Is Ballet Training Important For A Street/ Hip-Hop Dancer?

Any training which helps you improve your dance technique such as ballet or contemporary dance technique is beneficial to a dancer overall. So is it essential?

In short, no. Ballet is not essential to become a great street or hip-hop dancer. There are many talented street dancers who haven't had any such ballet training. If however you are looking to be a professional dancer specialising in street dance, then having ballet training will make you more employable and versatile.

Ballet training helps a jazz dancer too. Ask any street or hip-hop dancer who's had ballet training if they've found it helpful to their dancing, they'll almost inevitably say yes.

Ballet, contemporary dance and jazz dance have much more focus on technique and teach you how to use various muscles properly. You learn things such as turns, pirouettes and work on your balance, flexibility and strengthening exercises which are all beneficial for any dancer.

It will also make you a much 'cleaner' dancer, teaching you about things such as your lines, rather than a messy dancer who's all over the place. Some 'street dance' jobs will look for a strong street dancer, but given 2 dancers of equal standard, 1 with ok technique and 1 with strong technique, other factors remaining the same they'll pick the dancer with good technique.

Also when a dance routine does have some technical elements to it you'll be much better prepared and more confident with the choreography.

Get any ballet and technique training you can if you want to take your dancing to a professional level and enhance your prospects, if you're doing it for fun then you'll still find it helpful if you give it a go.

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