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When can I take my child to see a full length ballet?

April 30, 2024

Many people will remember with fondness their first visit to a theatre, or maybe to see a full length ballet. It can be such a magical experience! Parents can, however, be unsure whether their child is old enough for a long performance, and have concerns about it being overwhelming for their child if it is too dramatic.

There are some child friendly, shorter and less dramatic versions of some carefully selected ballets - the story is shortened and moves at a more engaging pace for their attention span, and there's deliberately no very scary moments. These are particularly suitable for children under 6yrs old.

You can also access full length ballets online, which you can watch in bitesize chunks without worrying whether they will sit through it!

I recommend looking up: La Fille Mal Gardee, Nutcracker, Coppelia, Tales of Beatrix Potter

Here's a link to some companies which do child-friendly performances: 'Let's all Dance' and English National Ballet occasionally tour special 'My First Ballet' productions.

Every child is different, but most will be ready for a full length ballet in a theatre around 7-8 yrs if it is one of the child-friendly ones listed above. If you have an especially attentive child, then they may even stay engaged throughout Swan Lake from this age.

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