The short answer to this question is, yes! Ballet is an amazing tool to help children develop physically and socially. As children age, their bodies experience natural changes and go through a series of developmental milestones. Ballet enhances their physical development by increasing their strength and flexibility and promoting muscle development. Ballet also helps with balance and coordination. Socially, ballet gives children exposure to cooperative learning and teamwork as well as fosters healthy habits of consistent exercise.
Increased Strength and Flexibility
There is a grace and fluidity in ballet and professional dancers seem to move effortlessly. However, in reality, ballet is strenuous and requires a tremendous amount of strength to successfully master each skill and to gain ease with the movements. An early introduction to ballet will help children with their muscle development.
Flexibility is key to overall health and well-being and is vital for movement in ballet. With proper flexibility, a person can avoid serious injury or will have a quicker recovery time in the event of injury. An early exposure to ballet gives young dancers a head start on developing and maintaining their flexibility which is a great foundation for a healthy future.
Most adult dancers would agree that their flexibility is the most important aspect to being a great dancer. Dancers that are stiff can seem very uncomfortable in their movement and their dancing lacks the ease that is synonymous with most styles of dance.
Even American football coaches see the importance of flexibility and how useful ballet is for their athletes. It is often a stereotype that is portrayed on television shows and in the movies, but many football players have been required to take ballet courses to improve their flexibility. They are great athletes on the field but their bodies are prone to serious injury if they do not combine their training with the proper flexibility that is built into ballet. All children, even if their sport of choice is not dance, benefit from ballet lessons.
Enhanced Coordination and Balance Through Ballet
The consistent repetition that is found in ballet creates muscle memory in children’s developing brains. Over time, with consistent practice, ballet movements become automatic and allows dancers to move with ease.
Children experience many milestones as they age. There is a natural physical development that their bodies will experience and will be strengthened through ballet training. Gross motor skills include walking, running, kicking and throwing a ball, jumping, and climbing. Ballet gives children more practice to fine-tune these motor skills through the dance movements which only enhances their development.
Balance is important for healthy mobility but something that children may not be consistently exposed to unless they are involved in sports such as dance or gymnastics. The movements taught in ballet rely on proper balance which can greatly benefit young children.
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