I am the director of ballroom dance program at an elementary school. Around here, ballroom dance in an elementary school is pretty common and most of the middle and high schools have classes and teams that compete in team formations as well as individually. I love teaching the kids, but I have chosen not to tell them about all of the competitions in my area (about 10 per year) because I don't want to taint them. I go to the competitions myself and see the families that make all of their kids train like professionals wearing the fake eyelashes, with fully rhinestoned dresses (complete with fake bra cups) and heels. They look like mini-Jean Bonet Ramsey's (sp) to me and it saddens me to see it. I know of a studio in my city that pays for two top pro's to come in weekly to train their kids (the studio is in their basement). Their kids are always in the finals at nationals, but they are like 6,8 & 10 years old! I am close friends with someone who trains there and they dance 2-3 hours 6 days a week! It just seems like perhaps they are throwing their kids in too deep too soon. What do you all think?
How young is too young?
- Thread starter tiadancer
- Start date
Wow! Great topic. 
I don't know. If kids don't train intensively at an early age, can they catch up and be competitive later? Is the competition what it's all about? What are ballroom programs in other countries like? How different is an intensive ballroom program than, say, pee-wee football (in some areas of the US) or gymnastics, where kids train just as hard? Can a tough ballroom program backfire and turn kids away from the sport? Are programs like yours the key to helping the US catch up and raise the bar from dancesport in the US?
Yikes. There's a lot to your question. Let me think about this and come back. :? 8)
I don't know. If kids don't train intensively at an early age, can they catch up and be competitive later? Is the competition what it's all about? What are ballroom programs in other countries like? How different is an intensive ballroom program than, say, pee-wee football (in some areas of the US) or gymnastics, where kids train just as hard? Can a tough ballroom program backfire and turn kids away from the sport? Are programs like yours the key to helping the US catch up and raise the bar from dancesport in the US?
Yikes. There's a lot to your question. Let me think about this and come back. :? 8)
Oh yeah and one other question. Don't youth ballroom programs in other countries pretty strictly limit the Jon-Benet look for kids? Why does competitive dance at an early age have to be equated with the sexualization of children? Six-year-olds in bra cups? :shock: *shudder*
redhead said:
Anything much younger than that might be too little, though, redhead, depending on the kid, I think.
I was doing an observation at karate class the other day -- the "tiny tigers," I think they're called. Ages 2.5 up to about 5. What a fiasco! I think, if they'd been taught one-on-one or one-on-two, it might have worked. But a large group setting (about 12 in the class with two instructors) did not work.
I guess my point is that there are some developmental lower limits for kids. Below a certain age (I don't know what it is :? ) they may not be physically ready for the demands or socially ready for paying attention in a group setting ... especially boys, who tend to develop "standing still and paying attention to the teacher" skills more slowly than do girls.
It all depends on the kid, IMO.
But, like I alluded to earlier, there are elementary aged kids out there in all sorts of competitive sports, practicing 2 - 3 hours a day. Why not ballroom dance? *shrug*
redhead
New Member
I don't think learning to dance is much different from learning to ride a bike at that age. Sure, falls are inevitable. But if you learn early, you'll be very comfortable doing cool tricks and jumps on your bike later; if you learn too late - you'll still be able to enjoy biking, but that's about it.
I guess I am pretty opinionated about this and that is why I started it. I would NEVER allow my child to look like the ametures at that young of an age. I want my kids to be kids, get dirty climbing trees, riding bikes, playing house, etc. I think that's why I am teaching where I am teaching. I like the opportunity to teach them positive ways to interact with members of the opposite sex (especially at an age when they all have cooties). All of the costumes I have for my students are extremely modest and I don't use any steps or moves that would make them uncomfortable. For me, I am all about introducing the sport to them and if they want to get more serious and want to compete and get the dresses, shoes and make-up they will have to go someplace else. I personally don't want my children to be competative ballroom dancers. I did start at a young age and luckily for me I was in an area where at the pre-teen, junior and youth levels they had pretty strict costume rules so that it placed everyone on an equal playing field. Now, rhinestones and feathers are allowed at every level and it makes me feel sad for those who can't afford dresses like that, but who are good dancers because they get overlooked.
ChaChaMama
Well-Known Member
I can't wait for my daughter to be old enough to start lessons. I'm thinking around 5 years old might be right, but we'll play it by ear. The people who own the studio where we take lessons have a boy who is three years older, and they have joked ever since I was pregnant about pairing up our kids, so maybe that will happen for us. (My daughter is currently 2; their son is 5.) If not, that's fine too.
When I say "start lessons," I mean maybe one a week. I don't think 2 hours a day 6 days a week is appropriate at that young an age, though, unless the child is hankering for it. I want my daughter to choose *HER PASSION*, not for me to force it on her. If dancing winds up being that passion, then that's great. (And it wouldn't surprise me; she already loves the music and loves dancing around.) If it winds up being swimming, or soccer, or piano, that's great too.
I don't at all worry that she won't be "competitive" later on. I'm not breeding a world champion; I'm raising a human being. Now, if when she's nine or so she tells me she wants to train every day and wants to go to NYC and take from top coaches, you bet I'll do everything I can to accommodate her dream. But it has to come from HER.
I will definitely let my daughter compete in the junior divisions if she wants to (awww!), but she will not be wearing fake eyelashes at an elementary school age. I don't wear fake eyelashes when I compete, so I can't see doing that with my kid! I will let her wear make-up, just like I would if she were in "The Nutcracker" or were dressed up for Halloween, but there are limits.
ChaChaMama
When I say "start lessons," I mean maybe one a week. I don't think 2 hours a day 6 days a week is appropriate at that young an age, though, unless the child is hankering for it. I want my daughter to choose *HER PASSION*, not for me to force it on her. If dancing winds up being that passion, then that's great. (And it wouldn't surprise me; she already loves the music and loves dancing around.) If it winds up being swimming, or soccer, or piano, that's great too.
I don't at all worry that she won't be "competitive" later on. I'm not breeding a world champion; I'm raising a human being. Now, if when she's nine or so she tells me she wants to train every day and wants to go to NYC and take from top coaches, you bet I'll do everything I can to accommodate her dream. But it has to come from HER.
I will definitely let my daughter compete in the junior divisions if she wants to (awww!), but she will not be wearing fake eyelashes at an elementary school age. I don't wear fake eyelashes when I compete, so I can't see doing that with my kid! I will let her wear make-up, just like I would if she were in "The Nutcracker" or were dressed up for Halloween, but there are limits.
ChaChaMama
dTas
New Member
my two sons (13 and 16) are both in programs. non competative for the moment.
i think, however, with dancing it should be something that the child is interested in and wants to do and not pushed by the parents. when it comes to dancing you don't want your child to have a bad taste about it. it could taint their dancing preferences for their whole life!!
my older boy loves to dance and is diving in trying to learn all he can.
my younger isn't as enthusiastic. i hope he takes to it but if he doesn't then oh well... i hope its something he can come back to if he feels like it.
i think, however, with dancing it should be something that the child is interested in and wants to do and not pushed by the parents. when it comes to dancing you don't want your child to have a bad taste about it. it could taint their dancing preferences for their whole life!!
my older boy loves to dance and is diving in trying to learn all he can.
my younger isn't as enthusiastic. i hope he takes to it but if he doesn't then oh well... i hope its something he can come back to if he feels like it.
What I mean by getting dirty climbing trees etc. is that I want my children to be involved in a lot of activities. I want them to try lots of things and if they have a preference towards something that is fine. I just see a lot of parents shoving their kids into private lessons and pouring their little bodies into dresses designed for grown women and it frustrates me. I am all for the arts, I graduated with a bachelor of arts degree. I just don't want to restrict my child to one thing because I only allowed that option when they were too young to have any say in it.