13 May 09 I absolutely adore ballet, en pointe particularly, and I’d like opinions if I should take lessons again?

shannie asked:


I am 13 years old and I play lacrosse, soccer, volleyball, and I horseback ride year round. I go to private school so I have a considerable amount of work each night. I used to take ballet / jazz / tap lessons, but I quit when I was maybe 5-6 years old. It just didn’t interest me anymore. But I have recently decided that I want to begin taking classes again. Just ballet this time, but my goal is to eventually learn to dance en pointe. It’s so beautiful and graceful and I just adore it. I know that the best dancers are slightly duckfooted [or so I have heard] but I am rather pigeontoed. I do not know if I am too old to start lessons but I am very physically fit and willing to take on a challenge. I just need to know how much ballet I will have to do a week and for how long before I might be ready to dance en pointe. It is very important to me that I not be stopped from playing any of my current sports, or to stop horseback riding [my passion]. Any replies?

Joe