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My2DanceLoves

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Posted Reply with quote  #26 
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Originally Posted by Psmom
All of the answers so far have been about physical qualities. Other than height, all of those things can be worked on if the dancer has the drive and internal motivation to do so. The bigger issue to me is an innate sense of rhythm. Those who have that definitely have a leg up on those who don't. You can teach someone to count the steps and set it to the music but it'll never be the same as the dancer who feels the rhythm and can dance to the beat without any thought at all.


I would agree. I think musicality and a sense of rhythm are extremely important.  Natural physical ability is certainly helpful but I would say it's not enough without a certain drive and passion also.
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BCdancemom

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Posted Reply with quote  #27 
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Originally Posted by Jacaranda
If your child has two legs they are born to dance!


Best quote ever!!!!
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BCdancemom

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Posted Reply with quote  #28 
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Originally Posted by JulieDB


Actually that's not necessarily a requirement either.  I have seen some very nice performances from disabled people who didn't have both legs or only one leg.  Sometimes you have to think outside of the box.


This is also my experience. There is a girl at our dance studio who has only feet, no hips or legs. And no arms or hands either but she dances! Her little heart out. Heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time!
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Ktyyyyyyy

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Posted Reply with quote  #29 
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Originally Posted by Kechara7881
As for the "Feet" thing, most would never know but she is hopelessly flat footed. She has had to work really on her feet!


My dd is the opposite. She has naturally high arches. She could have amazing feet, but they're just ok. When she was younger, she never learned to work hard on her feet. Her feet always looked decent enough because of her high arches. She developed lazy habits when it came to her feet because she was never encouraged to work at them like the girls with flatter feet were. Now, at age 14, her feet are still fine, but really, with her high arches and ankle flexibility, they could be so much better.
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jazzminesun81

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Posted Reply with quote  #30 
I don't think there is a way to know. I'm with pp that said it's the same as asking how you know if your kid is going to be a doctor or a lawyer. You don't. That being said, there are certain things that can make the journey easier if that's the life your child chooses and you choose to foster it. DD8 is slim and leggy and super flexible with natural turnout due to some slight hip displaysia. Teachers and parents often tell me that she "just looks like a dancer." But that will only take her so far. She looks great onstage not just because she "looks like a dancer" but because she would rather be dancing than doing anything else, and she works really hard because to her it's not work. It's play, and she "plays" all the time.Some of her DT's refer to it as "the bug." She somehow got bitten by the dance bug.

That's not to say she doesn't have obstacles. Everyone does. She has a swayback which DT says is common in the super bendy girls, and she's not as naturally coordinated as some, so she does still have to work at it.

Also, none of this means she'll be a pro someday, but I'm okay with that, even if she isn't[wink]
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DanceTumbleCheerMom

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Posted Reply with quote  #31 
DD looks uncomfortable in her body most of the time and you would never peg her for a dancer.   When she gets in class and on stage, she is a different child.  She has amazing turns and timing and is a joy to watch.  

If you little one loves it, just let her be. 
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tappergirlmom

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Posted Reply with quote  #32 
I really don't know if my dd has the physical attributes of a "natural dancer."  She's not very flexible, according to her teachers.  She's 9, so as far as "dancer's body" who knows.  She still has a lot of growing to do.  I'm not an expert on feet or body types or what a dancer is supposed to look like or have.

What I do know is she has always, always responded to music in some way, even as an infant.  No matter what music, or where, if she heard it, she would smile, laugh, try to dance to it.  I know she loves to dance, always has.  She's always had perfect rhythm and a great sense of musicality.  I don't know if she'll be a professional dancer, but I do think that dance will always be a part of her life in some way.  I don't know, but that sounds like a "natural dancer" to me.
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DanceTumbleCheerMom

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Posted Reply with quote  #33 
DD11 has the musicality down.  That, Rhythm and Timing are her definite strong points.   Everything else has just come 
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my2miracles

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Posted Reply with quote  #34 
I answered this 2 years ago but wanted to add something I shared with dd's new SO last week.  DD has a dancer's body, she has amazing feet (so I've been told) but at her other studio others had better tricks and more advance technique (they had all been dancing longer).  But dd has something that you can't teach.  You could put her up against other stronger dancers but something about the way she moves and reacts to the music makes you watch her.  She's very expressive with both her face and body.
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EJIDance

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Posted Reply with quote  #35 
My dd8 has a gymnasts body through and through but she chose dance. She is very flexible but other than that has to work super hard at everything. SO invited her into the performance company last year and I was shocked. To me she always looked the weakest of her group. I even went to talk to SO about the decision and how my dd will see that she can't keep up and it will ruin her love of dance and confidence. The SO said that when dd is onstage she commands it and that's not something you can teach. Everything else is manageable if not fixable completely [smile] 
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