Fun Fitness in Animal Kingdom
Ballet is a western classical dance form that a lot of parents want their kids to learn. But not many know what it involves. That&rsquo
s why we decided to have a conversation with our ballet instructor, Khushcheher Dallas, to find the answers to all the questions you may have.
1. How do you define ballet, and what does it mean to you? Ballet is a beautiful art form which originated in the courts of the Italian Renaissance in the 15th and 16th century. It touches the soul of both, the viewer and the performer. While it radiates an ethereal feeling, it also exhibits tremendous strength and bravado at the same time. A ballet production comprises dancing, music, costumes, scenery, and lighting. For me, ballet is a medium that allows me to express myself freely. When I&rsquo
m dancing, I feel like I&rsquo
m the best version of myself.
2. Is there a successful career in ballet? The professional ballet industry is highly established globally. You can make a career in ballet if you are talented enough and have the necessary resources to back you. In India, while we are at a nascent stage of building successful ballet careers, we are on the right track. There is a lot of potential and talent in our country for ballet dancers. Dancers like Dipesh Verma as well as Manish Chauhan and Amiruddin Shah, whose lives were portrayed in the popular Netflix movie Yeh Ballet, are all flourishing in the field and are getting wonderful opportunities. A professional dancer would usually perform till they are 35 or 40. Post that, many transition from their dancing careers to become teachers. They dedicate their time and energies towards carrying forward all that they learned over the years, building and developing future dancers. With regards to how far a career in ballet can take you&mdash
well, the sky is the limit.
3. At what age should I enroll my child in ballet? While there are ballet classes for 3- and 4-year-olds, as a teacher myself, I feel that a child should be at least 5 years old, before enrolling for ballet. Ballet training gets a little more technical from the age of 7, which is also a good age to start learning the art form.
4. How does ballet help my child&rsquo
s development? Ballet, along with all dance forms, is great for a person&rsquo
s physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. It is a superb stress buster, and even boosts self-esteem and confidence. Given today&rsquo
s circumstances, dance can really be that one gateway to being physically and mentally fit. Along with improving cognitive performance, ballet works on one&rsquo
s posture, strength, balance, and sense of musicality. It makes the learner aware of their body and the space around them. It also inculcates valuable principles like discipline, dedication, and consistency.
5. What does ballet do for a child&rsquo
s fitness? Children are little balls of energy. Ballet helps them constructively channel their energies towards productive activity. The dance form involves a lot of internalization where one works with different muscles of the body. Utilizing and strengthening these muscles will enable children to grow in a healthy way, from a young age.
6. Is ballet only for girls? Ballet is a dance form and like any art form, it is and should be gender-neutral. Ballet is for everyone who loves it, who wants to learn it, or simply admire its beauty as an audience. Many are of the notion that ballet is only for girls. So, if a boy decides to learn ballet, they may be mocked or bullied. Many boys leave their ballet training due to the fear of this. Persistent ballet training, in fact, makes the dancer as strong as a bodybuilder. Without that kind of strength, it&rsquo
s impossible to be on pointe (on your toes) or for that matter lift your dancing partner over your head with one hand. You require stamina to rehearse for hours and then perform on stage with vibrance, flair, and energy. Ultimately, if ballet is your calling, then you must pursue it, irrespective of who you are.
7. Is it true that ballet is only about dancing on toes? When we say ballet, the first image that comes to mind is probably a dancer on their toes (or on pointe as we call it). It is not a surprising association, and in fact, one of the aspects of ballet that attracts an audience. However, there is so much more to ballet than pointe work. Ballet training starts from a young age. Students undergo several years of meticulous training with utmost perseverance and dedication. Pointe work is the culmination of all the training that they go through. There are also many contemporary ballets that are danced in soft shoes, or even bare feet.
8. What costumes, shoes, and hairstyles do ballet dancers use? When in class, girls wear a well-fitted leotard, pink tights and have their hair neatly tied in a bun. The boys usually wear a leotard with white or black tights. Students wear soft ballet shoes or pointe shoes, depending on the section of the class that they are working on. For stage shows, the costume depends on the era, theme, or storyline of the production. The costumes are usually vibrant and attractive. Women could be wearing different kinds of tutus (layered skirts), either short or long. It depends on whether it is classical or romantic ballet. Men usually wear elaborate jackets or shirts with tights. Contemporary ballet costumes can have modern dance costumes, which suits their respective narrative.
9. What role do the costumes, shoes, and hairstyles play? Ballet attire in class is meant to enable uniformity. The dance form signifies discipline and poise. The neat hair and well-fitted outfit allow the teacher to observe a student&rsquo
s movement and lines better. It also helps them increase the student&rsquo
s awareness of their technique and alignment. For a stage show, costumes add more depth to the story, its characters, and their emotions. They add to the audience&rsquo
s imagination and aid the performers to breathe life into the show.
10. Do ballet dancers eat what everyone does? Or do they follow a special diet? Well, diet is something that varies from person to person. A professional dancer needs to follow a specific diet to meet the demands of their career. Ballet dancers should aim for timely meals that strike a good balance between all nutritional elements. But they should never starve.
11. How many years does one have to train to become a professional ballet dancer? It takes roughly about 8 to 10 years of persistent training to become a professional ballet dancer. Children in the age group of 5 to 10 years start training in the fundamentals and techniques of ballet. In the beginning, students attend technique classes once or twice a week. By the time they are 15, they take around 10 to 15 classes per week.
12. What word of advice would you give parents looking to enroll their kids in a ballet class? It is important to research and collect information about the different schools offering ballet training. Learning ballet is a long-term investment for both the student and their parents. A parent must be confident of the school they are entrusting their child with. Be sure to know the background of the school, its teachers, and their qualifications. Know if they take care of their students by creating a safe environment for them. Many times, parents send their kids to a dance class because they could not pursue their own passion for dance due to various reasons. I would advise parents to not enforce their dreams on their children. And if their child shows a genuine inclination towards ballet, they should encourage them by getting them enrolled in a ballet class.