“I feel very resentful for having taken ballet classes in childhood”
That’s the title of a post on the r/Ballet Reddit thread. The Redditor explains that they took ballet classes as a child at a local studio.
“Even though it followed an international curriculum, the teachers weren’t that qualified, and it was one of those studios that exists just to get kids who don’t play sports to exercise but doesn’t offer a future beyond that.”
That’s probably an experience that lots of people can relate too – especially those who live outside of a major city.
It really makes you think, how much of your innate talents are actually hidden just because you can’t access the institutions or mentors that can help you unlock them?
But the flip side could be true, too. What if you don’tactually have the talents to pursue something?
“As a kid and a teenager, I wanted to be a professional ballet dancer but didn’t realise that you needed the best training. As a result, when I was 15, I wasted my time going to this studio and taking classes when I should’ve been studying.”
“When I got badly injured when I was 16, I thought I was good enough to rest and then come back and still be able to be a professional. Because of my passion and my delusion, I sacrificed my education and my future.”
Those are some pretty painful paragraphs to read. First, it sucks that physical pursuits such as ballet and sports can lead you down a path of injury – which is a risk whether you pursue it at a high level or not. Second of all, it also sucks that some people feel like they are “deluded” when they chase their dreams. But the truth is… maybe, sometimes, they are.
But no one should ever sacrifice their education just to pursue their dreams. And that’s something that the adults in the Redditor’s life should’ve told her. That’s why even pro athletes still study, even if it’s at a private school or homeschool system. That’s why student athletes are required to maintain a certain GPA in school, too.
The harsh reality: Not everyone will get to be a prima ballerina
Ending their post, the Redditor says:
“I think that ballet is beautiful and enjoy going to the ballet. At the same time, I think these hobby schools preying on teenagers’ passion for ballet and delusions that they will have a future are a bit predatory to be honest.”
To call ballet classes or “hobby schools” predatory is a bit extreme, maybe. Unless these ballet classes are maliciously telling kids they are better than they actually are just to keep them in the programme and profit off their school fees, I don’t think these schools are actually preyingon teens’ passions and “delusions”.
As one of the commenters pointed out: “Perhaps console yourself with the realisation that almost none of the best ballet students get to be professional dancers.”
They’re right. There are plenty of ballet schools and ballet students out there. Most of them will become virtually… unknown.
“It’s like aiming for the Olympics, or professional football or something. Think of the very best ballet school you could have gone to: Almost none of the graduates of that programme got to be professional dancers.”
But that doesn’t mean your years are necessarily wasted. Those years may have still introduced you to soft skills like discipline and teamwork. It introduced you to the art of ballet and the strength it takes to hone that craft. That’s not nothing.
So, what’s the point? Should children still take ballet classes?
Obviously that’s not the message here. Yes, this Redditor regretted it, but that doesn’t mean everyone will.
There just needs to be more guardrails for children and mentors who can guide them not just in skill but in mindset. There’s a line between dreams and delusions, after all.
So, if you’re someone who’s ready to approach dance with an open heart and a healthy mindset, here is our list of the best dance schools in the world.
