If your child has just started ballet classes in Singapore, that’s great and we hope your little dancer is having fun! If dancing becomes your child’s passion, she will probably put in her everything to showcase her craft. As she grows older and gets more confident in her skills, she will have opportunities to perform in front of a bigger audience. She may even pick up dance as a CCA when she is in school.

But while dance may be an exciting and enjoyable journey, to perform well, your child will have to meet the physical demands of dance itself. Especially towards a big performance or even during the competition period, she will be using up quite a bit of energy in order to do her best. This is why dancers and teachers alike need to consume enough calories to fuel their bodies.

Strong muscles are vitally important to a dancer. You are able to balance well on the tips of the feet, hold your position without shaking and keep the energy going to execute a better performance. To do so, what your child eats can make a difference in her performance. Here are five examples of healthy snacks that will help her stay focused and energized throughout the lessons she loves:

• Hard-boiled eggs – Protein can be found in a variety of foods such as meats, seafood and poultry. But some dishes can be time-consuming to make, which is why hard-boiled eggs are a quick low-calorie alternative. Not only are they simple to make, hard-boiled eggs are also packed with a complete range of amino acids, making them a complete source of protein. Eating before or after training can help the muscles restore and regain its strength, reducing muscle soreness.
• Peanut butter – Coupled with whole grain crackers or bread, peanut butter will provide a good amount of protein. Especially with its high-calorie content, this will give your child the energy boost she needs. She will also get a hefty dose of magnesium and phosphorous from these peanut butter snacks. Take note that some peanut butter products may contain other ingredients such as sugar and salt, so keep a lookout for these ingredients or if not, refrain from consuming too much peanut butter at a time.
• Energy bars – These quick, portable goodies can come in handy to keep the energy going strong during lessons. Shop for those that are low in added sugars and high in protein, fiber and vitamins.

• Fresh fruit – For any sport, complex carbs are most important in the diet as they break down into glucose and provide the main source of energy to fuel your muscles. A dancer’s skills may be compromised without glucose and your child might feel sluggish after some time. She may be more prone to injury when she is training and still lacks the energy she needs. To prevent this, fiber-rich fruits like apples and bananas can be taken on the go and your child can fuel herself with the health benefits they offer.
• Veggies – Like fruits, vegetables contain complex carbs, which will give the muscles a prolonged source of energy. Nutritious veggies such as carrots, potatoes and broccoli are easy to store in a lunch box, so your child can dig in easily whenever she is having a break.

And there you have it, the snacks that will allow your child to dance at her best. It is also important to stay well-hydrated, so make sure your child has a water bottle with her when she goes for classes. As parents, we know how enthusiastic and hyper kids can be when they find something they are passionate about. This is why it is important to ensure that your child is getting the nutrition she needs, more so when training can get more rigorous as your child becomes more experienced.

As teachers, we always encourage healthy habits and proper nutrition for our dancers. At Dancepointe, every kid will be in good hands under our instructors. If you are a parent who is planning to sign your child up for a ballet course in Singapore, Dancepointe might just be the academy you are looking for. We have 14 state-of-the-art schools serving the Alexandra, Bishan, Bukit Panjang, Choa Chu Kang, Jurong, Pasir Ris, Punggol, Seng Kang, Sembawang, Buangkok, Seletar, Yio Chu Kang and Tampines residents. So if you are living near us, sign your child up and watch your little dancer grow in her dance journey.

Adult ballet class singapore

Every beginner in ballet knows that the foot arch is important in the entire ballet experience. Known as the most iconic elements to the aesthetics of ballet, as effortless as it looks, the pointe requires great strength on the feet. If your child is already applied to a ballet course in Singapore, she will probably learn the pointe soon enough through the stretches and exercises that will improve the overall arch of her feet.

But if she is not, she can try practicing on her own first. Take note, not every dancer is blessed with naturally rubber-like feet, which means your child will need a lot of practice to gradually develop the technique needed to achieve the pointe easier. Here are six tips that she can adopt to make significant improvements to her pointe work:

1. Stretch the muscles in the feet that can strengthen and lengthen the arch. She can do this by rolling her foot on a foot roller to build a smoother transition up onto and lowering from pointe.
2. Focus beyond the muscles of the feet. When she improves on all the muscles that contribute to the arch of your feet, she will be able to improve your foot shape. For example, with one leg stretched out in front of her, place a resistance band around the ball of the foot. While holding both ends of the band, flex the ankle and hold in the position. Here, this exercise stretches the ankle muscles.
3. Practice makes perfect. Try stretching the foot as much as possible but remember, never tighten it so much that she pinches her Achilles tendon. Safety always comes first, so it is important to do it carefully as over-stretching can risk injury, causing tendonitis. Some dancers get their friends to sit on their feet for extended periods of time, or they will even wedge their toes under hard surfaces while forcing their knees to straighten. That can permanently damage the ligaments, which is why stretching gently is all the more recommended to gradually achieve the pointe over time.
4. Stay consistent in the exercises. The more regular she is with her stretching habits, the more successful she will be in executing her pointe. You can allocate a time for your child to exercise her feet muscles and you can also do it with her to make this moment fun!
5. Shoes can play a part in how well she executes the pointe. For a beginner, a softer shoe will be preferred for her to learn to better articulate her foot first. Well-chosen and properly fitted shoes make a difference, so check that it is firm around the front part of the foot but should not be squashing her toes in together too much.
6. Finally, especially for young dancers, it is essential to eat well and have a proper diet for strong bones to be able to support the body’s weight.

Wondering how to check if her pointe work has improved? When she has her legs straight while sitting down, if her toes are touching the ground when arched, she is on the right track! But rather than practicing on her own, it will be more effective when she learns it from a ballet teacher. From the correct body alignment to the mastery of ballet techniques, the teacher would be able to better evaluate her to ensure she is physically prepared for pointe work.

At Dancepointe, every kid is in good hands under our instructors. If you are a parent who is planning to sign your child up for a ballet course in Singapore, Dancepointe might just be the academy you are looking for. We have 14 state-of-the-art schools serving the Alexandra, Bishan, Bukit Panjang,Buangkok, Jurong, Pasir Ris, Punggol, Seng Kang, Sembawang,  Seletar, Yio Chu Kang Tampines and Yishun residents. So if you are living near us, sign your child up and besides having beautifully pointed feet, she will benefit more to become a graceful ballerina.

Ballet schools Singapore

If you are a parent concerned over how your child is spending hours slumped in front of the television, there are many other ways to keep your child occupied. For example, why not sign her up for a ballet class for kids? Think about how exciting it will be to watch your child grow and shine on stage. There will also be many areas where she can benefit from while learning the art of classical ballet.

Ballet schools Singapore

Benefits Of Classical Ballet

Classical ballet is especially known for its graceful choreography, perfect posture and strict footwork. A dance that engages and controls different muscles of the body, ballet can become a good physical workout in a long run.

Ballet is all about telling a story and your child will get to learn how to express herself. She will use the various parts of her body to communicate to an audience through different types of classical music. As she is given opportunities to perform in front of her classmates or for an actual audience, she will also become more confident in herself.

Through these benefits, if you are considering of getting your child ready to learn ballet, you might find yourself wondering what might be some things that she will need for class such as what she needs to wear.

How To Get Ready For Ballet Class

For starters, to dance like a ballerina, one has to feel like one first. Especially if your child is new to ballet, she will need her own set of leotard and tights. Along with that, she will require a pair of ballet slippers that will take her through her dance journey. You might decide to buy her a size bigger for the shoes to last longer as she grows but remember to ensure that it fits her well enough when she dances. Now that her outfit is settled, what’s next?

The Perfect Ballerina Bun

At the start, you are probably going to help your child out with tying her ballet bun. Start by combing her hair to free it of any tangles and tie it up into a high ponytail. From there, twist the ponytail and while doing so, wrap it around the base of the ponytail. Tuck any loose ends with bobby pins and you can either secure the bun with the same pins or hold it in place with a hair net. And there you have it, the perfect ballerina bun to get your child all set for ballet class!

Especially for performances and competitions, a spritz of hairspray around the entire cinnamon bun-like hairdo will be required to ensure no stray strands come out of place. Ballerinas are all about elegance and poise, thus a neat and tidy look has to be achieved in order to exude that.

Importance Of Maintaining A Good Dance and Life Balance

Know that putting your child in ballet is a good decision, whether or not she plans to choose dance as her future career. But while ballet can take up quite some time as your child grows older, she will need to maintain the right balance between time spent dancing and doing school work. Without saying, studies come first. It is understandable to think of quitting once your child struggles with managing her time for both, especially when the examination period is coming. Yet, it will be sad to see your child giving up a hobby that she has fallen in love with.

The good thing about Dancepointe is that we only have one major performance or competition within a few months. Hence, your child will definitely be able to find time to study and enjoy dancing at the same time.

If your child is showing an interest in ballet, she might want to join a ballet class for kids in Singapore. But if you want to be sure that ballet is right for her, there are some basic steps she can practice at home. It is always helpful to know the first few positions one will start off with as a beginner in ballet. It might be a little challenging at first as her legs might shake while she is trying to maintain the position. But these five fundamental positions will act as the foundation for harder coordination and footwork as your child’s dancing progresses. Continue scrolling to take a look at these five positions.

They may look simple but these positions are important, such that every performance usually ends with the ballerinas posing in one of these foot positions. You can also practice alongside your child to not only make things fun, but to watch that she does not hurt herself.

But if your child truly shows a passion in ballet, it might be more beneficial for her to learn ballet in a class instead such as in Dancepointe Academy. Rather than practicing at home, she will get to learn properly under the care of our professional dance instructors. But most importantly, she will grow in this beautiful form of dance with kids around the same age as her, sharing the same beginner stage.

Singapore ballet academy