Parents Ballet as part of training

[Alibri]

My daughter just started training for the level 3 team this week, and I am pleasantly surprised that the gym has just implemented ballet as part of the training for team level 3 and up. My daughter’s small team of 6-9 year olds train 12 hours, and 2 of those hours (1 hour on each of 2 days) each week will be with a ballet teacher. She will be training them at the gym during the scheduled practice time. My initial thought was, “we signed up for gymnastics, not ballet class”, but I’ve come around to feeling like this will be extremely beneficial for leaps, jumps, turns, toes, grace, musicality, lines, and more. Is it typical for gyms to require ballet for compulsory team girls? Does your gymnast do ballet as part of her training, required or not? Have you seen it directly improve her gymnastics? Does your gym do ballet in-house, or at a different facility? We are not at a super crazy competitive gym, so I’m excited to see how this new training turns out!

 

[Aussie_coach]

I always took ballet classes during my years of gymnastics training. Very, very beneficial in many ways, posture, technique, balance etc.

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

I teach my girls (developmental/preteam) basic ballet as part of my program. I have a background in dance and my older DD has done ballet for 13+yrs (she teaches as well as dances now, and I occasionally have her come in and do class with my little ones as well). Gymmie DD took ballet for a while but, it was definitely not for her and although I wish it would, it has not influenced her gymnastics much. You can lead a horse to water and all that.... I keep telling her she, out of her whole team, has the resources available to her (for free!) to really help with her feet etc but she is not using them.

 

[gymisforeveryone]

In our club only the optionals have additional ballet/dance training. It's 1,5 hours a week on a non-gym day when they also have 1,5 hours of running technique training. Both of those classes take place at the same place as we train in a large sports center with a dance floor and track. The coaches are not gymnastics coaches but a professional dance teacher and a track coach.

 

[rjb123]

My level 9 never took dance "officially" but her coaches also have dance background and did bar work most days. She learned all the positions and the terminology and posture. She ended up taking a beginner dance class once she was out of compulsory as a "fun" thing and we were all surprised/not surprised that she was ahead of the game in terms of knowledge/ posture/ etc. I imagine it helps them, but I *think* that some of the leap technique is a bit different.

 

[tucktwisttumble]

I keep telling her she, out of her whole team, has the resources available to her (for free!) to really help with her feet etc but she is not using them.

I can relate to your gymmie. Similar situation to me when I was an athlete. Not to say she will regret it when shes older, but it is definitely one of those things I wish I listened to my mom about (Why are they always right?? )

As for ballet aiding with gymnastics training. I am a huge advocate for ballet. Always have been. It is a good fundamental training for movement, muscle control, etc. We did basic ballet in my gym, but I also trained 2 ballet classes a week at a classical ballet studio (I have a background in both RAD and Cecchetti)

 

[John]

DD's club brings in a Ballet instructor over the summer. They get 2.5 hours of ballet a week over the summer. She says they work turn jumps leaps and toe point. DD does not like it but accepts is part of gymnastics. This training is given to all girls on team and pre-team.

 

[suebee]

Dd’s gym trains lower hours than most for the lower levels so the gym recommends the girls take ballet at a local studio that has a teacher who has taught dance to gymnasts for years, but it’s optional. The gym hours increase as they get further along in their training, and dance is then incorporated into gym training hours. I think it’s 1.5-2 hours/week of dance once you’re training 18 hours/week or more.

 

[Flyaway]

I imagine it helps them, but I *think* that some of the leap technique is a bit different.

The above is what I've wondered. I have a dd in dance and we are very close to the studio owner. I know she would do privates with my gymnast to help her improve her leaps and turns, but I've been concerned about her learning technique that her coaches would not approve of. Not that the technique is WRONG, but just different. I don't want to muddy the waters. Any coaches want to weigh in on this?

 

[tucktwisttumble]

The above is what I've wondered. I have a dd in dance and we are very close to the studio owner. I know she would do privates with my gymnast to help her improve her leaps and turns, but I've been concerned about her learning technique that her coaches would not approve of. Not that the technique is WRONG, but just different. I don't want to muddy the waters. Any coaches want to weigh in on this?

The technique IS different. You are correct.
However, I never had an issue with the difference in technique. Ballet its MUCH more structured with respects to head alignment, posture, and arm positioning (port de bra) for leaps.
I found leaps in gymnastics almost easier, because I was already trained with proper alignment through ballet. Arm position in gymnastics didn't matter nearly as much (more gym-specific preference in my opinion).

The only other difference is the approach. Like gymnastics, dance has many different approaches into a leap. Having the coordination to train different approaches can only help you and make you a more versatile athlete, in my honest opinion. In my past experience, it really stood out in a positive way, (especially on floor and beam) athletes who had technical dance training supplementary to their gymnastics.

Now with all above said, if you have a very rigid gymnast, who struggles with coordination. This could "muddy the waters". And you have to evaluate each athlete differently. There is no one-size training regime for this sport which we all know.

 

[Jenn's Jam]

DD Was a dancer for most of her life, (age 3 - 10 ) And although the gym we're at doesnt do any ballet training (atleast the level she's in) but when she did ballet in dance she absolutely HATED it, I personally think her dance career is part of the reason she progressed so fast in gym so I have no regrets

 

[SMH]

I think having a ballet component in gymnastics training is great- I remember working on score input at the 8/9/10 state meet last year and the floor routines the judges really raved aboutwere the super graceful ones- ballet can only help with that.

 

[Midwestmommy]

I think it’s great, if for nothing else than learning not to do the old severe bend at the wrist or claw hands—I know, tired old topic and some disagree, but I think the huge angle at the wrist looks like broken wings, ruins the line (especially on beam), and is cringeworthy.

As a side note, for certain gymnasts a hip hop class would help with musicality. I love some of those fierce hip hop sassy routines in the NCAA.

 

[sewgood]

No, but I wish they did.