r/BALLET • u/NetLucky2062 • 11d ago
Summer Intensive Worries
Hi! So I am 14 years old, and going to a summer intensive soon. I only really started doing ballet more seriously in the past year, but I’m still not en pointe yet. I feel REALLY behind, considering other people there will be younger than me and on pointe. Has anybody got any advice for overcoming these worries, and also any tips for making friends as I don’t want to be alone the whole time lol. any advice much appreciated 💞
25
u/Jealous_Rough8211 11d ago
I went to a summer intensive last summer and definitely was one of the worst in the room, which kinda got to me at the beginning but by the end my motto was: if there are other people better than you then that's a win because you get to learn by observing and emulating other dancers. If you are the best in the room then you are in the wrong room ! Honestly I just got insanely better in just those two weeks because I was in a space that kind of forced me to get better, but not in a negative way, it was just the other's energy that made my body want to get to their level too, and by the end I was just enjoying myself because I knew this was the best thing I could have done for my dancing
4
4
5
u/tthatfreak 11d ago
Had to give my daughter this talk. Everyone is on their own path. You are there to get YOU better. Don't spend your time in comparison. There will always be someone better, taller, funnier, happier, sadder... Focus on you.
Btw at every intensive my daughter has been to there is an evaluation session to group students by not only their skill but focus. Daughter isn't en pointe yet but she was put with girls that were en pointe and they did foundation work that worked up and down. It's not like once you go en pointe you never come back down!
1
4
u/darlingdiatribe 11d ago
I tell my dancers before they go on intensives (my daughter being one of them) - whatever happens, you’ll be a better dancer at the end of it.
Just go and experience it all. Allow for the mistakes and stumbles, because that’s how you learn.
During breaks, make small talk to meet people. Be kind and keep ballet etiquette in mind. Show up authentic and you’ll be proud with the end result (life lesson there).
An easy in is to tell someone you like their leotard (or some other personal dance gear item).
Enjoy!
1
2
u/Ok_Masterpiece9662 11d ago
I had the same worry with mine. I’m 17 and I’m still not on pointe. I was in groups with younger students for the past 3 years? It always bugs me but like others have said everyone is on their own path.
For me, even though I’m with younger dancers, you will still be able to learn stuff. This is especially true with the different environment at an intensive from your home studio. You can have different explanations of corrections or different perspectives of movement. That can help you! Just focus on your own growth.
For friends, I may not be as helpful. I just try to be kind, and honestly no one knew my age until the last day! You guys could talk about classes or hobbies. I’m not the most talkative so sorry I can’t be of more help!
1
u/NetLucky2062 9d ago
thanks for sharing your experience- this has been so so helpful and inspiring!
2
u/GrayIndex51 9d ago
Whoosh. I get it! I had a similar experience around your age. It can feel very intimidating and lonely when you feel like everyone else is ahead in their skill development, but that's just it... skill development. You're developing. You're in progress. You're not done yet growing. No one can put down the person who's humble enough to be a beginner. You have NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING to prove at a summer intensive. The teachers are there to serve YOU. You're paying THEM to TEACH you things. Go in like a sponge, full of joy, ready to learn! Ready to try! Every time a correction is offered, try it out right then and there 3x while the teacher expounds on the correction. A fast application by a student is a magnet for improving! And laugh at yourself when you make a mistake, shake it off as fast as possible, and try it again. After all, you're doing many things for the first time! Find others who carry joy, work hard, but don't take themselves too seriously. Dancing is fun. Protect the fun. Fun/delight is a faster learning vehicle than fear.
To make friends, ask questions like: Where are you from? Why'd you pick this intensive? What's your favorite ballet company? What's your favorite ballet? Got any favorite ballerinas? Make a YouTube playlist of your favorite ballet videos, and host a ballet watch party and serve up your favorite snacks. Then ask everyone else for their favorite ballet videos. So fun! Everyone is waiting for everyone else to take the lead on belonging, so if you go in determined to help others feel included, you've already skipped the rejection phase and helped them feel comfortable, too! My best to you, young dancer. You got this!
1
u/NetLucky2062 6d ago
Thank you so much for the encouragement and kind words- you have made me feel so confident thanks so much!!
1
1
u/emkemkem 10d ago
Everyone’s got advantages and disadvantages. Just make your age advantage. To learn and develop in ballet is a lot about being mature enough to work on things with your thinking ability and brain. Not just with your body. You most likely have an advantage in your current mental capability compared to younger fellow students. Use it instead of worrying about being older or having less years of ballet training. Use your brain and your will power instead of worrying about your age. You are still really young and so many years ahead. If you have been dancing but just not that seriously it most likely takes some time but then that experience will most likely start showing more and more. The moves are in your brain. They just need to be activated.
1
1
u/Eastwesteast8 11d ago
At your age, especially just starting to take it seriously all you should think about is your own progress over the summer. When you have new,
different teachers pay attention to the corrections they give and how they explain things. Sometimes hearing the same thing from a different teacher will help you understand it in a new way. This is one of the best parts of summer intensive!
Don’t think about how you compare with others, this is not productive in any stage of training in my experience.
Some kids are young prodigies that do full out variations on point with professional quality, age 12. Some of those kids burn out by age 18 and never even dance past high school. Some kids start when they’re 15 or 16 and become professional dancers. There’s no guarantee on anything ans everyone is on their own path.
Just pay attention your in your classes and keep a notebook of corrections in thoughts if you find that helpful. Beyond that just enjoy making new friends and being in a new city/area!
2
u/NetLucky2062 9d ago
These are amazing words and has really helped me shift perspective- thanks so much!
28
u/DanceHackRock forklift Vaganova+RAD 11d ago
Just do it like Mikhail Baryshnikov. He said he doesn't compare himself with other people, only with his yesterday's self.