Frequently Asked Questions
This information is also available in the Student Handbook

My 3 year old wants to take ballet, why don’t you teach “real ballet” to that age?
The bodies of very young children grow so quickly that it’s actually very easy to train their bodies in the wrong ways, ways that can lead to injuries. Three year-olds are still learning about what their bodies can do and need a safe responsible learning environment. Please see our brochure about Preschool Movement Education.

My child doesn’t want to be a dancer, can s/he still take dance classes?
Of course! Many children (and adults) take ballet and dance classes for fun, exercise or a great way to stay fit. We at SBC think that if you are going to do something, you should learn to do it correctly and in the best way possible. Remember, not everyone will be mathematicians, but we all learn correct math skills anyway and try to excel at them.

Don’t a lot of dancers get eating disorders?
Smart dancers never, ever abuse their bodies or their minds in any way; that includes drugs, cigarettes, alcohol and negative thinking. While a slender body is important for dance and other sports, so is a healthy and strong one! Professional dancers burn so many calories they actually eat a lot, just low-fat things and lots of vegetables, protein and water. Unfortunately, eating disorders are not limited to dance, gymnastics, skating or even to girls. Many male wrestlers deal with eating disorders because they have to gain and lose weight rapidly for meets.

My son wants to take ballet but his father doesn’t like the idea. What can I do?
Edward Villela, Principal Dancer with New York City Ballet and currently Artistic Director of Miami City Ballet, was a boxer and a football player as a boy. He often commented that dancing was harder work, especially since he had to make it look easy! There is nothing “wrong” or “sissy” about boys who want to dance.

Dance is an athletic activity that requires incredible strength, concentration, accuracy, total body training, musicality, focus, balance, and incredible spatial awareness. Many professional athletes have discovered the benefits of studying ballet (Oakland A’s, Pittsburgh Steelers). Boys have an advantage over girls in that they don’t go on pointe so they can start their dance studies at a later age and many start with jazz. In most cultures’ folk dances, it is the men who show off their dance ability.

Why do the upper-level students have to take so many classes?
A pianist practices scales every day, a dancer is constantly practicing on his/her instrument also, except theirs is their own body! Human bodies being what they are, just a few days without a dance class will affect your dancing. Higher-level students must keep practicing just to maintain their achievements let alone improve. Dancers are constantly striving to become better, which requires hard work and dedication.

Why do dancers always wear buns? Why can’t I wear jewelry in class?
While some performances allow dancers to have loose hair or ponytails, in class it is imperative that nothing distract the dancer when they are turning and jumping. Even one hair in the eye can cause a dancer to falter in the middle of a jump and a ponytail whipped in one’s face while turning can also create the potential for injury. Necklaces and long earrings are not allowed for the same reason.

Why do you require a uniform?
Most serious schools require some sort of uniform look that helps reinforce the discipline and respect inherent to the art. Dance is a visual art and the dancer needs to see what is correct and incorrect and learn to apply it to their body. Baggy clothes and wild patterns make it difficult for the instructor to make corrections, which could then lead to incorrect technique and injuries. In addition, a uniform look in class reflects a corps de ballet, and encourages the dancer to start identifying the patterns and staging of the dances. Pink tights extend the line of the leg and allow the teacher to see the development of important leg muscles, which makes it easier for the instructor to spot technical faults that need correction.

When can I go on pointe?
While some dancers go on pointe around 11 years old, age is not the only criteria. Pointe work demands incredible balance and strength throughout the whole body, so dancers must reach a certain level of training. Some dancers take a little bit longer to achieve this, especially those students who have missed a lot of classes or haven’t taken the recommended amount needed to safely go on pointe. Pointe shoes on very young children or weak dancers can cause serious damage and even deformities.

Why don’t you offer tap?
Tap is a wonderful dance style, but it requires a loose ankle to learn it correctly and that is just not conducive to the strong ankles and pointed feet that ballet technique teaches young children. We offer Flamenco as an alternative to the rhythms and percussive qualities inherent in tap. In addition, many ballets such as Swan Lake, Don Quixote and The Nutcracker use the techniques and attitudes found in this exciting Spanish style.

All of my daughter’s friends moved up to the next level. Why can’t she? People learn at different rates, bodies develop at different rates. Sometimes the body just isn’t ready for the additional rigors of the next class. If she has grown a lot recently, it can affect balance, strength and flexibility to an enormous degree and pushing a body already stressed by rapid growth can create serious problems and injuries. Also, has she missed lots of classes? Has she been sick a lot? Is she taking the recommended amount of classes? If her body needs additional strengthening, is she attending any lower-level classes? Does her behavior or attitude need improvement? Some instructors are hesitant to move a disruptive or unenthusiastic student to the next level. Calmly talk to the director about your concerns, but remember it is the job of the director and the teacher to instruct your child in the safest and most appropriate class for her.

Why don’t you like sports?
On the contrary, we don’t ban any student from playing sports or doing athletic activities. However, seasonal sports require a huge time commitment that often affects other activities and any possible improvement. We suggest that once dancers reach a certain level where they can start to excel, a decision should be made as to what the role of dance will be in their lives. This happens in gymnastics, skating, football, skiing and other sports. Some sports strengthen the wrong muscles for dance that often require careful retraining to only return to the same level of ballet before the sports training began. This can decrease the opportunity to advance to the next Classical Ballet level while increasing frustration and the chance of injury. In addition, many sports programs still have inadequate warm-ups and cool-downs and seasonal sports do not give the child the opportunity to remain fit and active throughout the year.