How to Balance Ballet with the Demands of High School

For any professional athlete there can be challenges with managing the demands of school with that of your profession. For high school athletes this can mean having to skip classes, late nights of homework, catching up and can often lead to burnout. For ballet students the challenge is no different. However, with the right approach and support, it's definitely possible for students to excel in both areas. 

At Crimson Global Academy (CGA), students have the unique opportunity to pursue their passions while achieving academic excellence. In this blog we’ll explore how our students manage their time and academics with their ballet training.

Professional Ballet at an Online School

Ballet - art created by uniform work of choreography and music. This type of dance requires intensive training for strength, flexibility and control in a disciplined manner. That is part of the reason why other professional athletes such as football players can also be required to take ballet classes to improve coordination and strength.

For professional ballet dancers, classes often need to be taken every day throughout their careers, and during performance weeks these classes are followed by up to five hours of rehearsal. You may be wondering as a full time high school student how it is possible to practise ballet professionally while maintaining your academics?

Ballet requires a significant time commitment and immense dedication, often leading to challenges in balancing it with academic responsibilities. However, the flexible timetable and supportive environment of online schools enable students to succeed both in the studio and in their studies.

The following accounts from CGA students Jade, Diana, and Kenzie highlight how they manage their ballet schedules alongside their academic workload.  Online schools offer live, real-time classes and a flexible schedule that allows students to adjust their learning around their ballet training.

At CGA, our programme ensures that students can catch up on missed classes through recorded lessons, while supportive teachers are always available to help with any academic challenges.

Balancing Ballet and Academics

CGA Student, Jade, New Zealand

I’ve done ballet since I was about four, so I don’t remember how I got into it. However, I know why I continued with it - it provides a unique outlet with both movement and expression, and I loved the community at the local ballet school. Although I didn’t choose CGA to advance my ballet prospects, CGA definitely provided advantages in terms of balancing ballet with academics.

Academics were my focus since I didn’t have professional aspirations for ballet; it was something I did solely for enjoyment. However, I went to the studio for 2-3 hours a day, 4 days a week, so it was a substantial commitment. I found balance by planning and staying aware of my priorities, which ensured I could fit everything in.

For example, if I had a school test coming up, I’d make sure I was revising well in advance (~2 weeks) so in the days before it, I wouldn’t have to cram and sacrifice time at ballet. If I had assignments due, I’d keep track of dates, estimate how long they’d take, and make early starts, so I could fit them around ballet practice and other commitments.

Things would get challenging if I had important academic deadlines coinciding with a ballet exam or performance. In those instances, sometimes I would have to cut back on commitments in other areas of life, such as saying ‘no’ to going out to a movie. However, in the long-term I was adamant about maintaining balance and wellbeing, so I had to be honest with myself if I had too much on my plate. I would reassess what I found most important and what I could do differently, to make sure I was on a stable path forward.

CGA’s timetable meant that some days I didn’t have class until the afternoon, so I could sneak in extra studio time in the mornings! On occasion if I had to miss a CGA class for ballet, I could easily catch up with lesson recordings.

I’ve alluded to them so to summarise: planning, knowing my priorities, and maintaining balance. Elaborating on maintaining balance - I made sure I was sleeping and eating properly, and taking time to socialise, which helped me feel healthy and in turn stay focused.

They provided a lot of support just through encouragement - they appreciated my commitment to both ballet and academics, which helped me stay motivated when I felt overwhelmed. Also, if I ever missed a class due to extracurriculars, CGA’s teachers would always help me catch up, such as by sending through what I missed or taking time at the end of the next lesson to answer questions.

Joining CGA saved a lot of time commuting, so I had more time for dance and study. Also, CGA’s teachers are very effective and efficient; before I joined CGA, I had to spend a lot of time self-studying to feel like I had a basic grasp of content, but joining CGA reduced that burden. I don’t know if I could have continued with ballet if not for all the time I saved at CGA.

Be honest with yourself if things feel like too much. Sometimes plans have to change and that’s ok. Take care of yourself, understand where you want to be involved and how deeply you want to be involved. Have fun!

From CGA to the Miami Nutcracker

CGA Student, Naomi, USA

Ballet is about perfectionism, the hair has to be perfect, the foot needs to be in a certain specific way to do the point, the arms, hands... everything has to be aligned perfectly and beautifully, and move in synchrony with the tempo. These skills also apply to school. I take my time to complete my projects and homework as I like to pay much attention to detail.

I'm currently studying 8th grade math, python, 7 grade english, 7 grade social studies, and 7 grade science. It has always been challenging to manage my time and complete the homework with my ballet practice. I chose to study at CGA due to the flexibility of the class hours and the ability to take classes and study from everywhere in the world.

For the third consecutive year I'll be performing in the professional production of Ballet, the Nutcracker. This event is held in the principal theater of Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. In addition, I'll have a solo piano recital on the Steinway Piano Galery of Miami.

My dream is to go to either an Ivy League like Yale, Harvard, Columbia, or to go to Juliard and become a great artist specialised in music, singing, or dramatic arts. CGA gives an ample exposure to multiple cultures all over the world and helps me to create a growth mindset to reach my goals.

Ballet Training with Online School

CGA Student, Diana, Australia

I love ballet because it allows me to be more free and be able to express myself to the audience. I love performing on stage as well as the many hours of training I do to strive for perfection. I love the countless learning opportunities I have received from many professionals. Many hours of rigorous training can be incredibly intense and challenging, but I think the feeling you feel when performing on stage is truly priceless.

In my weekly schedule, I train three times a week for 2.5 hours, twice a week for 5 hours, and once for 6 hours. In the afternoons and evenings, I complement my ballet training with stretching, pilates, and body conditioning to enhance my strength and flexibility.

Balancing academics alongside my ballet training is a lot more manageable with my CGA Da Vinci classes because it provides me with a more flexible school schedule so I can dedicate more time to my training as well as keep up with my academics through CGA.

It helps me a lot because I have a very flexible schedule, so even if I miss some school because of performances or competitions, my teachers always help me to catch up. They help me plan my assignments and exams according to the time I will be away, so it helps me be prepared and stay organised with my academics.

Some of my plans for the future would be to continue to learn and improve. I aim to participate in more intensives at prestigious schools internationally and have classes with many professionals who can help me get better and improve my technique and artistry. I want to continue having many great opportunities to perform on stage and compete in prestigious competitions like the Asian Grand Prix and the Youth American Grand Prix.

Through all these experiences, I aim to receive many opportunities that will help me to grow and develop as a dancer and hopefully one day be in a ballet company.

The Importance of a Structured Timetable for Ballet and Studies

CGA Student, Kenzie, Australia

For me, ballet gives me the opportunity to express myself in such an amazing way on stage and in the studio. It’s really an extension of who I am.

I train 6 days a week, with everything from Classical Pointe work, Contemporary, Pilates, Ballet Acting, and Music classes. So for me to also achieve my academic goals, I really need to be extremely structured with my timetable.

CGA has definitely helped with being able to schedule my academics around my ballet training, with the one-on-one lessons specifically designed with my individual goals in mind. I don’t ever feel like I have to sacrifice any area of my training.

My future has so many variables within the world of dance, from a professional ballet company to choreography to one day sharing my knowledge with young dancers, and CGA is tailoring my studies to accommodate these goals. It's very exciting.