Ballet is a competitive world filled with beauty, grace, poise and determination. Think that’s tough? How would you describe soccer, football or field hockey?
Exactly . . .
I am the mom of a dancer. A young, hardworking and focused dancer. She tackles ballet like a sport and honors the tradition of dance as an art. Where did she learn this drive? From the Charlotte School of Ballet, a studio right here in town that fundamentally believes in all dancers, no matter their passion or level.
For our family, dancing with The Charlotte School of Ballet has been a gift. At the age of eight, our daughter dances several times a week. Not because we make her, because she makes us. She twirls, points and achieves levels of athleticism we never expected from a tutu. She doesn’t earn a snack or a trophy at the end of class or ‘season’. She earns more than a shiny gold statue, she earns pride.
The Charlotte School of Ballet approaches dance differently than other local studios. CSB uses teaching techniques and syllabus skills from The Royal Academy of Dance, one of the world’s most influential dance education and training organizations. Membership in The Royal Academy of Dance is difficult and constantly evolving. The Charlotte School of Ballet upholds hours of training to maintain a RAD membership. With decades of experience, CSB is the oldest studio in The Queen City and their Artistic Director (Gay Porter) is a true dancing legend.
Sounds intense. Right?
Kinda and yet, not really.
Why not approach dance with serious studies? Why not believe in your child enough to provide the best ballet program? Families travel all over the state of North Carolina looking for top soccer coaches and join elite teams. Is ballet any different? Our family doesn‘t think so.
Exceptionally fun and musically engaging, classes at CSB are designed to bring out the greatest strengths of any dancer at any age. Which is what we love most about the school. CSB offers class levels in a mindful and responsible manner. Classes for toddlers are introductory to The Royal Academy of Dance concepts set to the tone of classic Disney tunes. Classes for older students provide advanced training and examinations for children who live to dance. CSB also offers classes for those students who want to experiment with ballet or have other interests. Meanwhile, in the same studio, dancers who dream of professional careers (and some who already have them) train like honed athletes.
The Charlotte School of Ballet has become a warm home for us. Yes, our daughter is receiving top quality teaching. Yes, she is challenged and happy. But, it’s more than that. It’s the knowledge she has gained from CSB. All the dancers (even the mini ones) learn how important it is to respect their teachers. All the dancers follow strict dress codes and learn to honor the art of ballet and dance. Even if your child isn’t dreaming of professional lights, these lessons are vital. In a world full of certificates of excellence for all who participate, ballet with CSB has taught our daughter that hard work creates amazing results.
Who knows what the future holds for our daughter? Chances are, she won’t become a professional dancer. That is perfectly okay. Her discipline, her pride, her passion for dance will take her far in life. Very, very far. She will remember the standards and friendships she learned in the studio. For that, we are eternally grateful.
Who knows, maybe she will turn to another form of athletic passion? That’s fine with us. No matter what direction she chooses, she will always strive for her best because her teachers at CSB wouldn’t allow less. For now, her passion is focused and we are grateful to have found a place that engages her and treats her like an individual in every class.
In the future, our daughter may give up dance. It is a challenging passion. However, her lessons at CSB will stay with her. Her posture will always be above average. Her dedication will always be 100%. Her attitude and ability to receive constructive criticism will always be strong.
Why?
Because the Charlotte School of Ballet taught her this is the only way to shine both on stage and off.
Smarties, visit The Charlotte School of Ballet. Learn about their approach techniques. Learn what ballet can do for your child, it will amaze you!
You can find the Charlotte School of Ballet & Belmont School of Ballet at:
Charlotte School of Ballet
627 South Sharon Amity
Charlotte, NC 28211
(704)366-9675
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The Belmont School of Ballet
116 South Main Street
Belmont, NC 28012
(704)829-7929
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Experience the Charlotte School of Ballet in this video:
1 comment
Excellent piece, I couldn’t agree more. Last week our daughter began her second year at CSB and we are so grateful to have the values of focused hard work being reinforced outside the home. In today’s society the importance of children actually earning promotion and praise has unfortunately been traded for too much false praise and social promotion. In too many areas, especially in education and youth sports, there is far too much over praise for “giving something a try”, participation, mediocrity and sometimes just for showing up. The average child knows when they are have truly earned praise for a job well done and when they are being praised for no reason at all. Again thanks for sharing such a wonderful piece.