Am I told old to start Ballet ? (14 yr male)?

[SussexTechKid1383]

Hi, to start off I love dance and I've always danced around (ballet like) but never been apart of a full program. Here's my deal: So I'm a musical theatre/ acting students at SCVTHS and I know it's very necessary to be able to move. I am flexible and have good posture , rhythm and I am meadioker at being "graceful". I have a 20 minute modern class in school every other day. I've taken single classes before and I know quite a few terms. A big thing I'm worried about is weight. I wouldn't call my self fat but I definitely do not have abdominal or a perfectly slim body. I'm attaching my instagram link at the bottom if you would like to see pictures of what I look like. I'm pretty strong and I'm also very dedicated. On the opposites of the modern dance days in school, it's is weight training. I have no problem working out everyday after school if it meant improving. I'm a freshman and I turn 15 in April. What type of place should I look at? Any advice? Instagram.com/salgargiulo thanks!

[B-P]

No definitly not! I started a little late myself (11 and started pointe at 12) and I'm doing pretty well and trying to get into a trainee program. Boys a lot of times start later because they are at a advantage of not having to do pointe and fewer of them. Plus even if you aren't that good you'll will get scholarships and at least get into everything because you are a boy. Do ballet it's great to be a boy in ballet!

[S]

You could definitely do it! Boys often start ballet in their teens, but it sounds like you already have a better dance background than most boys your age. Plus, it is much easier to get a job in a ballet company if you're a boy. If you were a girl, it would be too late to have a professional career. Their training has to start when their around five. Good luck!

[mintchips49]

Many professional male ballet dancers didn't start until age 14. While that is too late for a female it is not too late for a male.
Make sure you find classes that know how to teach a male dancer. Otherwise you will just end up a prop for the girls and not really learn what you need to learn. If you can go to a school that has men's class (even though you may not start with mens class ) that would be best. If they don't have mens classes a male teacher would do.
I can't tell much about your body from the instagram. However good natural turnout from your hip rotators and long stretchy achilles tendons are what is required. As you are not overweight, don't worry about your weight too much now. You can add pilates to your dance training as that is how professional dancers cross train. It will elongate your muscles, increase flexibility and core strength.
A standard ballet class is 90 minutes long. Schools that have less are not going to be at a professional enough level. Look for a school with a sprung or floating floor and teachers that have had long and fruitful ballet careers that have also produced many professional dancers from their training. That is no guarantee that you will reach that level, but it will give you a shot at it. Anyone can call themselves a ballet teacher with little or no training so make sure you check where the teachers have trained and danced professionally.
Here are some sites you might find helpful
http://boysdoballet.blogspot.com/
http://www.dancebelt.info/

*EDIT: I am assuming you want ballet training for theater work. If you are serious about a ballet career and not just to help for theater, you would need to be born with the right bone and muscle structure for that as well as professional level training in an affiliate feeder school to a professional ballet company. It would also require giving up theater for now as you would need to train 20-30 hours a week.