Is it too late to think about ballet?

Question

I'm 13 years old, and I'm thinking about taking ballet classes. I once took ballet when I was in 3rd grade, but only for a week, so I really don't have much experience. I was wondering if it's too late to start ballet, because most people start at a young age and work from there. Also, if I start dancing at 13, is it too late to think about a professional career when I'm older? I've heard some people say that you have to start early (like 8-11 years) to be a pro when you're older. Is that true?

Answer 1

i started ballet at 13, i sugust taking private lessons at first to help you catch up. it helped me a lot. to tell you the truth my 2 bfs have been dancing sence they were 4, i started to years ago and i'm in advanced classes now. so i really don't think it matters when you start.

i'd go for it, good luck, and have fun.

Answer 2

Never too late to start.

Answer 3

it is never to late, i used to do ballet but not anymore, but u shood it keeps u calm after a long day at school, doesn't matter how old u are and you do NOT have to start at a certain age, i no people that are girls AND gis that start at age 35, it is never to late

Answer 4

Its never too late

Answer 5

you are a little old but if you try really hard maybe you can think about going pro it's never to late to try=^..^=

Answer 6

I started ballet when i was 13. It's never too late. If you work hard at it then there is no reason why you can't be a professional dancer when you are older.  :)

Answer 7

Never too late, those kids on that MTV show, MADE, are like 18 and 19 and they just start out and they do exceptionally well most of the time! I guess as long as you're like open to start new things and adapt to new things and dont mind a challenge, go for it!

Answer 8

you can start dancing at any age . it doesnt matter how many years of dance you take its all about how well you progress. i started dancing at ten and all my other friends started at about three or five. now i am at their level in dance. i hope you take my advice. good luck with dancing!!!

Answer 9

I dont think so. some dance school have beginner classes for older people like you, check into some of the places around you.doesnt hurt to call and ask.

Answer 10

what?

it's never to late to start doing something hun.

ask yourself this " do i really want to do this?"

if yes than do it homie

stop wasting time

Answer 11

it's your dream! graveyards are full of people who haven't followed their dreams. you should go for it. also you should read Joel Olsteen's book: becoming a better you. good luck!

Answer 12

Have you seen some of the dancers on So You Think You Can Dance?  Some have only been dancing for a few years and are wonderful.  If it's where your heart is, it will never be too late for it, and 13 is still very young.  Just give it a go and practice, practice, practice.

Answer 13

Its never to late

Go hit the dance floor right now

Start taking more lessons

Answer 14

go ahead and do it! You still have a chance for sure. I was also 13 when I started ballet. All the people my age were in gr.7 ballet but they put me in gr.4 ballet. It was kinda awkward being with the younger kids (they were gr.5 and i was gr.8) but i learned much queicker and they bumped me up to gr. 5 within the first month. and after that year they bumped me up 2 more grades because i got a good score on my exams.

Go for it!

Answer 15

You are definitely not too old to start ballet.

That's one of the biggest myths out there, that there's an age-limit on when to start. Of course, after a certain point, there's no chance of being a professional, but that's definitely not the case with someone who's "only" 13.

All the professional dancers I know (and I do know a lot) started dancing in their early to mid teens, I just started a year ago at 15 (prefer modern, but I take ballet, too), and I've heard of great dancers who started even later.

The one thing that's not so fun about not starting "on time" is that you start off in a beginner's class with younger kids.

But, an older learner is usually able to pick up the steps and technique faster and will thus catch up with their peers relatively quickly, leaving behind the horrifyingly embarrassing ballet I classes.

It's a lot of hard work though. Ballet (at least for me) can be sheer, unadulterated French Horror at times.

I stretch and spin and leap and stand in often uncomfortable, usually unfamiliar ways, and get told countless of times that my legs are short and my feet are hideously disfigured, but it's worth the pain if you're want to be a ballerina, and are not just doing it to have a good base for modern dancing. Like me.

Sure, other dancers have danced longer than you and started earlier, but don't let that scare you off!

Work hard and good luck!

-

P.S. My personal opinion (probably not true, though...) is that people say to start between the ages of 8 and 11 so that children can perfect their technique and develop a broad ballet vocabulary (every move has a name, and a classical ballet is not classical unless all its moves are in the "ballet dictionary").

The latter was what I had the most trouble with, and I still get confused when I hear the instructor shout "Rond de jambe à terre!" o.O'

It's not even complicated and I do it at the barre all the time....

The instructor loves reminding me of that.

Oh well, enough rambling. Ciao!

Answer 16

Um My Little Sister Takes Ballet And Once I Had Go With Her 4 A Show And That Same Day It Was When U Could Also Go To Sign Up And The Were Like 16 Yr. Olds With No Expeience. Many Hot Girls No To Be Rude. But Yeah Go it

Answer 17

nahh its never too late :) just go for it. if you really want it bad and you work hard it dosnt matter how much expirience you have. you can be just as good as the proffessionals if you work for it.

Answer 18

No way! I am in the same situation! If you do it I'll do it!!

Let's go for it!<3

Answer 19

It's never too late. There are classes out there especially for teenage beginners. And you can probably be professional, you're just going to have to work REALLY hard. Ballet isn't easy.

Answer 20

Of course it's not too late. I started ballet when I was 11 1/2, and though I was in a class with a lot of younger kids, which was a bit strange at times, I'm still dancing at age 13 and don't plan to stop anytime soon. I suggest that you check out your local dance studios and see what kind of classes they have to offer. Good luck, and have fun dancing!

Answer 21

nope. a lot of places offer teen classes that can catch you up to everyone else pretty fast. go for it.

Answer 22

No it's not too late to start taking classes! You will prob. start at a lower level, but since you have a little experience you should work your way up. If you do take classes, don't get discourged because you might not be able to do everything right away. It is a little late to start thinking about a career, but if you really want it, theres nothing stopping you ;)

Answer 23

no its not 2 late if u were over 13 yes but  just work ur best at it and ull get dere.is never 2 lata 2 accomplish ur goals or dream .just think possitive ull be good .i know dats a fact.dont give up.e ven through a maybe hard at the began and u may wanna give up but keep on trying and ull reach ur goals and ull be proud of ur self.i kno u can

Answer 24

go for it

Answer 25

you will never know unless you try.

it will be challenging, but if you put in extra hard work it will pay off!

Answer 26

I say go for it. Im 13 and im starting ballet this fall. I took one small session of it when i was in like the second grade i think. And i dont think you have to start really young. Im going on my fourth year of dance. And some of the parents say im better than people who have done it since they were really little. I think it just depends on how hard you work. If you really like it and work hard, i think you will go far with it.

Answer 27

Ok so Like I started dancing when I was 3 years old, and now I am 12. You can still be a pro, but not for a Big Company like Boston Ballet(I am going to their summer camp), or Pacific Northwest. And Some girls are even better then me! Like this one girl is sooooo much better then me. So Its not really about what AGE you start at its about how well you can dance. And Its never to late by the way!

Answer 28

I don't know much about dance,  but its never to late to start anything.  Go for it, do your ballet.  Work hard, put a lot of time into it.  Go on a search engine (yahoo,google, etc) and look up some excersises to do for ballet.  Take classes and such and do extra work outside of your classes.  Then you can go professional.  you can do anything you work hard enough at.  good luck! follow your heart!

Answer 29

no way you still have ALOT  of time to get good at it and be a pro, so go for it!!

Answer 30

It is possible for you to become a pro but it would require a great deal of work since you must make up for lost time.  You need to take classes each day.  If you are willing to work very hard you may become a professional ballerina.  If you do not, you will still have the talent to dance Jazz,Modern or Musical Theatre with a bit more training.  Ballet is a great base for any type of dance.  Fortunately other types of dance you can perform later than a ballet career!

Answer 31

well, im in the same situation but im 14. i saw in the tv interview this ballerina said that in order to be an actual "ballerina" you can start at least when youre 16, then it takes a certain amount of years to be one.