Career Development Plan - Will I be good enough for Ballet?

by Jaime
(New zealand)

Career Development Plan - Will I be good enough for Ballet?

Hi odette!
My name is Jaime, I am 14 years old and I have been dancing for 9 years now. I love ballet and I really want to be a professional dancer. Unfortunately I am only having one ballet class a week. I am working hard at home on my strength, technique and flexibility. I have also recently started doing some Pilates.
It may be possible to change to a dance school where I can get two lessons a week, but I cannot get any more lessons at more advanced schools for two or three years. My hope is that at age 17-18 I can audition and get into the countries top dance school. However I am worried that I will not be good enough as I am having limited lessons. I am not as flexible as I should be, (not quite in the splits yet) and my arabesques are not yet at 90 degrees. (I would really appreciate some tips as to how I can improve this).
Using the above information, do you think it could be possible for me to become a professional dancer? Any help would be much appreciated!!

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Reply by Odette
To:- Career Development Plan - Will I be good enough for Ballet?

Hello Jaime,
Thank you for contacting me, it is great to hear from you. Firstly, I am bursting for you to look at my personal development plan page, which gives you a clear guide to the stages of becoming a professional dancer.

Ballet dancers follow quite a set plan in terms of ages when it comes to pursuing a professional career. At the ages 18 or 19 is when most ballet dancers are aiming to already gain a place in a professional ballet company to begin their career. Therefore, all the training and studying at advanced schools has to happen before that age to reach the expected standards for a professional.

You can train at advanced schools usually up until the ages 18, so to give yourself a good chance of training I would say 16 is the very latest age to join. If you could join now at aged 14 that would be even better.

The ballet schools are not expecting you to be perfect, but they are looking for potential and students to sculpt into a professional. You improve more with regular training and good teachers, so the sooner you can get this the better.

I hope this gives you more of an idea of becoming a professional ballet dancer. I am always here to help, but for now you can listen to this advice then get back to me! Keep in touch.

Best wishes,
Odette