Do girls bodies sometimes change in ways unacceptable to ballet companies?
Absolutely. It’s questionable what will happen to a very tall girl. I had a student who grew to over 6 feet. Her feet got bigger and bigger, and we couldn’t even get pointe shoes for her. She was discovered as a model. Also, girls’ legs can get very big – it’s just a genetic thing. When should a child with the urge to dance begin studying? Serious ballet training, where they’re coming several times a week, doesn’t start until 9 or 10. How late can a girl begin molding a career? Some can start as late as 12 or 13. The issue is the turning out of the leg and the hip: Once the growth plates are closed, it’s difficult to get the necessary rotation in the hip joint. How much sacrifice is required of serious students? Those dancing five and six days a week give up a great deal of social life; they turn down invitations, so that after a while they don’t get them anymore. The middle school and junior high years are tough. The social isolation is hard, and a lot of dancers will tell you their c
