Dancers: Should ballet classes be required for jazz classes?

Dancers under 18 are not considered children in dance as professional dancers in the ballet are around 16 or 17 when they join corps de ballet. I really feel ballet should be a requirement for jazz because of it's close association in both technique and terminology. True many dancers just do it for the fun and companionship of other dancers and are not the least bit serious about it. However, just because they feel that way, shouldn't mean that they shouldn't have a good dance foundation and learn proper technique. By learning proper ballet technique first, it will not only make them better at jazz and therefore feel better about themselves and their dancing, they will also be less likely to get injured when they have proper body placement and alignment. * One final note. If you are talking about students age 6 and under, real ballet training is impossible due to the immaturity of the body to safely do ballet positions. At that point it is all just fun and movement to music and ballet would not be paramount. However some pre-ballet should be included with training at that age.

Everyone, any age, who is taking dance lessons, should be required to take ballet. It helps perfect technique, flexibility, and the presence of all dancers. In my opinion, I used to hate ballet but over time I realized how much it has helped me grow as a dancer. Without ballet, there is no dance. Who wants to watch a group of people who can’t point their feet or use their turn out? In my studio, if you’re part of the company or team you are required to take 2 ballet classes, 1 skills class, and 2 modern technique classes in addition to the team and company classes.

Ballet is good to do with any dance, it helps your core and improves your performance, it gets you stronger aswell, so it is best to be required to take ballet with jazz, thats how my studio does it and it makes your dancing alot better!

Everyone, any age, who is taking dance lessons, should be required to take ballet. It helps perfect technique, flexibility, and the presence of all dancers. In my opinion, I used to hate ballet but over time I realized how much it has helped me grow as a dancer. Without ballet, there is no dance. Who wants to watch a group of people who can’t point their feet or use their turn out? In my studio, if you’re part of the company or team you are required to take 2 ballet classes, 1 skills class, and 2 modern technique classes in addition to the team and company classes.

Ballet is good to do with any dance, it helps your core and improves your performance, it gets you stronger aswell, so it is best to be required to take ballet with jazz, thats how my studio does it and it makes your dancing alot better!

I agree with Mintchips, but I wanted to share my experience. I started with jazz and hip hop for 2 years and then added in ballet and lyrical last year. I added the extra classes cause I wanted to get in as much dance as I could before my body gives out on me (I'll be 35 later this year) and I wanted to get more serious and have better technique. I believe that ballet has helped my jazz technique. However I feel that the decision whether or not to take ballet lies with the intent of the dancer. If a teen girl is doing jazz to help her dance squad at school, it might not be necessary to take ballet. If the girl wants to be a professional dancer in any style they definitely need ballet. At my studio I believe that you have to start with ballet, but after a year or so if you don't want to take it anymore you don't have to, but it still depends on the class and age of those in the class.

I agree with Mintchips, but I wanted to share my experience. I started with jazz and hip hop for 2 years and then added in ballet and lyrical last year. I added the extra classes cause I wanted to get in as much dance as I could before my body gives out on me (I'll be 35 later this year) and I wanted to get more serious and have better technique. I believe that ballet has helped my jazz technique. However I feel that the decision whether or not to take ballet lies with the intent of the dancer. If a teen girl is doing jazz to help her dance squad at school, it might not be necessary to take ballet. If the girl wants to be a professional dancer in any style they definitely need ballet. At my studio I believe that you have to start with ballet, but after a year or so if you don't want to take it anymore you don't have to, but it still depends on the class and age of those in the class.