I studied both from about that age. I loved both music and dance and kept both up for many years. So if it's driven by the student I think it can be successful.
However, personally, I feel that 7 is just a bit too young for instruments, and particularly for classical string instruments like those. I prefer to start teaching students at around 8. And furthermore, I make everyone study piano first. It's visual, and fairly simple as far as motor skills go, and it makes it easier to learn to read music on something that does not also require manual dexterity to achieve the tone, in the way that violin, a fretless instrument, does.
That said, Suzuki specifically is intended for younger children. And in fact, I teach down to age 5 currently, and there is curricula aimed at that age range specifically. If you do start her, Suzuki is the best method for that age (check the teacher's Suzuki credentials. There should be specific Suzuki method training, because it's big on short intervals, kid focused teaching. Just teaching the Suzuki materials without the method is fine, but far less effective.) and Suzuki can be very successful without estranging the kid from music.
OTOH, there are lots of dance options ranging from creative movement to serious dance. At 7, she is right in the right age range for those. Ballet particularly is a very young study and if she's at all serious about it, she needs to be in lessons as soon as possible.
The point is, at this age, I'd say let her do what she's interested in studying. The more she likes it, and is self-driven, the more likely she is to experience success and not to give up and hate the art for a while.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2010-07-05 02:25 am (UTC)However, personally, I feel that 7 is just a bit too young for instruments, and particularly for classical string instruments like those. I prefer to start teaching students at around 8. And furthermore, I make everyone study piano first. It's visual, and fairly simple as far as motor skills go, and it makes it easier to learn to read music on something that does not also require manual dexterity to achieve the tone, in the way that violin, a fretless instrument, does.
That said, Suzuki specifically is intended for younger children. And in fact, I teach down to age 5 currently, and there is curricula aimed at that age range specifically. If you do start her, Suzuki is the best method for that age (check the teacher's Suzuki credentials. There should be specific Suzuki method training, because it's big on short intervals, kid focused teaching. Just teaching the Suzuki materials without the method is fine, but far less effective.) and Suzuki can be very successful without estranging the kid from music.
OTOH, there are lots of dance options ranging from creative movement to serious dance. At 7, she is right in the right age range for those. Ballet particularly is a very young study and if she's at all serious about it, she needs to be in lessons as soon as possible.
The point is, at this age, I'd say let her do what she's interested in studying. The more she likes it, and is self-driven, the more likely she is to experience success and not to give up and hate the art for a while.