<p>Dani,</p>
<p>Several posts ago you asked about the importance of dance training for MT and your dilemma with juggling academics. I smiled as I read your post because we have gone and will continue to go through the same struggles at our home. My daughter, like many of the other kids who post here or whose parents post, is also naturally talented and driven both academically and theatrically. She is happiest when performing, but like your parents we, too, emphasize the importance of academic achievement. I should clarify that we do not put any pressure on her to ace her courses. She does this to herself, on her own. All that we ask is that she try her best, and have explained that learning, not the grade, is what ultimately counts in life. </p>
<p>Anyhow, when she began attending our Districts magnet middle school for the arts, she had to stop dancing. This was in sixth grade, she is now in ninth. It broke her heart to give up dance, but it was logistically, if not physically, impossible to do it all. </p>
<p>Her middle school was 45 miles away and the schedules were such, that the dance classes were never available by the time that she would get home from school, even when there were no after school rehearsals or performance commitments. We felt that at some point she would get back to dancing, but throughout middle school there were always a number of things that got in the way, including our jobs. And although like you, we too had a nanny, I know that if the schedule had permitted making it to dance classes on time, our nanny would have balked about driving from the train station to the dance lessons.</p>
<p>When my daughter was accepted into the high school of the arts, which is 30 miles away, and requires taking a train to school, just as middle school did, we knew that fitting dance lessons would continue to be a problem. We also realized that her age would be out of sync with the dance level where she could resume. However, I always reassured her that there had to be a solution, if she really wanted to go back to dancing. </p>
<p>Since I am on sabbatical until January, this summer I had flexibility to drive her around. So I went online and also looked through the yellow pages and finally located an intensive summer program where she enrolled and trained with kids whose goals is to dance professionally. My daughter is very determined, like all MT kids are, and although I know that it had to be somewhat embarrassing to train with kids younger than her, she stuck it out and danced with them seven hours a day, five days a week for eight weeks. There was a performance at the end of the summer program, it was almost comical to watch her dancing in her very developed teenage body, alongside prepubescent boys and totally flat chested girls! </p>
<p>To attend this program, I drove 30 miles each way twice a day to get her there and back and another 20 miles each way on top of that, twice a week, for private tap lessons at another city. The point of this lengthy post? That your dance teacher is correct. With intensive training, talent and determination you can catch up in dance for purposes of making it in MT, even if you have to wait until college because you simply cannot fit it in now. </p>
<p>I should also tell you that after just a short time and because of the intensity of the summer training, my daughter is now on pointe, taking lessons in a regular class with girls her age, in a not so intensive environment. (She was ready to start pre-pointe when she stopped dancing at the beginning of sixth grade, so she is now caught up.) Thus far, she also has been able to continue with the private tap lessons and has advanced from beginning tap to advanced tap in four months. She had never tapped before and earlier this week, her tap teacher told us that by the end of the school year she intends to have my daughter perform at the studios annual recital with the advanced tap class. Since she is taking private lessons, we had assumed that she would not be able to perform at the recital. This came as a welcome surprise. Since she will be performing with seniors who are dedicated tappers with years of experience, it was also a great ego booster. </p>
<p>Although there are outstanding studios closer to home and also within walking distance of her school, where she had hoped to start dancing, we drive 20 miles for dance classes because at this studio they understand her predicaments as a "theater major" who loves dance and the ensuing logistical problems of trying to fit everything in. Unlike the studio near her school and the ones closer to home that insist that their classes and performances take precedence over everything else, here they are willing to work with her. So keep in mind that where a door closes, if you keep looking, another will open. </p>
<p>I should add that my daughter has extraordinary natural ability, but you stated that you catch on quickly and this is one of her attributes. By the way, during the summer she also began private flamenco classes on Saturdays, 50 miles away. She is passionate about flamenco and her flamenco instructor has told her that if she keeps progressing at the rate that she has, she will be ready to perform with her company this coming Spring. Nevertheless, she also knows that if her academic performance is detrimentally affected, something will have to go and most likely it will be her dance and voice lessons. Although dance and voice can be resumed later, academic performance that will get you into college has to remain consistently good to gain acceptance into the more academically selective schools.</p>
<p>I do not believe that what my daughter has accomplished in dance in this short amount of time is unique. With talent and determination it can be done by any talented MT student, even if postponed until college. Although I do believe that it would be unrealistic to think that someone in her situation or yours could aspire to become principals in national ballet companies, I do know that in the case of MT, starting dance later, should not be an impediment to success in a college program or later professionally. </p>
<p>To sum it up, dance is a necessity for MT but training can be postponed until college if unable to do it before. Remember, MT is composed mostly of: Dancers who sing and act, Singers who dance and act, and Actors who sing and dance. My daughters tap teacher, who danced professionally in Broadway and the reason we began driving 20 miles to take a tap class this summer (she is phenomenal as a dancer and teacher), has stressed that these three different paths lead to the same stage for different types of roles and that fitting the look of a role often weighs just as importantly as talent in getting a part. True triple threats who are equally talented and accomplished in all three areas are rare. </p>
<p>Finally, do not ever forget that maturity and determination will take you farther in any field than experience or talent alone. In the meantime, concentrate on your academics. Aside from providing you with a key to admission into the more academically selective schools, knowledge will always serve you well and is the one thing that no one can ever take away from you. Wishing you the best,</p>
<p>Dramatica</p>