I bet you thought we were going to talk about how your dancer needs to build their brand on Instagram and TikTok. Nope, we’re not going to touch that. While we have our own opinions on the good, the bad and the ugly of social media, this post is about you, and how you can benefit from a terrific resource on social media: Facebook Groups.

Rather, this is a post about how you can learn from these groups, as well as things to watch out for. First, let’s tell you our favorite groups:

• Parents at the Barre
• Ballet Parents of Aspiring Professional Dancers
• Parents of Pre-Professional Dancers
• Our Ballet Boys (only parents of male dancers)
• My Son Can Dance (only parents of male dancers)

Why are there groups that are only open to parents of male dancers, you ask? It’s because boys, throughout their dance training, face multiple issues that girls simply don’t. Things like bullying, being the only male in a studio, accusations of favoritism, needing to seek out better training at an earlier age, etc. These Facebook groups provide a safe space for parents to discuss these issues and to get advice on how to handle them.

Ok, Let’s talk about the good stuff. Like any interest group, you will find like-minded parents who are navigating this path just like you are. Often, you may come across parents who are in your geographic area. This provides a great opportunity to learn what’s going on in your local ballet world, outside your home studio.

These groups also create summer intensive subgroups each year. For example, if your dancer plans to attend Pacific Northwest’s Summer Intensive, you can be sure that one of the Facebook groups has created a private subgroup just for families who have kids attending PNB.

In several instances, friendships we made that started online have morphed into “real life” friendships. And, some of those friendships helped lead to one of our kids getting into a second company. Pro-tip – get to know as many parents as you can. Remember our post about your pack? This is your pack. They’ve seen the highs and lows a dancer goes through and this is a great place to find support. 

Facebook groups are also a great way to get information quickly. Want to know just how awful the food is at Houston Ballet’s Summer Program? Post a question about it and you’ll have a clear answer within about five minutes. Need the best transportation options from the airport to Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet or a good dance medicine doctor in the Chicago area or good private lessons in San Diego? You can get nearly any ballet related information in these groups.

Now, this is where it can get a little squishy. Remember that much of the information you’ll get is subjective. Except the posts about the food at Houston Summer. There’s no subjectivity there. It’s awful.

But, when it comes to getting feedback on a particular program, class or competition, ask ten people and you’ll get ten different answers. This can be really helpful as it will give you material to work with and, hopefully, help you make your own informed decisions. But, you’ll want to sift that information through your own filter.

Spend enough time on these groups and it will become clear who knows what they’re talking about. There are always those few parents who always seem to know the answers to things or can get you to the right person who can help answer your question. Those people are gold. 

There is also the distasteful part of these groups. You may have to wade through complaints about a variety of things. During competition season, there is always complaining about someone or something at the Youth America Grand Prix. And, of course you have the braggy parents of “gifted” children. You know the type – my dancer has a 4.0 GPA, does a million extracurriculars, dances 30 hours a week, gets all the amazing casting, teachers all love them and is on track to win the Nobel Prize by the time they’re 15. Sigh. 

Unless you want to sit back and watch some sparks fly, just scroll right on by these folks.

It can also be difficult to see all the success that dancers appear to be having, or seem to be having based on what their parents are posting. Don’t be discouraged by what you see. It’s a highlight reel, not real life. I guarantee you that every braggy parent has watched their dancer have lots and lots of setbacks. They just don’t post it on social media. 

Social media groups can be an incredible resource as long as you’re clear-eyed about the information you’re getting from them. We found the information to be really helpful, but the networking and the friendships were equally, if not more, valuable!

As always, we love to hear from you so please feel free to reach out with any questions you have or leave comments below!