Today I was talking with this girl I go to my course with and she told me that her teacher told her that if you don't have your splits and if your legs don't go to 90 degrees by the time you are 12, you will never be able to do them. Is this true? Cause I 'm 15 and I have only the right split and my left leg doesn't go so high. Please tell me this is not true.

Annie, that is absolutely not true. No way, no how.

Annie - I am living proof it is absolutely not true - at all - in any way - as Maggie says "no how".<P>When I started ballet class in my mid twenties I had never done a split in my life. And when I tried them I was no where near a split. Took me years - YEARS - but eventually I did get them.<P>As for extensions - when I started my front leg, especially the right one, would not go much above maybe 60 degrees. It is now well over 90 - even at my old age. Again, took lots of work.<P>Don't ever let anyone discourage you - EVER. People do improve with time - with work.

I am so relieved now, thank you.

When I started (at 16), I couldn't do any splits-now I have both. I couldn't even balance and hold me leg turned out at 45 degrees, now my leg goes a little ways past 90. You can do it, you just have to work like you want to. I'm not sure where that person got that information that they told you from!