Both of my daughters are preparing for their ballet exams at the moment, so this week I have been to watch both of them training - the teacher's idea being that the pressure of having a few parents watching helps to prepare them for the experience of performing for the examiner.I was struck, particularly in my elder daughter's class, which is relatively advanced, of how similar many of the warm-up routines and drills are to the kind of thing we do in kung fu - the same muscle groups need strengthening and the same kind of balance and flexibility is useful.
Obviously the intent of the two arts is quite different, but I guess that this kind of "formal" dance with prescribed movements, and the wushu routines we practice in our kids kung fu classes, are both really just learning body co-ordination and control.
And the two seem to compliment each other well - certainly when I observe my girls in kung fu it is apparent to me that they can understand the instructions, and remember lengthy routines much more easily than some of the other kids, who's other hobbies run more to football/basketball. And from the remarks of their ballet teacher, the same is true in their dance lessons. So it looks like this bit of cross-training is paying off.
