Don’t Let Ballet Go Before the Miracle Happens

Parents, can we talk? Too many of our girls are “dropping” ballet—and honestly, it breaks my heart.

I get it. Ballet isn’t everyone’s favorite flavor. It’s slow in the beginning, and when kids today are used to everything moving at lightning speed, the barre can feel like watching paint dry. But here’s the truth: ballet is slow on purpose. It’s supposed to be. Because life doesn’t have to be fast in order to be fulfilling. Just because you don't see results right away, doesn't mean it isn't working.

The Discipline That’s Disappearing

When a child asks to quit the minute ballet feels uncomfortable, and parents say yes, what’s really being denied isn’t just pliés—it’s discipline. Ballet develops discipline in a way no other sport or activity can touch. Patience, focus, control, resilience—these are life muscles built one tendu at a time.

And yes, in the beginning it feels slow. You’re training your body to move with precision. But if you stick with it—oh, the payoff! Petite allegro combinations with the bounce of a ball, smiling while hitting every beat with ease—that is FUN! But you’ll never know that joy if you stop too soon.

Confidence + Muscle = A Lifetime of Strength

At Black Girls Dance®, our main service is building authentic confidence. But confidence doesn’t just appear overnight—it grows the same way muscles do. You don’t go from scrawny to chiseled in two weeks at the gym. It takes time, repetition, and intention.

Ballet is the same. It teaches our girls to persevere through the slow work, to trust the process, to believe that the small, unseen effort will pay off. And it always does. The result? Not just inner confidence that lasts a lifetime—but also the outward glory of strong, beautiful, dancer legs that carry them with grace forever.

The Bigger Picture

We live in a world where kids quit when something feels uncomfortable. Ballet is the antidote. It teaches them to stay, to breathe, to grow. And parents—sometimes our job is not to make our kids happy in the moment, but to help them grow into who they’re meant to be.

Now, full disclosure —sometimes the budget only allows for one activity, and in that case, yes—choose what truly sparks joy. But what I hate to see are girls leaving ballet too soon, before the miracle happens.

My Plea to Parents

So, parents, before you pull your daughter out of ballet because she says it’s “too slow” or “too hard,” remember: she’s not just learning to dance. She’s learning to endure, to focus, and to shine. Stick with it long enough, and ballet will move from slow and frustrating to fast, fun, and exhilarating.

Don’t let her quit right before she learns to fly.

With love,

Ms. Erin