Thinking Ahead

Now that your baby ballet dancer has had some experiences; YAGP and/or other competitions, summer intensive programs and perhaps a company production experience by landing a small, but in your and their world huge role, what now?

You see them developing their own style, their own idea of what looks good, bad or horrible. They have their opinions on schools, programs, teachers, roles, tutus, hair, tempo. Suddenly their experience and hunger for the knowledge, surpasses yours by a mile. You realize that your (helpful) comments are becoming irrelevant, because, let’s be honest, how long can you use the ‘point your toes’ correction?

So now, I find myself thinking, this is what they both love to do. This is their dream! This is all they want to do, and nothing is ever enough! This is what matters the most to them, regardless of what I think or say, it just is! As a ballet parent, how do you compartmentalize all those notions in your head?

I want to support them in following their dreams more than anything, however, the hard truth is, no ballet school, will offer a college scholarship. Why?

Maybe it’s because dancers can get hired by a company at the age of 16. They are not making millions at that point, or ever really, or enough to save for college, but they are doing what they love! And they are happy! That is all I can ever ask for.

That means, most professional ballet programs start at the age 14, some even at the age of 12. What does that even mean? Professional program? Well, from my research it means it is a program designed for serious ballet dancers, where their day is filled with ballet technique classes (usually from 9 am until 2 pm), and then in the evenings they have company rehearsals. Most ballet schools have academic classes options, or they have academic partners that the dancers can work with to be able to get through this rigorous program.

Well, if you have a serious dancer, who wishes to pursue this route, I am providing some links to some of the programs I found. Some programs are free of charge, if you are lucky enough to be chosen!

Professional and Pre-Professional Programs in no particular order:

The Rock School for Education Professional Division

Houston Ballet Professional Program

San Francisco Ballet Trainee Program

ABT Pre-Professional Program

Ballet West Academy Professional Training Program

Colorado Ballet Pre-Professional Program

Washington Ballet Professional Track Program

Scholarship applications:

· Princess Grace Foundation has a scholarship for ballet dancers who must be nominated by a teacher or an organization, it must be a non-profit dance company (501(c) (3) tax-exempt status).

Princess Dance Grace Foundation Scholarship Fund

· The Dizzy Feet Foundation offers a scholarship up to $10K per year for dancers 15 years old and above.

Dizzy Feet Foundation Scholarship

· The E John Busser Foundations offers a scholarship to support the emerging generation of ballerinas.

The E John Busser Ballet Scholarship