All sports · Sport guide
Ballet, for the parent in it.
Every read, drill, calendar, pathway, rule, and recruiting note we have on ballet. Use this as the front door.
18 pieces.
From The Drawer for ballet
Cost
What does ballet actually cost?
Pre-filled annual estimates by tier. Edit any line.
Pathway
Ballet by age
What good looks like at 7, 10, 13, 15.
Calendar
The ballet year
The serious-studio ballet year: level placement in August, Nutcracker from September auditions through December performances, summer intensive auditions in January and February, spring recital or company show in May or June, then the intensive itself. November is the month that eats families.
Reads
Ballet articles
age 15-plus · Jul 6, 2026
Ballet after high school: what parents need to know
Three forks in the road, three different audition processes, and one honest conversation to have before senior year starts.
age 15-plus · Jul 6, 2026
Evaluating a ballet trainee program offer
The acceptance email feels like the finish line. Read the actual terms before you believe that.
age 15-plus · Jul 6, 2026
Trainee and second-company placement: the real odds
A trainee program is not a company. A second company is not a guarantee. Here is the math nobody says out loud at pointe shoe fittings.
age 15-plus · Jul 6, 2026
When your dancer doesn't get a trainee contract or company offer
The rejection email is short. What it ends is not.
age 15-plus · Jul 6, 2026
YAGP and ballet competitions: what they're actually for
One competition circuit, two very different purposes depending on which track your dancer is actually on.
age 13-14 · May 12, 2026
The injury pivot at 14: when a serious injury changes the path
A growth plate fracture, a stress reaction, a labral tear. Some injuries at 14 mean six months off. Others mean a career change. Here is how to face the question.
age 11-12 · May 12, 2026
When the studio offers pre-professional placement
Your daughter just got invited to the pre-pro track at the studio. Bigger commitment, bigger fees, bigger expectations. Here is what to weigh.
age 8-10 · May 12, 2026
Choosing between a recital studio and a syllabus school
Two paths. One ends with a glitzy recital. One ends with an exam. Here is how they differ and which is right for your kid.
age 8-10 · May 12, 2026
Boys in ballet: bullying, scholarships, and how to keep them going
Boys are still a minority in most ballet studios. The path is different. Here is what makes it harder and what makes it worth it.
age 13-14 · May 12, 2026
The summer intensive audition: what an audition video actually needs
Summer intensives at major schools require an audition video. Here is what they look for and how to film one that does not embarrass your kid.
age 5-7 · May 12, 2026
The first ballet class at age 4: setting reasonable expectations
Pre-ballet at age 4 is not really ballet. Here is what it actually is, what your kid will get out of it, and what to skip.
age 8-10 · May 12, 2026
The Nutcracker season: what December actually looks like
Your kid got cast in the studio's Nutcracker. From October to December the family schedule will rearrange itself. Here is the survival guide.