Thinking of quitting dance...?

I've been dancing for 10 years now, I'm 16 and an upcoming junior. I started dance at a studio in the town I live in when I was five or six, and was with them for eight years. The owners are the nicest people and were practically family. I was pretty much the star there, and one of the best if not the best dancer there (believe me, I'm not bragging). During my freshman year (in which I statred high school at a school an hour away) I wanted to get some more experience, so in the spring I started taking saturday ballet classes at a studio near my school my mom knew about from a coworker whose daughters dance there, and signed up for their summer intensive. Well, I was in for a shock when I took my first class there. I quickly realized that I may as well have never stepped into a studio before, because I could not keep up at all. It turns out that my studio is for purely recreational purposes and doesn't teach much real dance. I just didn't realize it at the time.

Anyway, I quickly assimilated myself into the new studio and by fall I was taking all my classes full time. I participated in their Nutcracker and spring show, and the recital, and next year I'm doing competition. At first, I was kind of on a high because I soaked everything up, applied every single correction, and basically put eight years' worth of ballet (as well as tap, jazz, and modern) into eight months until I was relativley up to speed. I'm not saying I'm good. I'm struggling with clean single pirouettes in ballet, and my doubles in jazz are inconsistent. I can't balance for long unless it's a really good day, and while I'm infinitely better than when I started, I just don't have the "air" the others have around them, if you know what I mean.

Anyway, since March or so, I feel like I'm starting to flatten out. I still try really hard, but I just don't feel like I'm any good or going to be. Obviously I had a really late start despite eight years of dancing, so maybe it's just too late and where I am is where I'll stay, but I really want to get better. I'm in a level with girls from age 11 to my age (but only a few are my age). It's not the "teen" class (except for Jazz, where I started out in the same level as the others but couldn't keep up so the teacher moved me to Teen), it's the progressive track, but I'm in the older end of the spectrum and a couple of the girls have been moved up to the next (the highest) level with most of the girls my age and from what I can tell the rest of the girls my age will be soon, and then I'll be the odd one out.

I really, really love dance. It's what I've been doing my whole life. When people ask what you do, and there are some people who are great at soccer or lacrosse or horseback riding, I would always say dance. Except, I'm not good, so now whenever I say I'm a dancer I feel like I'm lying somehow. In class, I'm managing. I keep up for the most part, but I still can't do frappes fast enough or balance in the pirouette exercise or do fourfast pique turns and four chaine turns en pointe. Or spot my turns, period. I'm not asking for 32 fouettes, I just want to be able to do a clean double, balance in releve posse, and dance in Waltz of the Snowflakes. Or Flowers. Or anything a little more mature than Sr. Polinchinelles. (I know I'm talking ballet here, but the same goes for jazz and modern. And hiphop and acro, which I'll be starting. Tap is my best class, but I still want to be better).

The problem is, I don't see myself getting better. Since I've started at my studio it has taken countless time, energy, and money out of me and my parents. It's an hour away, and I'm there at least four days a week, sometimes five. Now it'll be six or seven. High school has me burned out, and while I love going, it leaves me no time for homework or sleep. If I didn't have dance in my schedule, I would have SO much more time. I could finish my homework and sleep, pursue other interests, watch some TV, see my friends...and my parents would be so much more relaxed because ever since I started full time, they've both been on edge. Not to mention, it would save a ton of money, which is extremely tight at the moment. However, dance is the one thing I really have to put on my college resume. By the time college starts, assuming I still dance, I'll have 11 years under my belt, which means a lot to a university in terms of dedication. On the other hand, I'm fairly positive I won't be getting any scholarships for my abilities. So, I'm kind of stuck ina rut here. Dance is the only big thing I do other than go to school, and if I won't be able to improve or be any good it seems useless to continue.I really need advice, opinions, anything you can tell me here, because this hasn't gotten out of my mind since the id

2012-07-06T21:22:51Z

I really need advice, opinions, anything you can tell me here, because this hasn't gotten out of my mind since the idea of stopping occured to me.

I'm sorry I'm such a blab. It's like word vomit. I don't have anyone to tell all this to, so it feels amazing to get it out.

mintchips492012-07-08T03:47:22Z

Favorite Answer

If you enjoy dance, then don't quit.
Rather than quit, perhaps take less classes but classes that will help you more, or consolidate what you are taking to classes that will help improve your dance technique. If the modern isn't codified modern such as Graham, Horton or Limon, it isn't real modern and wont help much in the way of dance technique. Competition dance works more on tricks than strong dance technique. It doesn't help you become a better dancer and it costs more, Acro will not help your dance technique but it will help with tricks. You should examine what you really want out of dance. For improving technique you need more ballet. If I were you, I would lose the pointe shoes and take more ballet classes on flat to build strong ballet technique. The fact that you have trouble with spotting and balance for pirouettes reflects your problems with basic ballet technique. Once you use your time better there, you will see how it will improve everything you do in dance. It will also cost less if you don't do the competitions.
So, my advice to you is don't quit dance but change what classes you take. Don't take hip hop and acro but continue with tap if you love it and feel confident. Add more ballet and drop the jazz for the moment and the modern forever if it isn't codified modern as it wont get you anywhere. Strong ballet dancers can dance anything. My daughter was professionally trained in ballet and modern and didn't take any hip hop classes yet has choreographed music videos. Dancers trained with strong dance technique have the muscle technique and dance vocabulary to dance anything. It just becomes different choreography.
You wasted time before in a place that didn't give you the training you needed. Don't do it again by wasting time on things that wont help your basic dance technique, because that is what you really need to work on if you want to improve.
I wish you the best of luck in your classes.

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Anonymous2016-12-20T19:16:07Z

1

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?2012-07-06T22:31:24Z

Please don't quit. If this is something you truly love than please don't. I know you might feel left out because your old studio did not really teach much dance and now your at a new studio you actually learn real dance. Just because your being put into a class with 12 yr olds does not mean you won't get any better. I know you might not like to be compared to my sister because she's 11 but she started dance at only 7 and is still in classes with people a grade younger than her. She still continues to strive and try to be the best she can be. She has advanced and she has continued to do what she loves even tho she's with 10 and 9 yr olds. And sometimes it's just the studio in how they place you. My sister is truly the beat out of her class(and I'm not trying to brag either it's true) and she still is constantly put with the same girls. But this year she is moving up. Please don't ever give up. I know it consists a lot of time but if it's really that much maybe you can drop some classes? Just some tips. And keep practicing is all I can really say, that's the only way you could advance more.

10

Alisha2012-07-08T19:03:09Z

I can understand! This is only my 6th year of dance and i'm realizing my studio is also more for recreation, and not very technical. And honestly, i'm not even good at anything else. I'm sort of good at dance, still working on it. So i guess i need to try harder and work harder if that's what i want to pursue a career in. I miss hanging out with my friends on the weekends and sleeping over and not having to leave at 9 in the morning on a Saturday to go to practice :/ anyway i say quite only if you think it will help you. But if you feel you're not good, just work hard and practice whenever you can. I wish i started when i was younger so i could be better now. Just do what you feel is right :) sorry i kind of had to blab on too, i just felt like i'm in the same position as you! Good luck with whatever your decision is :)

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Anonymous2016-02-24T01:28:40Z

I've been through plenty of mean dance teachers, and I did my best to not let them get to me. Of course I took their advice and critisism very seriously, and I knew if I wanted to be a successful dancer, then I would just have to suck it up and know that I'm here to learn. So just tell yourself your in that class to learn not to be in a group of favorites, forget about that and focus on yourself. Don't give up that class, I know it may be hard but there will be some tough people in your life time and this will be a good way to learn how to deal with them.

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