What should i know about starting Ballet and Jazz?

Question

I'm starting dance (ballet and jazz)in 2 weeks. I've never done dance before (and I'm 13). What are some basic stretches or moves? What do they first teach you in both? What exactly is jazz? Some help would be well appreciated, as well as some diagrams for stretches and dance moves!

Answer 1

well starting in ballet, they are really going

to push for turnout, straight knees, and pointed feet.

jazz for me feels like a fun fast moving basic dancing.

i love jazz because its fun, ballet is not one of my

favoritesit takes lots of practice, strength and hard

work but im in a competition team so they want more

from us then we even think of giving.. as for stretching

goes, make sure you really stretch your muscles

deeeeep, you should start now so that when you

start dance your body is for the most part used to stretching

rather then introducing so many new things at once..

you should work on your splits, i suggest

pushing your self and holding them really long .

an exercise i like to do that hurts alot, but i see

a difference, find a chair and sit on the floor in

front of it, facing it, place your front leg on the

very edge of the seat and keep your back leg

on the floor, and push until you feel a stretch,

make sure not to push yourself too far, until your

body is ready, maybe start by holding it for

like 15 seconds,rest then hold it for 20, then 30,

slowly but gradually get bigger, but make sure

your resting. i hope this helps =) good luck with

dancing and make the most of it =)

Answer 2

dancing is quite hard and is never easy even if you are the best in the world. you need to be able to turn out and point your feet well. you also need to have A LOT of strength and you need to work on your flexibility. if you feel pain and its a good pain then keep working if it is a bad pain, immediately tell your teacher. you may want to get a dance/ballet dictionary to help with steps and positions. you need to start working on your splits and other stretches. in jazz you will have your basic ballet skills but to upbeat music and usually turned in and more modernized. once again, if anything hurts in a bad way tell your teacher immediately. you should ask any questions you might have so you don't injure yourself.

i hope this helps a little and you can email me anytime to ask more questions.