5 Ballet Tips for the New Dancer

Every year, children and parents dip their toes into the waters of the ballet world for the first time.  It is a vast ocean of historical and present activity, and instantly, the child is connected to all of it.  Here at Texas Youth Ballet Conservatory, we love to see parents and children share the exciting firsts: going to the ballet store and learning all about the dress code, bringing home shoes, trying out a ballerina bun hairstyle for the first time….the list goes on.  There is so much to learn and understand, so here is a first in a series of articles entitled 5 Ballet Tips:  We will start at the very beginning, with 5 Ballet Tips for the New Dancer.  

Ballet shoes have no left and a right.  

This may seem like a silly place to start, but many parents and students are confused by this.  Traditionally, ballet shoes are interchangable between the right and left shoe.  As a matter of fact, dancers will often mark one shoe and try to switch them each class, so the toes wear evenly.  More commonly, students find their comfort level and the shoes soon develop a big toe niche that the student can feel.  Some makes of canvas ballet shoe have right and left shoes because canvas doesn’t stretch like the leather shoes do.  

How to wear a leotard and tights. 

 Ballet is famous for the development of the leotard and tights, the traditional classwear of ballerinas big and small.  This uniform came from two conflicting needs, the dancer’s need for modest attire, and the teacher’s need to see exactly how the dancer uses his or her muscles to stand and lift their leg, much of which is concentrated in the hip and waist area.  The leotard and tights cover the whole body while still allowing the working of the muscles of the body to be seen. Here is how you put them on.

1)Take off street clothes and underwear (older girls may wear a bra).

2)Gather the tights on either side of the leg down to the ankle, insert foot and slide the tights up to the knee.  Repeat with the other foot.  Stand and pull the tights up, first one side then the other to the hips using two hands on each leg.  pull the tights the rest of the way up so that the crotch is well-placed and the tight seams are straight, not twisted.  

3) Put on the leotard as you would a one-piece swimsuit.

4) Here at TYBC, a placement belt is part of the uniform.  It is worn over the leotard.

Boys wear a t-shirt or ballet shirt in place of a leotard, although there are leotards made for men.  They wear a dance belt for support that takes place of the underwear. Boys tights of the appropriate color (black at TYBC) are worn over the edges of the shirt and an elastic belt is fastened over the tights, the top of which is rolled down over the belt.

How to make a ballet bun with thin/thick/baby fine/coarse/kinky hair.  

First, all of us have been there so help is there for the asking.  Just about the time Mom gets really good at making her daughter’s bun, her daughter is going to take over the process and go through the whole learning process all over again.  TYBC has a great video bun tutorial. 

You can check this out for the basics and details about making a ballet bun.  

Here are some quick extra hints for very fine hair:  

1. for thin hair, think small.  Small but sturdy hair ties (the stretchy plastic work well for thin hair) can be wrapped twice to create a ponytail tight enough not to slip out. 
2. The flat, v-shaped clips work better for wispy bangs than bobby pins for class time.  On stage, we have to use the bobby pins because clips show too much.  
3. When wrapping the hair around the ponytail, be sure to twist, lay it flat against the head, and pin as you go.  Think of the first pin as the anchor of the bun.  

Here are some quick extra hints for coarse hair: 

1. A wide hairband can be useful in the early stages of combing the hair out and getting it into a bun.  Comb out the hair, then put the hair band on, right behind the ears, then train the rest of the hair up into your hand with the hair tie ready (the hair ties that look like they are made of truck tires work well for coarse hair).
2. Water is your friend.  Gel is your friend.  Feel free to use both liberally.
3. Twist the ponytail tightly and press it against the head  as you create the bun.

How to manage life and ballet at the same time.  

Once your child is registered and they have their ballet uniform, the process of learning this beautiful art form has begun. 

Here are some ways to make daily life with ballet run smoother.

1. Have a ballet bag for all of your child’s ballet things and keep them in the bag throughout the week.  Teach your child to return shoes or clean ballet clothes to the bag so that it is always ready.
2. It is good to arrive at ballet, if possible, 10 to15 minutes early so your child has time to get ready. They should have their ballet clothes on, their hair up and their ballet shoes on when it is time for class to begin. They should have been to the restroom recently so as not to take time out of class if possible.
3. Teach your child to be dedicated to their study of ballet by teaching them not to be late, to say no to little things that come up at the same time, and explain that during class they give dancing their best effort.
4. Don’t use missing class as a punishment for bad behavior.  This makes life more difficult for the teacher and the other students, and teaches your child that bad behavior can get them out of class.  

How to handle a necessary absence.

Protocol is to always notify the studio director or office if you are going to miss class. The studio director or office administrator will pass the information on to the teacher of the class.

Texas Youth Ballet Conservatory is dedicated to teaching your child an art form.  Like most art forms, mastering it takes a long time. It is a process of muscle development.  First, the teachers help the student discover which muscles they need to be using.  Then, the student must use the muscles the same exact way each time so they can begin to strengthen.  When the muscles strengthen to a certain point, the teacher gives the student a more difficult variation of the step to further the process of strengthening, and to add more muscle control and coordination into the process.  This takes time and a lot of repetition. 

Our TYBC teachers are experts in their field, and are dedicated to keeping this very precise process exciting and fun for the students.  Ballet is a performance art, and the students always understand more of why we were being so exact in the studio when their first performance is complete. The joy of learning is contagious, and the joy of performing spreads even farther to family and friends.  

Happy Dancing! 

Be looking for our next Blog - 5 Ballet Tips for Internet Safety Standards (or Don’t Do Everything You See - It might be wrong, or dangerous!)