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Am I too old to start dancing (well)?


I'm a guy, and I'm 16 right now--almost 17. I really, really want to learn to dance. I want to try everything, but yeah. I'm worried that I'm too old to start dancing now. Even if I start now, I don't think I'll ever be as good as I want to be--I just looked in google, and there was a mom posting a question about how she wanted to start her daughter on dance lessons... when she's 1 1/2 years old. Professional dancing would be something I'm interested in, if I'm good enough, and yeah. I don't think I could ever be as good as the people on dancing with the stars, but ugh. (I really do want to try a bit of everything, though--hip hop, tap, ballroom, etc. Everything besides ballet, I suppose.)


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Hi, I'm a college dance professor. I've performed with several major ballet companies as well as many minor ones. I started when I was 19. AND I am female. (I did take for 3 years when I was 7-10, but I had so much time off, I had to start again from scratch). Being a male, makes it much easier, and not wanting to be a professional ballet dancer makes it even more likely that if you are dedicated and passionate about dance and put the time and effort in, you can absolutely succeed if you don't waste any more time. For a professional career, you will have to be in decent shape, and in the dance world, that is light weight and you will need a good sense of coordination. Do not however neglect to take ballet even if it's not what you want as a career. Ballet is the basic technique for most other theatrical dance forms and is a must for anyone serious about dancing. However, a word of caution, do NOT just go into your nearest dance studio if you want to make rapid progress towards a professional career! Most local studios are geared for the recreational dancer only. You need to find a professional school with a high reputation. Do NOT go to schools that are competition based. I don't know where you are, so can't recommend any where specific, but a good bet is to go to a professional dance company's school. If that is not available, look in Dance Magazine for some ideas- there is a listing of schools in the back. I can't vouch for their reputation though, you will still have to do your homework. Ask how many professionals they have turned out. Ask what syllabus they use. What are the qualifications of their teachers? Membership in some dance teachers club is not enough. Did they perform professionally or have a degree in dance? Are they an internationally known teacher? Make sure you get the best. There is nothing harder to do than to retrain poorly learned technique. it is far better to learn it correctly from the start. Try colleges... sometimes they offer classes for the community... sometimes you can take classes through their continuing ed program. If you are anywhere near NYC, you are in luck as there are plenty of great places. In California there are many too. Where are you located?

And in general, no one is ever too old to dance for the sheer enjoyment of it at least. I once had a 78 year old woman in an intermediate advanced ballet class, and that lady could move!

Best of luck! And feel free to e-mail me with any further questions.

LF never too old :] practice practice practice and anything is possible better late then never! NO ONE IS TOO OLD TO DANCE! COMON MAN, EVERYONE KNOWS THAT! JUST HAVE A GOOD ATTITUDE TOWARDS IT AND COMMIT. YOU'LL BE GREAT! My sister started dancing at 14 and she has been dancing for only a year and she is already winning competitions. You are never to old to start as long as you are commited to it. I don't know where you live but If you are in the Texas NW houston area then I know a good dance teacher and its not that expensive. its NEVER to late. especialy not at 16!!!!!! My dear, first of all, you are NOT old, at 17. You are YOUNG!

Secondly, no one is EVER too old for anything they want to do! As long as you are alive, you can take advantage of ANYTHING in life, in one form or another!

I am 30 years old. It took me awhile to understand this, but if I consider myself YOUNG at 30, you should consider yourself young at 17.

Hope this helps! Your already 16 dude your dancing days are over way behind you you may as well get your self one of those motor scooters buggies to wheel around in. dancing are you nuts old man. Get a cane and well see you down at the bingo hall. You're never too old. You don't want regrets when you get older, either. There are classes for kids your age. My daughter started at 7, took off a year last year and went back at 13. You can start at any age. I see grown adults at the studio and kids your age, all the time. It's hard to find a male dancer who is actually good and likes what he does. It's your calling! Go for it and don't wait. You're never too old to start dancing. Those that don't take a chance, miss out. Life is to short not to enjoy whatever you truly want to do. Go for it and don't worry about what you look like or what others think. Have fun and live every day likes it's your last! u can start as early as u like but not have the beat or the heart
if u have those things go for it boy Think about this, all the old people in the entertainment field who are still alive were dancers at a young age. Start as soon as you can and you will outlive so many people. This is some of the best exercise you can get. you are never too old, in fact you can still do it, there is no age limit in dancing. no dont limit yourself No way are you too old, and the benefit is that you are male, and male partners are always in short supply. Another thing you've already realised is that there is more than one style of dance. So just find a local dance school where you can start a beginners class in one of the styles of dance you like. If you don't like that style or you feel it doesn't suit you, then try another. There's bound to be one or more styles of dancing that you will enjoy and quite possibly show a lot of natural talent at. well,u just go sign up for a dancing class.eventhough,u think u are old but just go on there's nothing to be afraid.some old peoples also join dancing class eventhough they are 60 or 70 years old.dancing is just an exercise to get rid the fats from our body and to release our tension No, no, no way are you too old!

Can I just say, that dance teachers just LOVE boys dancing. They just do! You will also be a favourite with all of the girls there ;) In every routine I've ever done boys are always front and center :D They are like a trophy! I was watching some Song and Dance solos and the only boy in that section came second when there were a lot more better female singers and dancers.

Please do not let anyone put you off or to say you can't do it or your not good enough. A boy recently left from my dance school who was an AMAZING tap dancer and that was because people from his school considered it 'too girly'. It was so sad for such a talented dancer.

Thats great that your open to all styles of dance! I seriously suggest that you take tap. The boys at my dance school (here I go again) all really love tap and are quite good at it and they can pick it up really easy.

Professional dancing can all be done in the future, at the moment I would defiantly focus on getting you into a good dance school!

Have a look at the Australian movie 'Bootmen'. It has some AMAZING male tap dancing in it-but it's cool, it's not classical tap. They're wearing boots with tap plates on them lol, it's really cool. Have a look at this link:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=qamnnqe0ljw...
Or go and watch the movie it will really get you into the mood of dancing and won't make you think that your too old-the guys in this are like 20's, 30's?

I wish you the very, very best in the future and I hope I helped! Listen to everything liane said, including the need to find quality training.

My daughter is a senior dance major in college and it is very common for guys to enter the dance world at your age and go on to excellent careers in dance. There are actually two parallel dance worlds - one for women and one for men - where the rules vary greatly depending on your gender. Whereas girls should be discouraged about entering dance unless they're prepared for the hardships and vast competition, guys are welcomed into the dance world with open arms. So you need to learn how to sort out the information you find in places accordingly. But, as liane says, you will need to be trained by teachers with solid professional experience.

Merde! (That's how you say "good luck" to dancers.) no, go for it ok unless ur crippled or dont have legs its not too late to start dancing! ive seen 70 yr olds doing dance aerobics classes. honestly tho, if u wanna b a prfestional dancer, i wouldnt wait any longer and id work my butt off. try jazz and ballroom It's only to late after we are gone from this earth....I didn't have the money when I was younger to do all the things I wanted to..I copied what I would see with a dream of that someday...Well in the past thirteen years I have done a lot of dancing..I started with line dance but I wasn't crazy about the music...But when I did line dance to Latin and pop I could dance with my heart the country folks didn't care for that...From there I took hip hop tap jazz ballroom belly dance...AND this week I took my first ballet class and the teacher was impressed...I now do on a weekly basis...belly dance ballroom hip hop jazz and now ballet....I dance from the heart the music just takes me over and my husband dances also...It brought a tear to my eye when I read your question because I was a young girl who had a passion but couldn't full fill my dream..I have more energy that most my age....and I say it's all because of dance....Go for it follow that dream...and remember it's only to late when we're gone...and I'm 50+ Most people do in fact start dancing at 16, or even 25. It is never too late to learn anything, you just have to go about it the right way. Make sure to always have ballet as your core dance class, because no matter how much it is denied, ballet is the best and only way to make it to the top.
And don't ever be embarrassed, start and finish every single dance class like you want it more than anything...otherwise you will never be taken seriously. Good luck!!