Friendship in Dance

Friendships in Dance

Ballet is so much fun, even more so when you have a friend to share it with!

Baby Ballet:

We often see friendships just starting to blossom in our Baby Ballet class. As our 2 and 3 year olds see their classmates every week, and enjoy the ballet exercises and activities together, they begin to bond with each other. She might find another child that she likes sitting next to and watch them closely, copying them. They might share a giggle together as they pop on their costumes, or share with each other which colour wand they chose. They might still be too shy to ask their friends name, so I make sure to use their names; “Lucy, you are having fun dancing with Mela!”

At this age, feelings can be hurt easily and tempers are quick to rise. They are still learning to control their emotions and anger, sadness or frustration are big feelings for little bodies. Luckily, they are also quick to forgive, and a few minutes after a fall out, all is forgotten and they are fast friends again.

Junior Ballet:

Our Junior Ballerinas are readier for friendships and this is when we really see little pairs buddy up. It is so sweet to see! Having a friend in class doubles the joy and can also be a comfort and sense of security for our more nervous children. This is a great stage to arrange a play date outside of ballet class if you notice your ballerina is making a friend.

Every now and then, we get a combination of two or three children that doesn’t work so well. They might have SO MUCH fun together that they get the urge to run around with their buddy or play their own games. This is when I need to remind them of the boundaries and gently redirect that energy back to what we are learning.

Primary Ballet:

By Primary class, our Ballerinas have a stronger sense of identity and are more comfortable with a wider group of friends. They enjoy spending time with many of their classmates, although they are learning that it is wonderful to have a 'best friend'...although this best friend will often change week to week!

As most of our children are from the local neighbourhood, they often recognise another dancer from their Kindy or School. They find this delightful and are so excited to tell me “That’s Lilly from my class at school!”

Senior Ballet:

In our Senior class, Friendship and Teamwork are part of our core values. As I spoke of in my last post, from age 6 or 7, friendships between girls can get competitive and 'clicky'. If you have a child this age, I am sure you have heard them say:

“I was her friend first”,

“Well I’m her BEST friend”

"Zoe doesn't want to be my friend anymore!"

It can seem like silly, passing drama to us grown-ups, but to our children, this is serious and can be painful!

At Amelia’s Ballerinas, we offer a safe place where everyone is made to feel welcome, supported, and valued.

We support each other, model teamwork, and celebrate everyone’s achievements. This is not ‘Dance Moms!’ where the girls fight over solos, the teacher berates the children, and the mums scream at each other…(oh my gosh don’t get me started on that show!)

When our Seniors come to class, they often do have a friend (or small group) that they have developed a strong friendship with. Each week, I stretch this out- pairing the children up with different friends each week, splitting the dancers into smaller groups, mixing up who stands by whom in the line, and pairing up our younger children or newbies with a more experienced dancer. I'm sure I still have lots to learn but so far, so good! We have two lovely classes of Senior students who are really great with each other!

"Friends are the chocolate chips in the cookie of life!"

The best thing is seeing friendships develop in class between children who wouldn’t otherwise know each other. They continue outside of ballet class with play dates, parties, even sleepovers! It’s extra special when their parents start chatting and end up becoming friends too.

Tell me, has your ballerinas made a special friend in class yet?