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Original poster

Adult ballet thread anyone?

88 replies

Imperatrice · 24/10/2022 11:20

I thought this might be a useful discussion thread for anyone who is currently doing or is considering trying adult ballet classes.

I only started ballet again, in the last few months, after not dancing since I was a little girl (I reached Inter foundation). I find it complements my yoga and pilates well but not so much my running! I've been doing two or three drop in classes (not all every week!) and some online now and then.

OP posts:
WindyHedges · 27/10/2022 00:59

I've always done ballet, and intend to be like the 80 year olds I see at the barre at Steps on Broadway when I do class there (I've got 15 years to go!). There's some good adult ballet student websites: Ballet Talk for Dancers is an excellent place to chat about ballet with other adult students.

SwanAnn · 27/10/2022 13:21

There's also adult ballet chat on ballet co, but it's very quiet. Quite a niche topic I suppose, and exercise is a quiet section. Could ask for it to be moved to chat.

Ive tried a lot of schools and classes to find the right fit. I like a ballet class where there's a balance between enjoyment and teaching good technique. The worst are the patronising, one teacher said it didn't matter about the technique as we adults were just doing it for fun - like the 99.9..... of all ballet students who are not ever going to make it into a ballet company then 😐

Connebert · 27/10/2022 13:31

I've started as a beginner but only once a week

Interested in this thread?

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Exercise & fitness Fitness
Connebert · 27/10/2022 13:32

Do you practise at home?

Tinuviel · 16/11/2022 09:07

Our dance school has 4 adult ballet classes: beginners, general, Silver Swans and exam.

I did ballet till I was 18 but just in a village hall class and didn't get beyond grade 4.

Then I restarted 12 years ago when there was just 1 class. I do the exam class where we prepare for RAD Discovering Repertoire exams. We're now working towards Level 3. It's great fun, keeps me active and it's mentally challenging as there's a lot to remember.

Original poster
Imperatrice · 16/11/2022 12:11

Connebert · 27/10/2022 13:32

Do you practise at home?

No, I don't really I'm afraid.

Though my childhood books used to warn about the dangers of doing that without the teacher present to correct. Something about ingraining incorrect technique, probably. I can't remember.

Though I think it must be fine to work on some things really. There's a lot more available, in terms of guidance, nowadays. Online and so on.

OP posts:
Original poster
Imperatrice · 16/11/2022 12:13

I like the sound of the RAD repertoire classes. I didn't know those involved exams, so that's interesting to hear.

OP posts:
WindyHedges · 16/11/2022 14:50

It's not good to practice ballet at home, unless it's a Zoom class - Pineapple & Danceworks teachers in London run all their classes in the studio & on Zoom. But you can do conditioning for ballet at home - yoga, Pilates, floor-barre.

Original poster
Imperatrice · 16/11/2022 15:18

Yes, I definitely rate the Pineapple classes.

OP posts:
Connebert · 17/11/2022 09:31

Ours encourages us to practise at home - we can ask to be shown what we don't get before or after the lesson and then knock ourselves out at home (sometimes almost literally if it involves turning!). One soon gets ticked off again the next week if necessary 😅

Connebert · 17/11/2022 09:34

But it is Russian technique and extremely slow and precise so you can feel and see if you're going wrong. Absolutely fantastic stuff and idiot proof for uncoordinated people like me 😑.

SignOnTheWindow · 17/11/2022 09:50

WindyHedges · 16/11/2022 14:50

It's not good to practice ballet at home, unless it's a Zoom class - Pineapple & Danceworks teachers in London run all their classes in the studio & on Zoom. But you can do conditioning for ballet at home - yoga, Pilates, floor-barre.

Ooh, Zoom classes? I'll definitely need to look into that! Thanks for the tip.

estherdb · 08/12/2022 15:54

Name changed for anonymity.

I tried a new class recently. Beginner/improver level class I decided to try first as the intermediate levels vary wildly in my experience. I felt out of place as I was the only person wearing ballet shoes, and they were all wearing socks, including the teacher. Surely that's not a good idea especially in jumps?

Also doing bent leg 'en cloche grand battements as straight leg considered too difficult, but then attempting chaînes and promenade arabesques which in my opinion are much higher difficulty level then en cloche battement.

AIBU Grin

EasterIsland · 08/12/2022 16:14

No, not at all.

I can sort of understand all the elements. Socks for beginners I can understand, although unsafe in centre practice which travels and also grand allegro. En cloche in attitude I can also understand - my teacher often gives us these at the end of the grand battements exercise, to loosen off the quads & hamstrings. But saying that ordinary grand battements are too hard is not good!

I could sort of understand setting chainés in the centre for beginners - because for adult beginners, sometimes they just need to get the feel of whirling aorund. And they conventionally go en dehors, which is the easier way to turn.

But taken altogether it sounds a bit of a crazy class.

estherdb · 08/12/2022 16:31

Ballet shoes are a prerequisite in other classes I've attended. The impact in the sautés, and slip hazard, etc! Ouch.

There were also grand pliés in fourth which I can do but are not beginner. I'm probably being literal as most don't appear until later RAD grades, but the straight leg cloche is quite early grade (2 or 3 depending on syllabus) and elementary

I won't be returning to that class anyway!

estherdb · 08/12/2022 16:33

Ordinary grand battements are also deemed too difficult and replaced with a jeté These bent leg cloche are very high, around waist height. I didn't think about them being in attitude as the placement to the side is too odd.

estherdb · 08/12/2022 16:47

And nobody turns out, all of this is performed in parallel, except by the teacher! A basic correction to attempt some turnout (doesn't have to be much) and from the hip, as they're risking injury.

EasterIsland · 08/12/2022 17:17

No, you should never go back. That does not sound like a ballet class. Maybe the teacher never learned proper ballet, but just did those weirdo "Barre" classes that some fitness people think is ballet.

NeedWineNow · 08/12/2022 17:46

I do, I've been going for about 3.5 years.We started off quite basic and then have been progressing to intermediate. Purely for enjoyment and not preparing for exams or performance. I love it, it's one of the highlights of my week.

EasterIsland · 10/01/2023 18:11

New Year, new classes - what are people's aims for ballet this year?

Mine is to get back to regular studio classes & add back some Zoom classes from my favourite teachers at Pineapple, so I'm doing 3 a week.

And get my double pirouettes back so that means discipline on spotting and really pulling up in my retiré.

NeedWineNow · 10/01/2023 18:41

We went back to class last week. All a bit rusty and my thighs ached like mad the following day but loved it. I'm focusing on pulling up, making my standing leg straighter and getting foot positioning right on retires/also pose turns.

EasterIsland · 10/01/2023 19:10

I love posé turns! But as I get older, I"m losing speed, and can't do double posé turns any more. Must work on them.

greenclothmouse · 11/01/2023 12:58

Good idea goals for the new year. I started back a few months ago after not doing anything since teenage years.

I need to work on single pirouettes! The only pirouette I can do consistently is an en dedans from 4th position. I need to work on basic en dehors from 5th. I think it's my coordination. Quarter turns in retire have helped a little with my previously jazz turn like pirouettes!

Also to continue working on flexibility and making progress there. I also started pointe late last year, but only basics at the barre for now and the foreseeable

MooseBreath · 11/01/2023 13:21

I teach Adult Tap and am hoping to open Adult Ballet and Adult Jazz classes in the next year. I would always recommend practicing at home, but keeping in mind any corrections from past weeks.

It's so nice to see that adults are interested in taking dance classes that actually involve technique rather than just a workout. Fitness "Barre" classes give me the rage.

EasterIsland · 11/01/2023 14:19

Fitness "Barre" classes give me the rage.

Yes me too, @MooseBreath ! You'll see I've said as much on the current "Barre" thread in the Exercise section. I've seen supposedly instructional videos of "Barre" classes and they are pretty appalling: think, Jane Fonda 80s aerobics, with added ballet-style pots de bras. But full of turned in & sickled legs & feet, and hunched shoulders and ... just NO!

Good luck with the Adult ballet classes. My local studio has about 4 or 5 a week, although they're only an hour long, sadly. And one of them is even slower because some students gossip with the teacher in between exercises. It's REALLY frustrating! Yet the teacher is so lovely, ad works so hard to run the studio, that I don't feel I can complain.

En dehors pirouettes from 5th are hard, @greenclothmouse ! And en dedans from 4th can be quite hard too, although an adage pirouette, which is just a single & quite slow, can feel lovely - you can really sail around. I find that the good old pirouette en dehors from 4th is my go to training pirouette, particularly across the floor - you know, the standard chassé, pas de bourrée into 4th & then turn! You can really get some momentum going.

But I do love turning!