Essential Tips for Choosing a Partner in Classical Ballet

Classical ballet is truly a masterpiece of dance art and the foundation of choreography. This dance is a clearly formed system of elements and positions, the execution of which can be constantly improved.

However, such systematization does not deprive ballet of its 'soul'; on the contrary, the language of choreography allows you to express the deepest feelings that cannot be explained in words.

On stage, classical ballet combines magnificent music, dance, and dramaturgy, simply captivating the audience and leaving no one indifferent! As mentioned above, this direction has a complex hierarchy, which also applies to narrow ballet genres. For example, there are concepts such as corps de ballet (danced by ballerinas in neat rows) or variation (solo dance).

Ballet can also be presented in a paired form, such a composition is called pas de deux. If you decide to try dancing such ballet, you must seriously consider choosing a partner. To help you, we offer this article where you will find a lot of useful information and practical advice on this topic that will help you avoid mistakes and quickly find a partner.

Standard Criteria

So, first of all, potential partner should match you according to standard criteria. Since classical ballet is a clear system, there are also clearly defined standard aspects of choosing a partner. The dancer should match you in height (man taller than woman), dance experience (classes are presented in official sources), and age.

Age categories in ballet are defined as follows: from 6 to 10 years inclusive, from 11 to 14 inclusive, from 15 to 24 inclusive, and from 25 to 40 years. It is also very important to note that in competitions these criteria are mandatory – otherwise dancers are disqualified. As a rule, a partner in a choreographic school is chosen by a professional choreographer who has extensive experience and will not make mistakes.

What Else to Consider?

In addition to physical parameters, mutual understanding and respect are very important components of a successful dance couple. If you and your partner are perfect for each other according to the criteria listed above, that does not at all guarantee success in your work.

Very often, partners do not get along due to personality clashes or argue for certain reasons, making joint pursuit of the goal simply impossible. Thus, it is very important that the person you are going to dance with is pleasant to you, as communication with him or her will be constant. Best of all, if your partner becomes a good friend or even a significant other, because close people will definitely find common language.

How and Where to Find a Partner?

Now let's move directly to the ways of finding a potential dance partner. As mentioned above, usually in higher choreographic institutions, the choreographer selects a partner for you. However, in a different situation, there are several ways to independently find an interested dancer.

First of all, you should pay attention to representatives of other dance schools: perhaps some dancers have the same problem as you. If such people are not found, you can post an ad with a profile on the internet. Your offer will then reach a large audience.

Keep in mind that such an advertisement should contain information regarding the main criteria, as well as a little about your dance achievements, performance level, and aspirations.