....follow your dream ! 
written by on 24.11. at 23:08:33 - as answer to: Can I start at 17? by >Hi, I'm a 17 year old Brazilian female, and I would like to know if it's too late for me to start ballet. I do this modern dance class thing, and I am doubtlessly more flexible than normal and all my dance teachers (though never ballet) have said I would do well as a ballerina. This might be due to the fact that I've always loved ballet so much, and watch so much ballet on TV, that I've kinnda started imitating what I see. I am really good at all dance and acting classes I've ever taken, and as a fashion model I seem to flow on the catwalk... Anyway, I'm not being very modest... but all I have said is true, and I would like to know If there ever was a pro ballerina that started so late, and If I have any chances. I don't want that "follow your dream, do it for fun" bull****, I want real answers from experts, and helpful suggestions from anyone else. >THANK YOU SOOO MUCH IN ADVANCE,>ThaisHello Thais,I will give you a no bull***t answer, because I know how frustrating it is to get the answers you need, especially in the dance world.I started classical ballet at the age of 19, and by the time I turned 20 I was attending a world renowned school on full scholarship. (Joffrey Ballet School-NYC)It CAN be done, and I have met and had the privlege of working with dancers that did start around 17, and successfully made the transition to ballet.The absolute first thing you should do is do your research. Get a telephone book and start looking thru finding dance schools in your area that are close by to you. Go to these schools and ask politely if you may watch a class. Watch these classes carefully. Are the teachers attentive to the students, give corrections frequently, some are very strict, some are not. BE VERY PICKY. Don't settle for less. Make sure you are placed into an adult beginner class or a beginner teen class. It is best if you choose a school where classical ballet is the major focus. Schools that teach tap and 20 other types of dance..move on from those, you are there to learn ballet. If you find a school you like and you take your first class, and the class turns out to be a little slow for you, or a little boring (it happens), try to stick it out or you may have gaps in you training, and later on when you want to get in a major school, the teachers will see it right away and you don't want that anyway..:)After you find a school I would recomend getting to know other dancers right away that are serious about their learning, they can help teach you a lot, even if they are much younger. The very first school I went to I was very lucky, a lot of the girls were indeed much younger than myself but they lent me dance videos, and let me read their Dance Magazines. Read everything you can about ballet, the library can be the best place for this. Listen to ballet music, this may sound silly but it will help your musicality in the end.Finally, keep a journal of all the corrections that you get from your teachers.This is something that is required at most prestigious dance schools, including the Joffrey Ballet school..:)It really helps and when your teachers see that you remember their corrections, they will begin to "favor" you. It is indeed more fun to teach a student who is respectful and listens attentively, and they will make time for you when you ask them for help.Here's another thing, I don't know your financial situation, but ballet can get quite expensive! If you don't have a problem with that, that is really wonderful, but if you aren't so lucky, you will have to get inventive. Not having money didn't stop me, and if you want something badly enough, you can usually get it. Some schools have a work study program where they barter work for lessons. In my case I helped clean the school once a week and answered the telephone, sometimes I would assist the teacher while she taught the little ones, that's really good if you can do that because it helps you learn twice as fast. Really try to take as many classes as you can, or that you can afford.Evryone needs some sort of goal to work towards, my goal was to auditon for the Joffrey Ballet School NYC and get in for the summer program, you don't have to travel so far, but if you want to that's cool, I know there were quite a few people from Brazil that went to my school on scholarship..Ok I hoped I helped you in some way, but one more thing. The ballet world is not all fun, it can be really really cruel. Some teachers out there give you brutal honesty, and some others will spoon feed you whatever you want to hear.Try to get used to this because you will always have to deal with people like this, you gotta develop a tough skin and keep going. I heard all sorts of things, and you have to just filter them all out. I never skipped classes and studied, and by the end of the summer they asked me to stay year round, that winter I was offered a job in the corps de ballet in a smaller ballet company, by the following summer I was offered a soloist contract w/Eglevsky Ballet. I danced with them for 2 years, then I was promoted to Principal Dancer. So it ABSOLUTELY can happen for you. Just gotta put in the time and effort.If you have any more questions, just ask I would love to help out.Melissa NYC Answers to this message:
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