Dance or gymnastics?

[kristinannie]

Both of my bigger kids do karate and they love it. However, my daughter needs something that is just her activity. She is obsessed with doing everything that her brother does. I am considering dance (ballet and tap) or gymnastics. I have let her try both and she loves them both. Which one should I choose?

[Kuovonne]

Would she rather be on a stage (dance) or in a competition (gymnastics)?

[Writerdaddy]

tough one-- my kids do both, cause there's cheap gymastics at the community center 1x per week.

 

they started mat tumbling at about 3-4 and did that 1x with some breaks up to 7. Amazing what they can do with their bodies! And how they are not afraid of heights and of spinning tumbling rolling around, and how they really-- how can I say it?-- own their bodies. I think at a young age gymnastics packs the most punch for bucks at any price. Beginning ballet is just hopping and skipping and (no small or valueless thing) stretching. Tap involves a little more, following directions, body memory, it's probably very good for kids brains.

 

On the other hand, my kids, while they enjoy their gymnastic abilities and constantly show off for other adults, always seem to say they don't want to go. They don't show off dance. But they don't complain and seem to enjoy it.

Also, of all the things my kids do, including every form of learning, there is the most joy in dance. The recitals are big blasts of joy that just wash over you, and its all coming from the kids.

 

Bet that doesn't settle it!

[angelmama1209]

Well, here is our experience. Schools in your area may be different.

 

Dance- follows school year- Aug-May with weeks off for Thanksgiving, Christmas, spring break, etc., recital- costume fee(s), tickets to recital, DVD of recital (if you want)

 

Gymnastics (assuming she's not on team)- year round, no costumes, no extra fees, no recitals

[angelmama1209]

tough one-- my kids do both, cause there's cheap gymastics at the community center 1x per week.

 

they started mat tumbling at about 3-4 and did that 1x with some breaks up to 7. Amazing what they can do with their bodies! And how they are not afraid of heights and of spinning tumbling rolling around, and how they really-- how can I say it?-- own their bodies. I think at a young age gymnastics packs the most punch for bucks at any price. Beginning ballet is just hopping and skipping and (no small or valueless thing) stretching. Tap involves a little more, following directions, body memory, it's probably very good for kids brains.

 

On the other hand, my kids, while they enjoy their gymnastic abilities and constantly show off for other adults, always seem to say they don't want to go. They don't show off dance. But they don't complain and seem to enjoy it.

Also, of all the things my kids do, including every form of learning, there is the most joy in dance. The recitals are big blasts of joy that just wash over you, and its all coming from the kids.

 

Bet that doesn't settle it!

 

My DD was exactly opposite! lol She was in dance for 2.5 years. Every November she would start whining EVERY week when I told her to get ready. She would get excited again in March when the recital costumes came in. We did a trial gymnastics class (Living Social Deal) last summer. She chose to stay in that and hasn't complained a single week- even counts down the days!

[heritagelearningacademy]

We did dance and a homeschool gymnastics course for my daughter (5). She too needed something that was hers...not just tagging along to brothers' events.

 

We loved dance at first but then lost interest. Gymnastics was a HUGE HIT because she got to do a daytime homeschool class with 4 other girls in her group and 1 teacher. They actually were on the bars, the beams, the floor, etc. They didn't have to just work in small areas of the gym like evening classes because they were the only ones there.

 

In the end, we have decided no dance this year as it became a battle to get her ready. (However, after dance recital and being on stage she likes it again. LOL) But, I truly think compared to gymnastics it was too tame. She wanted more movement, more action. She has TONS of engery and standing around in ballet didn't work for her as well as all the movement in gymanstics.

 

My suggestion would be to think about how your daughter engages...does she like quiet, slower paced activities? Does she need higher energy activities? That would help lead my decision.

 

Good luck.

[Heather in VA]

I agree with heritagelearning... gymnastics was the hands-down choice in our house because my kids have a ton of energy. My oldest started gymnastics and then wanted to do dance because of friend of hers was. She went to one 'bring-a-friend' day at dance. When she came home she made me promise I'd never make her to that again. She couldn't stand the lack of movement. Both my oldest and middle daughter have been competitive gymnasts .... my oldest for 7 years and my middle still is - this will be her 8th season.

 

Heather

[Ellie]

Dance mom here. :-)

 

However, we prefer ballet, not a combination of ballet and anything else. Knowing what I know now, if the choice were between gymnastics and ballet/tap, I'd go with gymnastics.

[JenniferLynn]

We do both. DD5.5 started ballet at 3 and gymnastics at 4. The twins also started gymnastics at 3. All else being equal, gymnastics has been overall better for reasons PP's mentioned - the range of skills, etc. Our first ballet class was mostly hopping around and dressing up for the June recital. Year 2 we switched to an excellent teacher who teaches real moves, pilates/yoga type warm ups, and the poise and presentation that gymnastics doesn't address until the older girls. From now on I will always preview and preferably do a trial class for either gymnastics or dance because there can be a lot of variation among studio/gyms or teachers.

[DianeW88]

Whichever she is best at.

[lmrich]

Whatever is closer.

[Incognito]

We've done ballet so far. Getting a little into it, one thing that is a problem is the music for many of the types of dance in the recitals. The ballet we are in (and I chose because it is to classical music) has been fine, but the older kids and the jazz/tap/lyrical ballet numbers can have some very sexual words and moves that kids are performing.

 

My daughter has loved her ballet classes, but now that we are moving up a little it's going to be twice a week - that also presents its own issues.

 

HTH

[Ruby Rose]

IME Gymnastics was a lot of waiting for your turn.

 

In dance the child is engaged throughout the class.

 

But, with dance you have to be very picky about what studio you use. The norm around here is shake your booty music and costumes with inappropriate choreography. Hence, we chose the studio that prides themselves on providing a Christian environment with age appropriate music and choreography and modest dancewear.

 

I heard a father say today that gymnastic was all seriousness and focus and dance was fun.

 

I'd go with what my child enjoyed most or the closest one to home.

[Dolphin]

Is this the 4 and a half year old?

 

Which would she like to do? If you are ok with both, I would let her pick. You can even switch term from term at that age. Do dance in the fall and spring and gymnastics in the winter.

[queenie]

My 4yo tried both and ended up liking gymnastics better. She loved the idea of ballet but it was not what she thought it would be. Gymnastics was so fun for her because it was very active and of course there was a trampoline:)

[Splash]

My dd tried both when younger and loved them both. She ended up choosing dance though as that is her passion. We are fortunate to have a dance studio that is excellent and run by someone who shares our values. Both music and costumes are age appropriate. She now dances four hours a week and still loves it.

 

We let her choose. She takes dance with a couple of girls who do both.

[mommyto4QT]

Where we live, both dance (ballet/tap) and gymnastics are equally expensive. Gymnastics does go year-round, ballet/tap follows a regular school schedule. They are BOTH more expensive than soccer, t-ball, etc. for that age group. Those sports are also a lot less time intensive. However, when my DD was almost 4 we let her choose. She is a girly girl and wanted ballet. She just finished her 1st year & LOVED it. However, she did have 2 girls in her class that didn't.....they were the type with more energy and needed something more hands on or energetic. We only do 1 activity per child at a time (for our own sanity and cost factor), and I don't like the idea that she hasn't been able to play other sports on a team....however, when we asked her about next year and tried to influence her to try something else, she refused!

[Ecclecticmum]

Hmmmm. Thats a hard one.

 

I love Dance. I was dancing from the moment I started walking ;)

 

Ballet - Allows for good posture and discipline (plus my two would just have to hear "tutu" to go nuts :tongue_smilie: )

 

Tap and other dance - Allows them to listen to directions and work off excess energy (especially with the younger years, they usually have times at the beginning for all the children to talk to one another and laugh, and a "Free dance" bit at the end of the lesson to work off that excess energy

 

Gymnastics - As long as the child doesn't go overboard with this, they will learn to eat healthy, how to stretch, become more flexible.

 

As a child - anything that will make them happy, and that you can see them continuing with

As an adult - Well, I know my posture is slumped, and considering how I have to contort myself to go from the front seat to the backseats in our van or get the kids out, I would of loved to have a more natural flexibility, rather than the "groan, moan,,....I think I broke my hip :lol: )

 

Its really a very personal decision, based on what your child wants, financials, locations and times of classes, yearly costs for supplies, the teachers of the classes and whether the children in those classes are nice etc.

[kristinannie]

Is this the 4 and a half year old?

 

Which would she like to do? If you are ok with both, I would let her pick. You can even switch term from term at that age. Do dance in the fall and spring and gymnastics in the winter.

 

 

This was my plan, but she wants to do both of them and we can't afford that! :glare:

[...................]

Well I love love gymnastics. It's only down-side is that injuries are not uncommon. Gymastics is more fun during class and good for busy girls. Usually there's lots of activity and it's not embarrassing when you don't perform because you aren't "letting down" the whole class. Gymnastics is less expensive and it's so cool! Who doesn't want to flip in the air??

 

Dance has a lot of cons..one is the hooker way they dress the girls nowadays. Two is the expense of costumes. Three is the fact that you end up paying more because ballet is required, but all dd's always want to take jazz or tap along with the ballet.

 

Now if you can find a Christian dance studio #1 won't be an issue. If you go to a community center for dance they often save and re-use costumes. But you'll have to ask them. Otherwise it can literally be 200.00 in costumes for the recital.

 

The upside to dance is that though there are sometimes injuries, it's far less common than in gymnastics.

Edited June 20, 2012 by Calming Tea

[momteaches2]

Another dance mom here...

 

My dd has done both, and we dropped gymnastics after less than a year. She has danced for the past five years (tap, jazz, ballet), and has done so competitively for three. We love it!! So, obviously, that would get my vote. :001_smile: However, it truly is a personal decision. Let her try out ballet and gymnastics and see what she most enjoys.

[momteaches2]

 

Dance has a lot of cons..one is the hooker way they dress the girls nowadays. Two is the expense of costumes. Three is the fact that you end up paying more because ballet is required, but all dd's always want to take jazz or tap along with the ballet.

 

Now if you can find a Christian dance studio #1 won't be an issue. If you go to a community center for dance they often save and re-use costumes. But you'll have to ask them. Otherwise it can literally be 200.00 in costumes for the recital.

 

The upside to dance is that though there are sometimes injuries, it's far less common than in gymnastics.

 

Not all studios require ballet, but most consider it a core class. At our studio you can take jazz without ballet unless you are competitive dancers.

 

Shop around for a studio that dresses young girls like young girls. Our studio does not do midriff-showing costumes (and it's not a christian studio). It just our owner's policy.

 

Costuming is VERY expensive :blink:, and is definitely something to be considered when making your decision.

[ekfk]

My daughter does both and loves both but has a preference for dance. She is a creative type, which probably explains the preference for dance. So, it really depends on the child. If they are more creative, go with dance. If they are more competitive, go with gymnastics.

 

If you choose ballet, sign up for a class that is just ballet if possible. We first did a ballet/tap combo and she wasn't learning much. She now takes a ballet class and a separate jazz/tap combo. It may cause frustration if a child feels like they aren't making progress.

[Aurelia]

She will probably get more out of gymnastics at this point, and you can move her to dance later, if that's what she wants. As a bonus, the gymnastic training will make her stronger and more flexible for the dance moves. I wish I had done it that way. I went straight into dance (at age 9) and some of my friends did gymnastics first. They were the better dancers and could do things like switch leaps and penche arabesques much more easily than I could.

[Georgiana Daniels]

Well, here is our experience. Schools in your area may be different.

 

Dance- follows school year- Aug-May with weeks off for Thanksgiving, Christmas, spring break, etc., recital- costume fee(s), tickets to recital, DVD of recital (if you want)

 

Gymnastics (assuming she's not on team)- year round, no costumes, no extra fees, no recitals

 

That's the key--once you hit team, there are competition fees, competition leos, traveling costs, etc. Both dance and gym become very consuming activities, from what I understand.

 

Good luck making your decision!

[ekfk]

"She will probably get more out of gymnastics at this point, and you can move her to dance later, if that's what she wants. As a bonus, the gymnastic training will make her stronger and more flexible for the dance moves."

 

Dance and gymnastics really complement each other. Gymnastics makes better dancers. But dance is also really good for gymnasts. One of my daughter's gymnastics instructors recommended ballet to the students to improve balance and coordination.

[kristinannie]

Thanks so much ladies! I think you all are right. Since she LOVES them both and can't make the decision herself, I think we will do gymnastics for now. It is basically tumbling, but they do get to use the equipment as well (walking across the beam, swinging on the bars, etc). It is a very small class (about 5-6 kids).

 

The "preschool" dance class is ballet/tap combo and it is not very intense. I think she would be fine starting dance in a couple of years when the classes are more serious. I talked to someone in the class and you guys are right...the costuming is expensive. The little girls do look like little girls, but the older girls wear slightly more racy costumes. So...we will just have to cross that bridge if she decides to pursue dance later! I also don't like how dance follows the school year since we do not. :tongue_smilie: Thank you so much for your advice!!!!

[Aurelia]

Thanks so much ladies! I think you all are right. Since she LOVES them both and can't make the decision herself, I think we will do gymnastics for now. It is basically tumbling, but they do get to use the equipment as well (walking across the beam, swinging on the bars, etc). It is a very small class (about 5-6 kids).

 

The "preschool" dance class is ballet/tap combo and it is not very intense. I think she would be fine starting dance in a couple of years when the classes are more serious. I talked to someone in the class and you guys are right...the costuming is expensive. The little girls do look like little girls, but the older girls wear slightly more racy costumes. So...we will just have to cross that bridge if she decides to pursue dance later! I also don't like how dance follows the school year since we do not. :tongue_smilie: Thank you so much for your advice!!!!

 

Just be prepared to see your child spending a lot of time upside down. ;) I signed Ariel up for tumbling in January (she had done gymnastics previously at ages 4-5, but then we moved) and some days I feel like I see more of the bottoms of her feet or her belly button than I do the top of her head! :lol:

[Mommy22alyns]

It depends on the child. I put Rebecca in gymnastics at 3 because she was very high-energy (still is :tongue_smilie:). I couldn't see her making quiet movements in a ballet class! She's now on a competition team and is quite good.

 

With Sylvia, I was open to dance for her just so she wasn't doing something just because Rebecca was doing it, but she asked for gymnastics. She doesn't have the dedication or drive that Rebecca does (or did at that age or even at 5), but she has fun.

 

Oh, and yes, if you choose gymnastics, expect to see it alllllllllll the time at home! :lol:

[AbbieJack]

DD is in both and she much prefers gymnastics .She has been in Gymnastics since she was 18 months old and in dance since she was 3 . She is not going to be doing dance again this year as she said she no longer wants to do it because " It's to slow and boring" So we are going to do more Gymnastic classes instead .

[kristinannie]

Just be prepared to see your child spending a lot of time upside down. ;) I signed Ariel up for tumbling in January (she had done gymnastics previously at ages 4-5, but then we moved) and some days I feel like I see more of the bottoms of her feet or her belly button than I do the top of her head! :lol:

 

 

 

I had to laugh at this. She already does flips all the time at home!!! Maybe she is meant for gymnastics!!! :tongue_smilie:

[Joani]

I had to laugh at this. She already does flips all the time at home!!! Maybe she is meant for gymnastics!!! :tongue_smilie:

Sounds like a gymnast to me!

 

My daughter did both when she was younger, but ended up sticking with gymnastics and starting cheerleading.

[thegirlwhopaintedtrees]

Well, here is our experience. Schools in your area may be different.

 

Dance- follows school year- Aug-May with weeks off for Thanksgiving, Christmas, spring break, etc., recital- costume fee(s), tickets to recital, DVD of recital (if you want)

 

Gymnastics (assuming she's not on team)- year round, no costumes, no extra fees, no recitals

 

 

This is why we chose gymnastics when it came down to it.

[Clpretzel]

She will probably get more out of gymnastics at this point, and you can move her to dance later, if that's what she wants. As a bonus, the gymnastic training will make her stronger and more flexible for the dance moves. I wish I had done it that way. I went straight into dance (at age 9) and some of my friends did gymnastics first.

 

I knew I had a dancer on my hands so I had her take gymnastics (which she loved) for 2 and a half years. Now she's 9 and we just switched over to dance fully and in many areas she's head and shoulders above her peers.

[Tracy]

I would pick whichever one she does most at home. My dd did both, but she came home dancing, so she is now just in ballet.

[umsami]

Not sure how old your kids are, but do know that gymnastics has some of the highest injury rates of sports that kids do.... and they can be severe. Friend's daughter is in competitive gymnastics, and had a teammate who was paralyzed from a fall. Broken bones are not unusual...nor is the pressure to work through pain. In the younger years, watch out for your kids "practicing" at home--without the right protective mats, adult supervision, etc.

 

My Mom was a professional ballerina. Her advice is always to avoid ballet training until 8 (sometimes 7) due to foot development issues. Also, when the time comes to go on pointe, your daughter should be taking dance multiple times per week. It's not just about dance skill, but about foot strength. Typically girls are at least 12, but don't rush it. Listen to your teacher.

 

Both sports are known for high incidence of eating disorders.

Edited June 21, 2012 by umsami

[tomandlorih]

I had to laugh at this. She already does flips all the time at home!!! Maybe she is meant for gymnastics!!! :tongue_smilie:

 

:iagree: I know my dd8 isn't feeling well if she hasn't been upside down by breakfast!! It can be great that it's all year or bad.. lol For recreational gymnastics though, it doesn't hurt to miss once in a while. And yes, gymnastics is the top injury sport for girls but just for rec classes she will likely be okay. She won't be throwing back handsprings in the first couple of years=D Just make sure the gym you choose has well trained staff and enforced safety rules.

 

Congrats on choosing gymnastics! Hope she enjoys watching our USA girls at the Olympics this summer!

[mom2scouts]

It's a tough choice. My dd started in gymnastics in a "mommy and me" type class at 18 months. She has always loved going and was put into an advanced class at age 3. She also started dance that year at her request and quickly ended up on the competition team which requires classes year round. Both dance and gymnastics are time consuming and expensive, but I would say pick the one your dd seems to like the best (dance in our case) and maybe do a recreational class for the other. I have the feeling I'm going to spend the next 10 years or so of my life in dance studios and gyms!

[Dmmetler]

My DD started dance first, and then started gymnastics at age 6 (and still does both). In 20/20 hindsight, I wish I'd started her in gymnastics first, because dance really doesn't go beyond the "intro to dance" stage until age 6-7 anyway, and because by age 6, she'd developed fear and therefore had a much, much harder time on the beam, bars, and even for her cartwheel because she could envision "what could go wrong" (particularly after a level 9 gymnast on the competitive team had a bad fall off the bars and ended up paralyzed from her pelvis down). I strongly suspect that, had I started her on gymnastics at age 3 for strength and coordination, she could have walked into the same dance classes that she's now taking at age 7 and really not missed a beat once she learned a little vocabulary, but the same wasn't true in the other direction.

 

Having said that, her coaches have commented just how good she is on beam-because except for the fear of being off the ground part, if you can walk and leap and turn in releve on a 2 in line on the floor (as they often practice in dance), it's not hard to do it on a 4 in beam!.