With the release of the film “Black Swan” and a growing presence of classical ballet in the media (at last!), I thought it would be time to write up a few articles on adult ballet. I started ballet when I was only 19 years old, and it was one of the best decisions of my life. Lately, I have been getting a lot of questions on starting ballet as an adult.
I hope these guides will inspire you to dance. Remember - you will never know if you don’t try!
Starting Ballet as an Adult or Older Teen
Ballet can be practiced and enjoyed at any age!
As long as you are reasonably fit and have no major problems in your back, feet, or knees, it is absolutely possible to become a ballet dancer. It is also possible to learn to dance in pointe shoes. You will improve your flexibility, strength, musicality, and grace more than you could imagine, and well as develop a body awareness that will aid any other physical sport you may engage in. There are some limits to a late-starting ballet dancer, and it may be more difficult to find a studio, but the rewards will be boundless!
Finding a Studio
This step may be one of the hardest, but don’t give up! You may have to do some serious searching, but the studio makes or breaks the dancer. A good studio will offer appropriate classes, good instruction, and maybe even performance opportunities.
Begin by consulting your yellow-pages. Not all studios in your area may have website or be listed on yelp.com or google, but be sure to try to locate a number of studios instead of just focusing on one or two. Collect numbers and homepages (if they have one) and begin your search. Not all studios are going to offer adult classes, and not all adult classes are created equal. Call around and ask if you can watch a class.
What to look for in a quality studio (coming soon!)
Many studios will offer the first class free, so take advantage of this and give it a try! Your first class may seem daunting, but try to remind yourself that you are learning a completely new skill that is unlike anything else - you will get better!
If at all possible, try to take classes at your very own college, and don’t overlook the benefits of community college. I took my very first (and some of the best) classes at my community college. You usually get more instruction, and the studios can be rather nice. Plus, there can also be performance opportunities. Classes at a community college can also be much, much cheaper than at a private studio.
Here are a few of the most common questions I have heard from people looking to start ballet:
“How many classes should I be taking per week?”
This will all depend on what you hope to achieve from ballet. Ideally, if you want to see yourself progressing and learning rapidly, you will want to take at least two classes per week, and if you ever want to dance en pointe, you will need to take at least three classes. You can certainly progress with only one class per week, but you will find that your body may not have the strength and muscle memory to function to the fullest, and you may find yourself frustrated. Over time, you will find that your knowledge on ballet will increase, but your body will not be able to get up to what your mind has learned. Top dancers will dance everyday for hours, since ballet requires a great deal of repetition. The more hours and classes you take, the faster and more dramatic your progression will be.
“But I’m not flexible! I won’t be able to do anything!”
You’re talking to one of the least flexible girls on the planet here! You can have a great deal of fun in ballet even if you can’t do the splits or even achieve a 90 degree arabesque. You’ll find that not everything is about flexibility - and you will also discover your strengths in other areas, such as jumping, fluidity, or turns. Don’t let flexibility keep you from trying ballet!
You will certainly see yourself gaining flexibility as you begin to train. By stretching before and after class, as well as stretching at home, you will surprise yourself with how much natural flexibility you may actually have!
“Can I do pointe?”
With the proper training and conditioning, yes! Be aware that it will not be easy, and it could take years to achieve. It is safe to say that one needs to be dancing regularly at least 2-3 times a week for at least two years before starting basic pointe work. In most cases, it may take you longer than that. If you continue to train seriously, stretch and strengthen at least every other day, and educate yourself outside of your classes, there is a very good chance that you can become a successful and happy pointe dancer.
While you don’t need to be super flexible to dance en pointe, you will need to have excellent technique and strong feet. If pointe is your dream, look for a studio that focuses more on technique than on “tricks”. The barre part of class should not be rushed in a hurry to get to the center, and the instructor should also stress that dancers strengthen themselves safely and often. Make sure there are other adults en pointe already, and that pointe classes are already in place for adults. Some studios may not teach adult pointe, so do your research.
“I don’t want to ruin my feet.”
Ballet is going to give you the strongest feet of your life! Over time, you are going to become very well acquainted with every nuance of your feet and toes. Many of the exercises at the barre are focused on creating strong, articulate, supple, and responsive feet.
Can your feet be ruined by taking ballet? Well, yes - if you are 8 years old and wearing ill fitting pointe shoes. Many of the “bad feet” stories in ballet result from a young child (whose bones have not finished developing) being put in pointe shoes too early. The shoes can squish and deform young feet. An adult need not worry about that happening! However, there will always be pain from badly-fitted pointe shoes, regardless of your age. This is why it is crucial that you and your first shoe fitter be very knowledgeable on foot anatomy and pointe fitting techniques.
“I’m clumsy and I can’t dance!”
THAT’S WHY YOU TAKE DANCE CLASSES. Do you think classes are just for amazing dancers with natural talent? No! If you feel that you “can’t dance”, what you really mean is that you do not have control over your body, have poor body awareness, and lack musicality. Ballet will fix this. You will discover muscles and control that you never knew you could have, and you will develop the confidence and musical ear needed for dancing. Plus, you will develop poise and grace. I used to be pretty clumsy and gangly myself, but now people comment on my elegance. You will love your new you!
“I really want to perform. Will this ever be possible?”
YES! You need to do some serious hunting for a studio that offers performance opportunities for adults, but it’s completely possible. I have been lucky enough to dance at a studio that caters primarily to adults, and I have already been in two performances. It’s such a rewarding experience, and I highly recommend it. Also be on the lookout for auditions and performances by other studios in the area. You don’t have to perform just at your home studio!
“Do I really have to wear a leotard and tights?”
Do you want to excel? Do you want to receive more advanced corrections? Do you want to avoid injury? If you answered “Yes”, than you absolutely need to wear a leo and tights - and nothing else. The black leotard and pink tights are the standard uniform of ballet for a reason - you can actually see your body. You and your instructor are able to see every nuance, muscle, and bone, and this is crucial for correct technique. Your instructor can’t give you many corrections if she can’t see you. Developing correct turnout requires that your knees and hips (and the muscles around them) are visible - if you are turning out incorrectly, you can get terrible injuries in your knees.
A leotard and tights are also “no fuss” clothing. No socks to pull up, no shirt to pull down, no pants to pull up, and nothing to adjust. Nothing is going to pop or slip with a leo. You can leap, slide, jump, roll, stretch, bend over, bend backwards, and turn without having to worry about your clothes.
I have also found that teachers will tend to give a little more attention to students who show they are devoted to studying ballet - and those students generally are wearing the correct attire even if the class does not have a dress code. I will oftentimes be the only student in a class in just a leo and tights, and I find that I tend to get more corrections and attention - because the teacher can actually see my body.
I will have more information on choosing a leotard, tights, slippers, and accessories in a future article.
“I’m really self-conscious. I’m afraid everyone will be staring at me!”
Don’t worry about it. Most people will be too busy concentrating in class to be looking at other students. I’ve never heard ladies gossiping about other students in the class or complaining about their looks. Most dancers are too busy worrying about themselves and their own technique to worry about someone else.
Plus, if you are a teenager, realize that teens are still dealing with an “imaginary audience” - an overwhelming feeling that EVERYBODY is always looking at them, even when no one really is. This is natural part of teenage development, and you will eventually grow out of it.
I hope that this article has given you the confidence and information needed to start taking ballet! If you have any more questions, feel free to leave a comment and I will try to answer them!
Dancers are the athletes of God. ~Albert Einstein
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