How much ballet should a dancer take to effectively branch out into other genres?

Tadrock Back: How much ballet should a dancer take to effectively branch out into other genres?
This is a general question for all dancers, not just for professional ballet dancers.

How much ballet training is sufficient for a dancer to have “technique” and effectively acquire and excel at other styles of dance?

I know barre and centerwork are ubiquitous even at the professional ranks, but I’m referring to before that.

Answers and Views:

Answer by Kelly B
Well honestly, you should never stop taking ballet. Ballet is the center of all that is dance. It helps with a lot of other styles and techniques. Like tap for instance, you need ballet! Pretty much anywhere you go, dance instructors will tell you that. Best of luck!

Answer by harlanrocks
it depends on the pace you pick up things. It doesn’t take long to learn the basics of ballet, like the arm and leg positions, tondues, etc. But it takes time to learn turns and things like that. You don’t have to take ballet before other genres, but it helps A LOT. You learn poise, how to keep a beat, and all around it builds you’re confidence. Overall, I would recommend about two years, depending on the person. I’ve been dancing for a long time, and I am still learning.

Answer by dancer
even though ballet is important its not entirely necessary. I have danced for 7 years and I only started ballet last year. you can always branch out to different genres of dance. still taking ballet though and it will make you even better!

Answer by Janine
Except for such styles as hip hop, breakdancing or classical Indian dance, ballet forms the foundation for all of the western concert dance forms. Mastering technique means that you’ve achieved the intermediate level. However, the ability to string together moves into long sequences of combinations with little or no demonstrations requires advanced level technique. That would be my definition of excelling.

I gave Kelly a thumbs-up for her answer: ballet is a necessary and on-going component of any kind of upper-level dance training. The KEY aspect of ballet that you need is the vocabulary, along with the muscle memory that goes with it. This means that after much practice, your body knows what to do without you barely having to give it much thought. The other styles all borrow from the same vocabulary of moves as ballet.