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kristinannie
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| Posted: June 19 2012 at 9:35pm | IP Logged
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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?
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pmeilaen
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| Posted: June 19 2012 at 9:41pm | IP Logged
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My children are doing both, but gymnastics for us is only once a week whereas ballet for the older ones is three times a week.
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Eva
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WithAllMyHeart
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| Posted: June 19 2012 at 10:23pm | IP Logged
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From what I understand, gymnastics is pretty dangerous for girls- this study from the American Academy of Pediatrics states that "Gymnastics has one of the highest injury rates of all girls' sports."
I'd go with dance...
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guitarnan
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| Posted: June 19 2012 at 10:24pm | IP Logged
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You need to talk to the teachers of both activities to find out what the long-term financial commitments might be. My daughter is a competitive Irish step dancer and I'm thankful she turned out to be better at dance than gymnastics. We pay a lot for lessons, camps, competitions and costumes, but gymnastics parents pay much more and spend more time at the gym.
If, now, you can swing both, let her continue in them until you reach a competitive or financial crossroads...then, you will have to make the choice that's best for your family.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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Kristie 4
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| Posted: June 19 2012 at 10:41pm | IP Logged
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We looked at what it would mean for our whole family- we picked ballet over the other dance my dd was in because of all the possiblities the other dance had for travel, tournaments etc. Our ballet also has zero fundraising and costuming!
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Kristie in Canada
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: June 19 2012 at 11:01pm | IP Logged
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Also take a look at what the older kids are doing. It's entirely possible depending on your family choices and what choices different studios/gyms/teachers make that the required costuming (whether costumes or practise gear or whatnot) may not be something you'd want your daughter wearing.. and what may seem ok and cute at 4 might be way out of line at 14.
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mamaslearning
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| Posted: June 20 2012 at 7:05am | IP Logged
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Around here you can do gymnastics or tumbling. Tumbling is basically floor gymnastics (no balance beam, vault, bars, etc.), so the risk of injury decreases. Maybe there is a tumbling studio in your area?
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Barbara C.
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| Posted: June 20 2012 at 7:48am | IP Logged
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Your daughter is only 4 and 1/2. First I would ask your daughter what her preference would be if she can only do one. If she is unable to decide, pick the one more convenient for you at this time.
We ended up going with gymnastics. The dance was less convenient with a tiny waiting room and the extra costs (dance shoes, tights, leotards) and dealing with the whole recital headache (which would have been a lot more money). Gymnastics didn't have any hidden fees (no leotards were required until the higher levels), more time options, and more waiting space, especially if I needed to bring other kids.
But remember that this doesn't have to be a lifetime commitment. My oldest stuck with gymnastics until she was 8. She was on the verge of making the team, which would have been a major time and money commitment for our entire family. I made her take the summer off to try other things. I just didn't feel comfortable pigeon-holing her in one year-round activity that young.
Since then she's done softball, guitar lessons, ceramics, basketball, swim lessons, and cooking classes. She's debated about going back to gymnastics from time to time, but she also has been hesitant to make the full-time commitment that would be required at this stage.
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kristinannie
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| Posted: June 20 2012 at 1:34pm | IP Logged
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I think you guys are right. I didn't realize the expense of costuming for the recitals. It is very expensive. Also, the older kids wear semi-inappropriate attire.
I am going to do gymnastics for now (since she loved both and can't decide herself). It is mostly tumbling. They do get to try out the equipment and swing on the bars and walk across the beam, but mostly they do tumbling and trampoline. It is a very small class (5-6 kids) so they don't have much waiting time. I don't like that the parents can't see into the gym unless they stand near the door and I also don't like that it isn't air conditioned.  This gym also does a lot of rhythmic gymnastics which I am sure is much safer and more dancy anyway.
But...I think she will get more out of gymnastics at this point than dance. I will let her try dance again in a year or two and see if she wants to do it then when the dance is a little more dance and a little less skipping and playing. 
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Kristie 4
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| Posted: June 20 2012 at 2:00pm | IP Logged
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At the ballet school we were in until this year, there were no costuming fees as it has been around so long that they have all the costumes they need and someone who is paid to do all the alterations for the shows.
I will second looking at the types of costumes the school uses- all of my dds ballet costumes have been modest, imo. At her school the jazz and tap are a whole other story!
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Kristie in Canada
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Dance or gymnastics?
