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D.C. Area Babies
Anyone have their DD in ballet classes?
I started when I was four and took ballet for ten years - at which point the school I went to made you decide whether or not you were going to go on pointe, and at that stage I turned my attention to choir and sports, which is what I continued through middle school and high school.
I grew up in a smallish town in NJ, and while I went to a private dance school (for profit) I know it couldn't have cost a whole whole lot - my mom was a SAHM with three kids and we were constantly on a budget.
Around here though the private schools seem to charge like $100 a month (!) is that normal?
I see Fairfax County rec dept has classes but they start at 5 years old, and DD #1 won't be 5 until Feb. I was hoping to find classes this Fall, but maybe we'll wait. That costs $93 for ten weeks, which seems more reasonable.
ETA (hit post too soon...)
I'm Googling like mad, and trying to see if there are any non-profit orgs that have classes for preschool age, but I'm not coming up with much. I'm trying to think of all the places you can take community arts classes - George Mason, Rec Dept, arts councils, etc.
Any ideas are welcome!
Wife, Musician, Fed, WW-er, and Mom of three little kids - not necessarily in that order.
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Anyone have their DD in ballet classes?
Not yet (since she's 1), but I can't wait! Ballet was my "thing" from the time I was four through college. I decided not to major in dance, but only applied to schools that offered it as a major (and actually had a decent ballet program), since I was planning on majoring in it.
DS and I do "ballet" at home though. Every night, he asks for "stretching" and we've been working on rhythm and motion.
Last night, he wanted to see me turn, which I can't do well in bare feet. So he told me he was going to get my ballerina shoes (he grabbed my flip flops) so that we could do some pirouettes. DH would not be amused if I enrolled DS in a ballet class, but I am a little tempted.
Fairfax County definitely has classes for smaller girls. Our friend's DD is 2 and takes "ballet." Try looking at these:
https://parktakes.fairfaxcounty.gov/rev1_browseresult.asp?category=TOTS&desckeyword=CC03&age=9999&match=matchall&Submit=Go
Wow, thanks! I don't know what I did, I must have done the search wrong. I did a search on "dance" and put in age 4. Thanks for doing a better job searching Parktakes!
I ended up being a vocal music major in college, (then music teacher, then working for performing arts non profits, now I'm Fed in the arts) but dance was my first love the arts!
Glad I could help! I just searched for "dance" and didn't put in any other criteria.
I did ballet from 3 until 13, when I broke my ankle and could no longer go on pointe. Plus tapp and jazz and later a competitive dance team. I do miss it sometimes. I've considered taking adult classes. Maybe someday when I can get on some semblance of a schedule...
I don't think it's you with the search issue. I was looking for something different for DD (20 months) and could only find day programs and two other classes when I did an open search for 1 yr olds. However, I knew there was toddler gymnastics and swim--they came up if I changed her age to 2; and then when I did the age blank, but choose "children's corner" as the category there were half a dozen options for her age (although still no swim class!).
But it looks like all the ballet classes are listed under children's corner.
DD did dance the last two years at a private studio. I'm a little further south than you and it was still really expensive. I want to say we spent about $700/year on it!! We are not going to do it again this year. My big issues are 1) cost 2) the dance moms of the older girls are CA-RAZY and 3) the older girls are a little too scantily clad on stage for my taste! Do you belong to a gym? My gym (Sport and Health) sometimes has dance classes for kids in the evenings for an additional fee and two of the zumba studios near my house have kids classes as well. My DD did some drop in zumbatomic (kid appropriate zumba) classes and loved it. I think it was like $5/class for drop in and a little cheaper if you signed up for a 8 weeks at a time. One of the zumba studios also offered a ballet/tap class for kids 5 and under that's really reasonably priced.
Just some more suggestions for you!
DD1 9.24.06
DS 7.1.08
twins due 9.7.11 lost twin A at
DD2 4.7.12
I have heard good things about Chris Collins and Balance Ballet.
I am another one that spent many years in ballet and on pointe. However, when I was in high school I was told I was too tall to ever go anywhere with it and gave it up :-( I thought about taking an adult class but have never done it.
I think it would be fun to have DD in a class but she is definitely not ready yet.
After college, I took adult classes with Arlington ballet (which I'm not sure is still in existence) for a few years, but I got kind of depressed as my body lost flexibility and pointe became too painful.
So now I take a weekly zumba class, which is hysterical after so many years of training my hips not to move.
This is great! I just signed her up for a Sunday class at Providence starting in Sept. I gave her the option of Little Tu Tus or the Tap and Tu Tus (intro to both ballet and tap) and she chose the tap and ballet. Great. Now I have to buy tap shoes and ballet shoes.
And you're right, the price is right!
great to see continued interest in ballet! my daughter is only 2 months old so no ballet for her yet, but i dance at russell school of ballet in centreville (rt. 50 & 28) and LOVE it! they have a great adult program and lots of class options at differing levels of ability. there is also, of course, a children's program, which is the school's main focus. they do nutcracker every 2 years and it is really fun to be involved in, plus there is always a spring story ballet and a separate jazz, tap and modern performance as well,
great school! lots of fun and a GREAT work out.
https://www.fairfaxballet.com/
I love Metro Fine Arts Center. https://www.metrofinearts.com/index.html
I danced from 3-18 in NY and took adult classes at MFAC for two years and also participated in two recitals. I don't know if they are cheap, but they are a really good school with a strong ballet program, as well as jazz, tap, etc. and I would definitely send my kids there.
BFP #1 mm/c at 12w1d
This cracked me up - when I was young (probably 4 or 5? the early years of the company), I took tap/jazz classes from CCDS. I'm pleased to see the studio is still going strong!
Payless sells both tap and ballet shoes. Or you can try allaboutdance.com for decent prices. I've also heard to check consignment stores for dance shoes, though I haven't tried that yet.