Children in ballet: practice, auditions & careers

Ballet was transformed into the elegant dance it is today from dances originally performed by European country peasants. In the 15th century, Italian princes performed poetry, music, singing and dancing in their courts. They developed a dance form, and the special steps for the ballet. During the 17th century professional ballet dancers began to appear. King Louis XIV of France, a dancer himself, established France as the center of the ballet world and french became the language of ballet to this day. Yes, men were the original dancers of stage ballet, and women had to earn their right to dance publicly.

It is important that the child who wants to pursue ballet as a career begin their intensive study early on in their childhood. Training as a professional dancer needs to start by the 11 or 12 for girls and about 14 for boys. An early start helps develop the flexibility and strength in the muscles and bones of the dancer.

There are two options to studying ballet. One ballet option will be to study at a school that has a local qualified ballet teacher teaching ballet exclusively to youngsters. The other option would be to audition for a full-time ballet school where ballet and academic classes are offered in one place. Most pupils will live at the school, eating, sleeping going to academic classes as well as learning dance, music, drama and choreography lessons.

In the Beginners class, dancers learn technique, basic movements at the barre, jumps and traveling steps. An advanced class will work on the same excercises and finish with pointe work for the girls, and jump practice for the boys. Classes are slow and careful focusing on perfecting simple steps. The training will gradually progress to more complicated movements and combinations of steps. The dancers learn how to use their bodies correctly , so that they avoid injuring themselves later on more difficult movement. A dancer will move to pointe work when her feet, ankles and back are strong enough to support her weight correctly.

Occasionally, the school will put on perfomances, recitals, for the parents and public. Here is where the dancer demonstrates what skills she has learned and learns to develop an awareness of where others are on the stage. Stage performances are essential for motivation, incentive to practice hard and helps you get used to performing in front of an audience. If the school is large enough they will also perform an annual Nutcracker at the end of the year.

Auditions are usually required for class advancement, for Summer School Abroad and entrance into a Ballet Academy. This is a dance test in front of examiners who look for youngsters with talent, correct physique, sensitivity to music and physical control. The examiners look dancers who have the potential to develop into a level of excellence. Audition applicants also have a physical examination to check their joints, shape of their foot (for pointe work) and straight legs that turn-out properly.

The ultimate ambition for the dancer is to gain a position performing for a professional company. In order to be chosen and obtain a contract as a professional dancer new dancers must have excellent technique, physique and stage presence. Wages, good working conditions, additional classes, costumes and shoes and tights are all provided. Some ballet companies tour and the dancer will need to be away from home for long periods of time. Most performing careers are short, rarely lasting beyond the mid-thirties. Injuries are also common and one can miss a year or two of performances. It is important to get experience and work qualifications in other areas that will enable the dancer to continue in the ballet field.

Other careers a ballet dancer may want to pursue when their ballet route has been exhausted, can include dancing for musicals, as a Choreographer, or a Dance Notator (Reads and writes scores of repertory) may also take on the role of Ballet Director/Mistress who coordinates and schedules school performances. The more obvious role an ex-dancer will take on is of a Ballet Teacher. Here he or she will help the next generation of dancers learn the Classical technique and the love of dancing. Training usually takes three years, but many dance colleges will provide a one-year course to dancers who have danced professionally.

Ballet takes many years of training for the young dancer. But with dedication and determination, and the love of the classical ballet, one can pursue a career in ballet in one of the various exciting areas.

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Relationship advice: mother & child

Mom's from conception on worry about their kids, and want the best for them, and try to give them the best they can. Kids are very satisfied with attention and affection from moms: however, moms always to seem to want to do more and give more. Unconditional love and physical well being are how kids are happy and satisfied.

The physical care for children seem the easiest to figure out: shelter, clothing, medical care, rest and exercise etc. Kids are happy to have the warmth and security of the home and family. These tasks are not always as simple as it seems.

In the past it was easier for moms to stay at home with their kids and raise them: keep them close to them and watch them grow happy and strong. Nevertheless, today is so different for moms. The worry about income makes it necessary for many to have to work full-time outside the house, single parent homes have many worries and struggles. Many moms deal with weekend visits, individual attention for their kids, proper education and everyday problems that all children seem to have. Moms just need to relax and take time to spend with the kids. Laundry and dishes may have come later. However, the time you spend reading a book or visiting with your child about the day, he/she had will make the child's day and make them seem that they are very important in your life.

Many kids need to be shown love. Abstract feelings of love are hard for children to get the concept of. For the child love is easier to understand through the use of their senses. Touching, smelling, tasting, hearing and seeing. If moms take the extra efforts to show their kids they are loved, they can grow up more secure and responsible as adults. A hug, special hand made card saying I love you on it, saying I love you and letting them know they are good kids helps children realize they are loved and what love is.

Moms' unconditional love is sometimes the hardest but the most necessary to give a child. Whether a child is good or bad, well or ill, smart or has special needs the love from mom is always there. Children seem to need it the most when things are not good for them. It seems that a child may test a moms love. Some days they are the worst children they have ever been but moms love is still there, and children need to know that.

Communication with their children seems to be the bridge to a good and healthy relationship between moms and their children. The most important part of communication for moms is listening. Many times moms are in too big of a hurry to speak and less interested in listening. The way to learn is to listen. Children learn from moms as well as moms learn from children. It is not always easy for a mom to listen in a busied life nevertheless listening is sometimes the most important. Take the time to stop and listen to what your child has to say it will be a precious moment that can be turned into a precious memory.

Moms need to be consistent with children. Children learn to trust this way. A mom says something it is important to follow through with that statement. Whether it be a boundary for a child (where they can go, curfews, friends) or a special time and day set aside for them. Consistency is an everyday thing that will go on through the life of the child. They trust boundaries that are set for them and look forward to the time they get with mom. As children grow and have ideas of their own, it is important for moms to keep communicating and listening to their children. There are different needs in children as they grow and change and it is important for moms to recognize their changes and needs with an open mind and a lot of understanding. Sometimes tough love is a hard thing to for moms but a much-needed thing in children's lives.

There are some moms that are too hard on themselves by always worrying they are doing something wrong, making wrong choices and decisions. It is very true everyone, not only moms makes mistakes. Once we understand that we do not do everything right for our children, then we can be more relaxed. Children are the first to show forgiveness and understanding when something goes wrong for a mom. We learn to accept their forgiveness and can learn from the mistakes that are made. Being a mom of four children of my own and four stepchildren it is an everyday ordeal to make choices and decisions. Many decisions are made too quickly and wrongly but with communication and understanding children and moms can great relationships.

Challenges of a mom and their children are not something to worry about rather something to be accepted. As they grow and change moms change and grow too. Letting a child make their own choices, decisions, and mistakes is very hard. The hardest task for a mom is to let them grow away from you. Moms tend to hold on tighter when a child starts to drift. This is when it is important for a mom to trust in herself. The efforts and guidance that was given to her child while growing up was done right and that the road they choose will be the best they can for themselves.

It may be easiest to understand a child growing up and changing by looking at it from a different concept. You make and mold this child into something you believe will make a good adult and he/she knows the right and wrong of life and teach them to make good sound choices. However, through time this mold changes and develops into something even a mom sometimes has a hard time recognizing. Nevertheless, if a mom really looks hard they can see that the mold they started with was the base for something much more beautiful and wonderful then she could have ever expected. Her young child grows into a well-rounded adult. The biggest challenge a woman may ever have is the job of a mom, but along with the challenges comes the greatest rewards life can give a woman. The rewards of respect, honor, forgiveness, peace and above all a love that can go forever will be in your memory.

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10 hard questions to ask yourself before having children for women

Whether or not to have children, and when, is one of the biggest decisions a woman has to make. While a “gut” feeling is usually a good indicator of whether you are ready or not to become a mother, there are some serious things to consider. Following are 10 hard questions to ask yourself before having children.

Are you ready to be selfless? You become a mother the day of conception. From that day forward every decision you make not only affects you, it affects your baby. Whether it is watching what you eat, avoiding that after dinner drink or putting your career on hold, almost every decision you make is based on your baby. Decide whether you are ready to put yourself second.

Is the father ready? Whether you are married or single, the father of your baby will have an impact on you and your child’s life. Do you have a supportive partner who will support you through pregnancy, labor and life with a newborn? Will you be able to support him as his life changes? Are you having a baby on your own? What will the involvement of the biological father be? The only right answer to these questions is what feels right to you. However, don’t take lightly the role of the father and the impact of a new baby on him.

Are you financially prepared? Again, this is a question you have to answer based on what feels right to you. Some people don’t feel financially prepared for a baby until they can guarantee full payment for a Harvard education. Others feel ready if they have a crib and a high chair. Make sure that you are comfortable with your financial situation, before bringing a new baby into it.

Are you ready for things to get a little more complicated? Having a baby changes everything whether it be a trip to the grocery store or a night out with your husband. Everything becomes more complicated and involves car seats, strollers, diaper bags, babysitters and diapers. Most parents agree that the pros outweigh the cons, but it is a major lifestyle change.

Are you ready to surrender control of your body? From trying to get pregnant, to pregnancy, to labor, to breastfeeding, to weaning, your body becomes a baby laboratory. Everything you put into your body matters and changes happen that are out of your control. Be sure you’re ready to dedicate your body to your baby.

Are you willing to do the work that being a mother takes? Being a mother is one of the toughest jobs there is. You are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You are required to be a teacher, a doctor, a psychologist, a clown and a disciplinarian all in one day. Like anything, the more you put into motherhood, the more you get out of it. There are all kinds of classes and books that can prepare you to be a mother. Decide if you are ready to put extra time into being a successful mother.

Are you responsible? There is no greater responsibility than being a mother. It takes organization, patience and confidence. If you are responsible in other parts of your life, than you probably will be a responsible parent.

What are your long-term goals? Think about where you see yourself in five, ten or fifteen years. What are your goals and dreams? If you see yourself as president of your company, will a child fit into that picture? If you see yourself sitting around the dinner table with a large family, than having a child will help you reach that goal.

Is your biological clock ticking? Women can feel their biological clock ticking at any age. If you feel it ticking when you are 22, decide if it is really the right time or if you would rather accomplish other goals first. If you feel your clock ticking at 42, decide is it just because you are running out of time or have you always wanted a baby. Again, it is a personal decision that only you can make.

What will a baby add to your life? You should be able to answer this question with at least three meaningful things. Bringing a baby into your life is life-changing and should not be taken lightly.

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Children of working mothers

"These aren't somebody else's children, and this isn't somebody else's problem," Donna Shalala said in 1996, while addressing the 100th annual PTA convention.

Being a woman in the 90's is difficult; most women feel pulled in more than one direction. Some women want it all, and they attempt to have it all. Other mom's put their careers on hold until their children are older, which sometimes attracts the disdain of family members, friends, and peers.

This decision is one of the most important a woman ever faces. Some women have no choice; they are single mothers who must work. Other women do have a choice. These women are married with stable incomes, which allows them to exercise their freedom of choice. Who meets her child's needs for nurturing, attention, and education the best; is it the stay at home mom or the working mom?

Nurturing and caring for young children is essential. Moms must bond with their children at an early age. A mom who stays home with her children is able to share more than just time. She strengthens the connection between herself and her child. A mother who works must rely on other people to interact with her child. You are paying a person to love your child. That sounds a bit strange, but it is true.

Care and love are synonyms for what mothers have given their children since the beginning of time. Child-care has become a major issue in this country, which tells me that our children are in need of love. The optimum situation is a family member whom can provide day-care, but this is not always an option. In many cases, complete strangers are raising America's children.

America's children are crying out for attention, while drugs, alcohol, and teenage pregnancy plague our society. Aren't our children worth more than our careers? Mothers who stay at home fill an important need for their children. Simply, they are there when their children need them, not at work.

If children get attention when they are young, they are able to cope better as teenagers. Children who have a close bond with their parents are more apt to talk to parents about sex, drugs, and alcohol. The fundamental years - between birth and five years of age- have been lost to most American children.

The attention a child receives during these years is irreplaceable. The amount of attention a child receives influences his or her direction in life.

Our children's education is our responsibility as parents, not the people we pay to educate them. While working parents can afford better schools, their children may benefit more from being taught right from wrong. So many children from "good" backgrounds with two parents in the home have taken guns and shot classmates. These families normally have two parents working outside the home.

Teaching our children moral values is more important than sending them to an expensive private school. Mothers that stay home can, many times, do a better job of instilling values in their children.

There are studies that show that children in day-care interact better with their peers. Why on earth wouldn't they get along better with children their own age? They are in day-care and pre-schools all day long!

Studies also support that children of two working parents get higher grades in school, which makes sense. Children of career parents not only go to better schools, but they also are under more pressure to succeed. They are the children of professional people with high profile careers, which explains the higher grades.

These are our children; they are America's future. In Donna Shalala's words, "Make no mistake about it, if we don't act fast, we could lose an entire generation."

A major report released by the Carnegie Corporation of New York in 1996 found that at least one-half of our teenagers are at risk for dangerous behaviors that could seriously diminish their lives.

Many of us have been both a working mom and a stay at home mom, which has given us the unique opportunity to see both sides of this issue. We may be happier when I work, but perhaps our children are not. Whose happiness should take priority? For many moms, children are more important than a career.

We have the rest of our lives to make ourselves happy. The window of time for America's children, our children, is growing short. Mom, tighten your belt a little financially, and your apron strings.

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How to Bond with Children After a Tired Day at Work?

Eight hours of work with another few hours in traveling and you are served with one exhausted individual. Add to this the gridlocks that switch your mood. But for every tired parent that comes home there is an enthusiastic child waiting.

So how do you bond with children after a tired day at work? Snarl and throw your temper or have a quick wash and join your kids. Being temperamental will only increase the gap between you and your kids. And if you think it will get better as grow up, you are quite mistaken. The gap gets abominable and a simple conversation will be a painful activity.

Children need both the mother and the father equally. For that special feeling of being loved, cared and always protected. So when you get back home all they want to do is be around you for some attention and lots of love. Give them all of it full heartedly and here’s how.

Make a dish your kid likes once in a while in-spite of the food cooked. Go out for an ice-cream or play ball at home. Solve puzzles and make a Lego house. Ask your kids how the day was and what they learnt at school. If there was an awkward situation and how they dealt with it?

You, firstly have to come open in conversations and actions. Tell your kids what happened at work and how you turned a problem into a win-win situation. Only then will your kids open up to the difficulties they are facing. Small instances hassle them, like a friend not taking their call or losing a pencil. But if you laugh and make their problems look petty forget, the trust you want to build.

For working parents, coming home to a relaxing evening is quite tempting. But kids mean forget the blues and put on your enthusiasm boots. And you must leave your office anxiety at the door before you enter home. Office stress and home twists will only lead to a breakdown. And this will hamper your health and life.

Besides you must have a keen interest in your child’s academics. So leaf through the books and encourage your child if the grades don’t look good. Take the books to the garden or have a history lesson at the museum. These exiting moments will not only make it a better learning experience but will also leave a lasting impression of your interest in your child.

In return they may study better or finish homework faster so that they can be ready for an outing when you get back from work. This way you have less on your plate and are happier when all schoolwork is done. Bond with a cuddle or a kiss. Participate in their projects and teach them to save. Say a small prayer together at night and give them a goodnight kiss. All these go a long way in building your child’s relationship like no other.

By Jennie Gandhi

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