Dance Classes Adults Want But Are Afraid To Try
Many older teens and adults who have never taken ballet see a performance of Swan Lake or Giselle and are suddenly seized with a passion for the classical form of dance.
Then they ask me –
Can I start learning ballet?
- can I ever get into those elegant ballet foot positions (that are probably torture?)
- can I ever get higher leg extensions?
- can I ever ever ever do the splits?
- can I ever look like those flexible ballet dancers?
Whoa! Of course you can learn ballet! But it will take you some – depending on how much time you have. You may do one class a week or maybe two.
If you’re out of shape, personally I recommend that you add a Pilates class once a week instead of another dance class. For a while.
Swimming is great for endurance which will help you get strong too.
Start Looking For Adult Dancing Classes
Scope out your neighbourhood and find out about classes. Then visit them and get a feel for the studio. Plan to buy ballet clothes and ballet slippers. 9Check out if the studios have dress codes or not).
When you’ve done that read my next post below!
Start Learning Ballet
This is an incredibly beautiful book. America’s top professionals, from The American Ballet Theater, show up for you, in the text and the photos.
You’ll feel like you’re backstage, watching rehearsals!
You’ll feel like a fly on the wall in the professional classes. Learning about pointe shoes, preparing them for wear.
Learning about whole body stretches – how those flexible ballet dancers maintain their arabesque ballet position and their higher leg extensions.
This book is not a comprehensive technical exposition like The Ballet Bible.
But it is a gorgeous photography book with a wide window into dancers’ lives and performances.
How To Do Ballet Barre Exercises
Beginners in adult dancing classes love Sandra Noll Hammond because she describes the simple ballet steps, gives the term a la Francais, and explains why you’re doing it.
She writes for adults, and indeed her books are college text books. So there is no “this is your right foot and this is your left foot”.
If you are taking the typical adult ballet lessons, class will move fairly quickly (it has to, or your muscles will cool down), and the teacher just won’t be able to answer questions at length.
She or he will explain something once, and expect you to remember it. Not that dance teachers don’t repeat things over and over – that’s the nature of adult dancing classes. But that in-depth instruction may only occur once.
If you have this type of manual as a reference, you may be the best in class!
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