Career Development Plan - Ballerina Wannabe

by Kalie Day
(NY)

Career Development Plan - Ballerina Wannabe

Hi Odette,
I'm a 20 year old ballerina wannabe. I have very little experiance in ballet, just two years worth in my teenage years. I was wondering if its to late for me to be a dancer? I have been dreaming of this for a long time but have never had the funds to try, and wasnt the kind of child interested in this sort of thing. I know I would never be world renowned but is a possible (I dont need it to be easy) to get slighty high up their in the dance world?

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Reply by Odette
To:- Career Development Plan - Ballerina Wannabe

Hello Kalie,
Thank you for contacting me, it is great to hear from you.

Of course, NOTHING is impossible if you put your mind to it but ballet is a very unique career, in which there are heaps of young dancers who are training from as early as 11 to become a ballerina. It is extraordinary how many young girls and boys commit their whole childhood in the hope to pursue their dream to become a dancer.

This extremely high competition in dance makes it hard for even the professionally trained dancers to get in the dance world, let alone slightly higher up. It is by the ages 18 or 19 when the masses of professionally trained dancers are hunting for a job in the dance world. So, your age is quite at the peak of the time when many other dancers will be competing for the profession too.

I understand this is something you have dreamed about for a long time, but it is harder than many people think to get into the dance world. There are of course many excellent ballet companies nearly in every country, but A LOT of dancers in comparison. Directors from ballet companies are looking for ballet dancers with several, solid years of training and worthy experience. The criteria for a ballet dancer demands a lot.

After the years of intense training, the first step for every ballet dancer is to get a contract in a ballet company. The journey for every dancer is different to how they move slightly higher up in the company or become world renowned. But it is extremely hard for even talented dancers to move higher than corps de ballet.

Maybe there is somehow still a way to pursue your dream by continuing with your dances classes. Ballet can be enjoyed just as much a hobby where you can dance for the love and passion, as oppose to a full time profession.

I hope this has given you more of an insight to becoming a dancer? Have a think and I am always here to help!

Best wishes,
Odette

ps. To become the best dancer you can be, learn the Seven Secrets ..... go to my 'Seven Secrets of Ballet' page