Today – The health benefits of ballet for children

 

 

The health benefits of ballet for children

Have you ever considered the health benefits of ballet for children?

As a child, my mum organised for me to go to ballet classes because  I was so clumsy and uncoordinated.  I went to Mrs Greensmith’s class once a week until I was 9 then twice a week until I was 13. I loved ballet so much. I made some lovely friends through it too. We trained very hard and then every so often we would put on a show in our local community hall. It never failed to make me feel like a star and oh the costumes!  my classes definitely gave me a love for music and musicality and of dance that I still have to this day.

It certainly helped me be less clumsy too. There was also a host of other health-related benefits of ballet for children that I absolutely benefited from.

 

Ballet Health benefits for kids

Any exercise is good for a child. It helps them burn off calories and maintain a healthy weight and of course it strengthens their body. Ballet is not at all a fragile pretty set moves (though it may indeed look like that). Ballet takes a huge amount of strength, muscle control and endurance and it is not for the feint hearted.  I have sweated doing ballet..can-can kicks and pirouettes and barre exercises are wonderful workouts.

 

Ballet is wonderful for posture

Having good posture is so important in later life and good habits start young. Ballet teaches you excellent posture and helps our little ones walk tall and proud ( and will help them avoid back problems later on).

 

The health benefits of ballet for children  – it makes you supple

Ballet makes you so supple and flexible and this is brilliant for the overall health of your body. It is important that a child wears quality children’s ballet shoes so as not to damage their feet but on the whole, it is an exercise that is pretty gentle on the body as it is so fluid and graceful.

 

The health benefits of ballet for children include emotional health

All exercise is good for our emotional health as it makes our bodies release serotonin which in turn makes us feel good. Ballet can feel like flying, it is beautifully graceful you can just get completely in flow with it and this is another factor in why it makes us feel so good. Dancing is just lovely. Ballet can also be social and this is also very important for a sense of well-being and connection. Plus, mastering any kind of hobby strengthens self-esteem and self-confidence two more factors that are really  important to good mental health

So yes a whole wealth of ballet health benefits.

More Health Benefits of Ballet for Children

Ballet is great for children and a hobby that can be revisited or continued into their adult life. A bit like riding a bike – you never forget your ballet moves. I sometimes have a good twirl around my kitchen even now!

 

How to find ballet classes near me

I bet now you know all the benefits of ballet you are pondering the question  How to find ballet classes near me

One of the best ways to find local ballet classes near you is to pop up a little post on facebook and ask your local community for recommendations.

You could also try the exercise move dance website to find local classes. Or you could pop on over to Dance Near You which has an enormous has a database of 1,000-plus dance classes of all levels run by dance teachers and a huge selection of dance schools across the UK. There is bound to be one near you!

 

What equipment do you need for ballet?

For ballet for kids really a pair of ballet shoes and leotards are usually all you need to get started.  As vegetarians we had such a hard time vegan buying ballets I ended up having to import them from America – can you believe it! Ballet shoes are pretty inexpensive (unless they are vegan!) and leotards are usually sold by the ballet school your child attends.

It is advised that their hair is kept up and out of their face so as not to irritate them as they dance and most schools favour the use of a hairband, net or bun.

 

Girls ballet outfit / boys ballet outfit

If your child’s dance school don’t have a specified a simple leotard something simple like this is really rather lovely. It goes without saying many boys love ballet too and usually for them a vaest and ballet leggings are the order of the day.

 

 

 

Ballet essentials for beginners

All you need is a willingness to learn, enthusiasm and a pair of ballet shos. Oh and be prepared to tie yur hair out the way, wear comfy clothes that show off your legs.

Ballet stretch band

A ballet stretch band does exactly what it says it does it helps you stretch for your ballet. This simple band helps improve both flexibility and core strength.

 

Ballet terminology

Oh my goodness as a parent ballet terminology thrown casually and accented out by the dance teacher can be scary. When they tell you Jada has to practice her pirouettes a la seconde you may think ?? Haha, you are not the only one. Here is a great guide to ballet terminology. Don’t panic! You will learn this is no time at all. Maybe.

 

Adult ballet beginners

Once you know all the lingo and the dress code, have found out all the health benefits of ballet and taken along your kids you might find that you are pretty interested yourself in learning some ballet Adult ballet beginners are increasingly common. and it is such a lovely gracious style of dance and it makes you feel so wonderful to dance the ballet.  How fabulous it is you could dance with your child too around your kitchen or maybe one day on a stage and how lovely if you could perhaps practice together and encourage each other. I think you should get yourself signed up!

All the ballet health benefits for kids will absolutely impact you too and dancing your way to fitness is a properly lovely thing to do.

 

Now I know the health benefits of ballet for children   I am off to have a dance around my kitchen with my daughter. See you later

 

I hope you have enjoyed this post on the health benefits of ballet for children. You might also like my post on why swimming is the best family activity

 

 

The health benefits of ballet for children is a collaborative post