I studied ballet seriously--I wanted to be a professional dancer and then decided against pursuing it.

Even at a young age, even if it's only recreational, it's really important to find a school with good training. Bad instruction can be very damaging to the body. Unfortunately, there's no real governing body for ballet schools in the United States, so quality varies considerably. But there are things you can look for, when selecting a school:

Reputable ballet schools often have "creative movement" or "pre-ballet" classes for young children, which emphasize musicality and coordination in a fun environment. Instruction in classical ballet might start around 7 or 8, when children are better prepared, physically and intellectually, to start that curriculum. A reputable school will also outline the curriculum and the normal progression through the levels. Basically, you should see evidence of actual pedagogy. Look up the teacher bios and research the schools they trained at, the companies they performed with, and any formal teacher training they may have. There are obviously more schools in cities, but there are good teachers in small towns too.

This might not be quite the information you were looking for, but I feel the need to emphasize it with anyone considering putting a kid in ballet! Ballet is strenuous. Bad training is damaging. Good training should nurture the student.

I also concur with all of SarahDances's points, and I would add that ballet is like Olympic sports: it takes a lot of training, but it also takes a body that's peculiarly adapted to a certain type of movement. Ballet was based on a package of traits that's present in a minority of the population, including a flexible back, the ability to turn out from the hip, and arched feet. Obviously anyone can do ballet recreationally, and I think it has a number of benefits. But at the professional level, it's a whole different ballgame.

There were definitely negative aspects to my experience, but I would say that ballet made me confident in my body's abilities. Dance teaches you to take up space and assert your presence, and that's really valuable.

Ella, this is a brilliant piece of writing, and you are excellent.

Whoa whoa whoa small world, these were the coaches at my fencing club in high school, circa 2003-2005.

Oh my goodness, I've also been to a Q&A with Ewan McGregor, which cemented my opinion that a) Q&As are terrible, and b) Ewan McGregor is a total professional. A man stood up and started his question with, "Hi, yes, I'm also a director..." and then asked something about working with child actors. The director and producer looked super awkward, and McGregor was just like, "I'll take that question! Kids, right? Kids are great! Everybody's great! Look how much fun we're all having. Thank you, next question." It was a lesson in using charm to deflect fools.

I got to the part about stuffed animals and thought, Is this St Andrews?

This is so wonderfully written!

That would make her the world's most precocious first grader. I'd give it another decade or so.

Hey, my hometown's on The Toast! And I wasn't even the one writing about it! Glad you liked it.

Center Stage update from the ballet world: Sascha Radetsky (Charlie) is giving his final performance with American Ballet Theatre TODAY. Which means he's retiring from performing, because everyone's all grown up now. Then he's appearing in a STARZ ballet show called Flesh and Bone, which is coming out next year. With choreography by Ethan Stiefel (Cooper).

This is perfect.