At the Weald School of Dance, we offer our Budding Ballet Dancers class specially tailored for children age three and up. Below we have outlined some frequently asked questions designed for parents or carers who are interested in their children attending these classes.
What age do you start Ballet classes?
We start our Budding Ballet Dancers at three years of age. At this age the children are developing fast and becoming more independent. They are generally ready to come into class on their own and more able to focus for the duration of the lesson.
Why do you not start any younger than three?
We often get enquiries for baby ballet classes for babies as young as six months. While there are huge benefits from taking your baby to a music and movement class at this age, the skills they are developing and acquiring are not specific only to ballet.
Many classes that are entitled baby ballet are in fact more aligned with music and movement classes. We would be happy to recommend local baby classes that will prepare your baby for our ballet lessons. However, as ballet teaching specialists we do not offer these ourselves.
At three, we believe children are ready to independently engage in a fun-filled class that will provide the foundations required specifically for ballet.
Will my child be at a disadvantage if they don’t start when they are still a baby?
Absolutely not! Very often at this stage it is impossible to tell who has been to some form of music and movement classes and who hasn’t. We love it when we have Budding Ballet Dancers who come to us at three and stay with us until they leave school. However, we have plenty of children join our school much later who are still able to thrive.
Do parents watch the class every week?
No, we don’t have parents watching the lessons every week. Parents, carers and family members are invited to watch the last lesson of each term. The classes are based around listening and watching and having other people in the room is a huge distraction. The children love the independence of coming into class on their own and it is a fantastic preparation for when they start school.
When a child comes for a taster class a parent is more than welcome to come into class with them. This gives us a chance to meet them properly and for them to start getting to know us. We feel it is important for parents to see how the class runs and what a wonderful time we have!
After this some children will be happy to come into class on their own and a few may need a little more parental support to get settled in. Every child is different, we embrace this and will work with each child as an individual.
What are the advantages of taking classes with a fully qualified dance teacher?
A fully qualified and experienced ballet teacher is vital to ensure your child is in safe hands. Young bodies need to be trained with care and knowledge to avoid injury due to malpractice. By choosing an RAD ballet school you are guaranteeing that the training your child is getting is the best.
When your child begins ballet with us, they are at the start of an incredible journey. As a school that teaches all ages through to adults their training will be uninterrupted as they grow ensuring they are able to reach their full potential. Over the years they will build relationships that really do last a lifetime.
“I will appreciate my time at the Weald School of Dance for the rest of my life. It is the most nurturing and supportive dance school I have attended, and the community I found there became like a second home to me. Miss Kiki is amazing at what she does! She helped me nurture a really positive and healthy relationship with dance. The teachers I had were all incredibly passionate and dedicated. You can tell that they really love what they do! I’ve come out of this experience with amazing memories, experience performing on stage, and excellent exam marks– I couldn’t ask for anything more really! I will always recommend Weald School of Dance to students of all ages.”
Jade, ex student
Do you have a uniform?
Yes. As an RAD school our students wear a uniform. Find out more about our uniform.
Do we have to pay for the taster session?
No, the taster session is free of charge. After this, fees are charged termly. We have three terms a year, each 11 or 12 weeks long.