types of dance and a lot of things should come up. Hope it helps! Good luck!

Answer 4

You should take the 3 basics: ballet, tap, and jazz. I used to do all 3. and by the way I dont think I ever wore tutus during ballet. you wear a leotard most of the time. and an occasional skirt, but not tutus. These 3 are all important if you want tot take dance. But i think you should take as many different types as you can to see what you like.

Answer 5

You could try lyrical. Its kind of like floor in gymnastics except much more contemporary and a little more dancey. Lots of lyrical dancers have been trained in gymanstics so you would be a natural im sure! Also ballet is ofcourse another option, but depending on what age you are it might be a little hard to pick up and you not fond of tu-tu's so that is a little bit of a problem =) I would say lyrical, or jazz is also a fav of mine. I would google dance schools in your area to work out a good one for lyrical.

Answer 6

Ballet. If you find the right ballet school then you won't have to wear tu-tu's at all, and for every school that I know of you would only wear them in a performance anyway, not a regular class. I would recommend Cecchetti ballet, because it prepares you better. It is a very structured form, with different skill levels, and oversight of the teachers by a national organization to ensure uniformity for all the students. You can do Cecchetti for years, and then be able to do all the other forms, but you can't do the other forms for years and then do Cecchetti. Plus, it is the form that started modern classical ballet, all the other forms split from it.

Answer 7

alright well. i personally think you should try jazz first. ballet is great but since your older its harder to get to pointe as fast as you want. plus you dont like tutus.

jazz is going to allow you to use your flexibility and your strong legs, which will allow you to leap really high. it will be impressive.

and then, if you go to a studio that offers it, you should break into acrobatic dance. thats really cool, especially if you already know gymnastics. but you'll need a year or two of jazz first to learn the ropes.

videos arent a good place to get a feel for the type of dance you want to do. the best thing to do is to go to your local dance studio and ask if you can do a tester class. and they'll let you either sit in on the class, or take it once for free. then you'll really know if you want to do it.

good luck!
-Jessica

Answer 8

Well don't do lyrical because it like ballet. Try Hip Hop or Tap 2 types of dances that are completely different than gymnastics.

Answer 9

There are several good answers, but I have not seen folk dancing mentioned yet. For a wide selection, see http://www.folklorama.ca
where more than 40 ethnic groups are represented. Some of the costumes are stunning. None of the groups wear tutus. Choose one that you like and find a group in your neighbourhood.

Answer 10

if you have already got gymnastic coaching i might endorse acro. no longer all studios have it however this is a combo of acrobatics and dancing so there may be extra again handsprings and so forth. i did 7 years of circus/ gymnastic coaching earlier than i began to bounce so i did acro and cherished it.