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To: TruthConquers
Any Freeper's with some experience in the dance world?

Well, some. My mother has been a professional dancer for 50 years, but on the contemporary dance side, not ballet. So you need to take this with the understanding that conditions may be different on the ballet side (there's probably more money for salaries, for one thing - which ain't saying much. Dance is not for folks who want to make a killing, or even a good living. Mom always relied on the fact that my dad worked too to put food on the table, or we probably would have all starved!)

Dance is very, very hard to break into. Your daughter has to be old enough to realize what a life-changing decision this is, and she has to really have the fire in the belly to put up with the dull scut work of being low man on the totem pole for YEARS, with very little pay and extremely stressful working conditions. There's also the problem of her health - anorexia and on the job injuries could not only end her career, they could trouble her for the rest of her life.

You don't say how old she is, or where you live, but here's what I would do. If she is studying with a teacher connected with a dance company, I would meet with her teacher and the director of the company and get a brutally realistic assessment of her talent, body type (this is crucial in ballet, less so in CD), work ethic, and her chances of "making it" as a professional dancer in a regional or local company. If her instructor is not affiliated with a company, I would make an appointment with the director or ballet master of a local company and ask for an evaluation/consultation. Offer to pay a consultation fee.

If the signs are right and she is really determined to make a go of it, you should look into apprenticeships/scholarships offered by local or regional companies. There's no point in looking at the national companies unless she has a really incredible talent - and I assume she doesn't because she would already be being recruited in that case. Most companies have periodic auditions for apprenticeship spots.

The important things are to have a heart-to-heart with her teacher and to research the positions that might be available to her.

If she isn't willing to go to the wall for dance, there are plenty of alternatives. Plenty of good colleges offer a dance program that you can participate in while you're working towards a degree in something a little more practical.

I took that route myself. I am physically not cut out to be a dancer - short and stocky with a long torso and short legs, the exact opposite of what you need (I took after my dad, but my daughter is leggy and willowy like my mom. My son is short and stocky like my dad and me. So relieved it didn't turn out the other way!) So I took courses in dance at my college and graduated with an Honors degree in History (went on to law school) and a Certificate in Theatre and Dance. I enjoyed myself and kept up my dance, and I have continued to dance socially (in Scottish Country Dancing, which is a blast, and you can keep it up into your old age.)

FWIW, a friend's daughter was very into ballet in high school (to the point that she was dancing star roles in a regional company) but she decided to go to business school. She may eventually get into the dance business, but not on the performance end.

120 posted on 02/24/2005 10:08:33 AM PST by AnAmericanMother (. . . Ministrix of ye Chace (recess appointment), TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary . . .)
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To: AnAmericanMother
I am just amazed at all of the wonderful response's I have gotten from this one post.

Thank You.

My daughter is 11 and has been going to a regional dance school since 7. They have been telling us she has "potential" but this school (in Irvine, CA, Ballet Pacifica) was struggling and only gave partial work program scholarships to some students. I don't think this school had apprentice auditions. Some girls from the upper levels are in a program for apprenticeship, though.

But this school is facing major changes with ABT's Ethan Stiefel coming.

Who knows how? He will officially take over in the fall and I am nervous and excited all at the same time. If she has a chance, it has certainly fallen onto her path.
272 posted on 02/24/2005 5:24:46 PM PST by TruthConquers (Delenda est publius schola)
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