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Ballerinas and danseurs have a reputation for being elegant and glamorous, graceful albeit powerful. Well, people cannot be blamed for such a common perception for indeed all these characteristics most ballerinas and danseurs possess in varying degrees.

There are years of training that are required in order to achieve that level of ballet dancing skill. It doesn’t happen without a lot of effort, and a not too small financial outlay!

Cost

At first, a young 5 year old may need to pay for a class every Saturday morning. She’ll need the appropriate training clothing, and probably either a home-made costume, or ballet tutu for the end of term recital. Costs here are normal extra-curricular level and are usually absorbed within a family’s budget. This changes as the child becomes more involved with the ballet world, and if they last until turning professional, their training could run into hundreds of thousands of dollars.

There are the formal tuition costs which vary depending on whether the dancer is enrolled in a formal ballet school where both dance and academic subjects are taught side by side, or whether there is private and group tuition to be paid on a weekly basis. The higher the skill level, the higher the costs. The same can be said about the incidental costs that are also incurred. These include appropriate clothing, transport, living expenses where appropriate and even school supplies.

You can see how the costs mount up into the hundreds of thousands if you consider a child beginning a ballet class at age 5, and working her way up through the various levels and stages. Most parents are prepared for the first few years of one or two classes per week, but if your child wants to take this more seriously, then you need to consider the full outlay well in advance. There are scholarships available, but these are limited and competition to get these is high.

The emotional and physical cost of ballet dancing at a more advanced level shouldn’t be dismissed. A ballet dancer works long hours and places a lot of stress on their bodies. They may be required to be away from friends and family for weeks at a time. Away from the footlights of the stage on performance night, the ballet world isn’t always glamorous and a dancer needs to be strong enough emotionally to deal with that side of the business.

Personal Care

Ballet dancers ask a lot of their bodies and therefore personal care is a priority. They are aware of the importance of taking care of themselves, and especially their feet, so that their bodies can carry out the demands made on them.

You have strict rules to follow for this purpose: You must avoid alcohol and drugs. You must have sufficient sleep and eat properly to sustain your strength during long performances. You must perform daily warm-up exercises before rehearsals. You must consult your doctor for even the most minor of injuries to your legs and feet.

A positive attitude is a must to help with the mental stresses. Training has to be focused and not half-hearted because if you don’t show you’re dancing at your best, you’ll find yourself replaced by someone who is. By the time they are professionals however, this is all second nature to ballet dancers who have no intention of letting someone else steal the place they’ve worked so hard to achieve.

Ballet Dancing Compensation

The greatest compensation for ballet dancers is often the recognition from your audience and peers for your ballet technique and musicality. The claps and shouts of bravos are food for the soul that feeds the passion to dance tomorrow despite aching muscles.

Financial rewards for ballet dancers aren’t great. Unless you have some form of national or international following you are only as good as the show you are currently performing in, and how long that show runs can vary from weeks (or even days) to months. Even a prima ballerina isn’t likely to be compensated financially for anywhere near the amount of hours she spends training and dancing in order to achieve her high level of ability.

For most ballet dancers, the money is secondary to the thrill of dancing in public. As long as they have enough to get by on, they’re happy to follow their dreams and feel privileged to have the opportunity to do so.

A ballet dancer is by definition graceful. Whether a ballerina or a danseur (male ballet dancer), they have a powerful elegance that helps them achieve the perfection of dance they are required to demonstrate on stage.

There are years of training that are required in order to achieve that level of ballet dancing skill. It doesn’t happen without a lot of effort, and a not too small financial outlay!

Cost - Financial and Otherwise

At first, a young 5 year old may need to pay for a class every Saturday morning. She’ll need the appropriate training clothing, and probably either a home-made costume, or ballet tutu for the end of term recital. Costs here are normal extra-curricular level and are usually absorbed within a family’s budget. This changes as the child becomes more involved with the ballet world, and if they last until turning professional, their training could run into hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Incidental expenses are anything over and above the actual tuition. This could be for specific ballet clothing; some ballet schools may have specific “uniform” dress codes that must be adhered to, any living and/or travel expenses and school supplies if the ballet school also offers an academic line.

If you consider that most ballet dancers start training at the young age of 5 under private tutors and then in ballet schools, then you will have an idea of the financial costs involved. It’s a good thing that there are ballet scholarships available although slots are very competitive.

The other costs to take into account when considering ballet are the emotional and physical effects that ballet can have on those who choose this form of dance. Not only the practice hours of the novice, but the rehearsal hours and then performance hours of the professional ballerina and danseur mean that the body can become tired and needs to be looked after carefully. There’s little opportunity for a social life with anyone outside of the ballet culture.

Taking Care of the Dancer

Ballet dancers make their craft look effortless. They seem to glide across the stage rather than dance. This doesn’t come without a lot of training and so both ballerinas and danseurs must take great care of their physical and mental wellbeing.

There are many rules that a ballet dancer needs to follow in order to maintain the level of health required. They mustn’t drink alcohol or take drugs. They needs to ensure that they get enough sleep each night. Their nutrition must be good without a lot of empty calories from junk food - even if they’re tired and just want to grab something to eat before falling into bed after a long day of training.

A positive attitude is a must to help with the mental stresses. Training has to be focused and not half-hearted because if you don’t show you’re dancing at your best, you’ll find yourself replaced by someone who is. By the time they are professionals however, this is all second nature to ballet dancers who have no intention of letting someone else steal the place they’ve worked so hard to achieve.

Ballet Dancing Compensation

One of the first things any ballet dancer will receive in terms of compensation is applause from an appreciative audience. Right back at the beginner’s recital, the love of audience approval will spur even the youngest of dancers to perform at their very best.

Of course professional ballet dancers get paid, but relatively little compared with the amount of training they need to put in. Even the highest prima ballerina will earn far below what her skills and training are worth - unless she is lucky enough to have caught the media’s eye and landed an endorsement deal.

Then again, when you are doing something you love and getting paid for it, who needs a boring 8-to-5 job?