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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:
soberfabulous · 23/01/2023 14:26

17CherryTreeLane · 21/01/2023 17:57

Quite excited to find this thread, as I'm planning to return to ballet after not doing it for 25 years. I'm a bit worried I'm going to be awful.

Did any of you have a break that long? I'm 49.

I stopped aged 11 and started again last year. I'm 46.

17CherryTreeLane · 23/01/2023 15:05

@bunty11 yes, it was wonderful, really special. Good luck to your daughter, there are so many other options out there, and I do wish I'd explored some of those.

@soberfabulous your class sounds very interesting!! Surely your teacher will understand and support you? It really should be about enjoying it, I mean...we're hardly planning to go professional that this age!!

soberfabulous · 23/01/2023 15:35

17cherrytreelane the instructor is lovely.

She talks a lot in between exercises though which annoys me (I think someone else mentioned this being an issue in their class) I live overseas and there's close to zero adult ballet here. Plus it's at the end of my road so it's super convenient.

Some days I really love it, some days I fall over all the time and feel like an old dead tree. But I know it's good for my body and my brain and I'm not going down without a fight 🤪

Also I find the instrumental versions of Disney tunes very uplifting..she has great choice in music.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Exercise & fitness Fitness
NeedWineNow · 24/01/2023 09:36

soberfabulous · 23/01/2023 15:35

17cherrytreelane the instructor is lovely.

She talks a lot in between exercises though which annoys me (I think someone else mentioned this being an issue in their class) I live overseas and there's close to zero adult ballet here. Plus it's at the end of my road so it's super convenient.

Some days I really love it, some days I fall over all the time and feel like an old dead tree. But I know it's good for my body and my brain and I'm not going down without a fight 🤪

Also I find the instrumental versions of Disney tunes very uplifting..she has great choice in music.

@soberfabulous your instructor sounds exactly like mine! She's absolutely lovely though so we don't mind

I just love our class because there's no working towards exams or performance, just the joy of dancing. And her music choices are great as well - lots of musicals. We did our lovely port des bras exercise to I dreamed a Dream from Les Mis last week.

17CherryTreeLane · 25/01/2023 20:11

Sound so lovely @NeedWineNow. I really like the thought of dancing purely for enjoying the moment, rather than in the pursuit of grades.

bunty11 · 25/01/2023 21:25

bunty11 yes, it was wonderful, really special. Good luck to your daughter, there are so many other options out there, and I do wish I'd explored some of those.

Yes, there certainly are. I expect it was similar when you applied, but I think White Lodge only takes approx 12 girls and 12 boys per year (that's a half remembered guess) and there's a lot of applicants from here and abroad. She didn't apply anywhere else as it was literally a tick box (´consider also for white lodge) on the MA application form.

bunty11 · 25/01/2023 21:32

Anyone else struggle with being a bit rubbish?!

Yes! @soberfabulous in a class of beginner adult ballet people I'm probably not too bad, but otherwise no.
I do like the sound of your tiny class with the ex Bolshoi dancer! How inspiring.

I agree about grade classes. I do one of those, in addition to other classes, and it makes me obsess about the technique being perfect in a way I don't usually do.

soberfabulous · 26/01/2023 06:34

bunty11 i bet you are absolutely amazing!

we had a newcomer in our tiny class last night! she bounced in announcing that she goes to the gym A LOT and wants to learn to stretch. I took comfort in the fact that i was marginally more in control than she was.

also loved doing barre work to instrumental show tunes :)

17CherryTreeLane · 26/01/2023 21:55

Well I went to the class, and I really enjoyed it! It mostly came flooding back, so that was good.

I did have a bit of a problem with cramp in my feet, but was expecting that. Will see how I feel in the morning.

user1471459476 · 27/01/2023 15:56

Soberfabulous is the town of that class beginning with an E? Or are there lots of chatty teachers with Disney piano remixes?

EasterIsland · 27/01/2023 19:51

Sounds like my studio @user1471459476 😀

EasterIsland · 27/01/2023 19:53

But I’m in the UK and I think @soberfabulous is overseas.

locketsposy · 27/01/2023 19:59

I name changed though it's not particularly outing. One class I go to plays Disney the same piece every week to the same steps - Beauty and the Beast Gaston music. Teacher is deadpan rather than chatty though.

"… No one's slick as Gaston
No one's quick as Gaston
No one's neck's as incredibly thick as Gaston
For there's no man in town half as manly…"

Grin

I'd like other Disney I think just for the variety and I always feel faintly ridiculous dancing to that music.

I bet they all have a David Plumpton compilation they use!

17CherryTreeLane · 27/01/2023 22:19

Feeling a bit disappointed there were no Disney tunes at mine! I think it would be lovely to dance to those.

I'm going to try another class, to see if it's any better. The one last night was really for beginners. I'm beginning again, which I think is different.

Have been in touch with an old contact, and I'm going to her class a week on Tuesday. Again I am excited!

soberfabulous · 28/01/2023 08:20

user1471459476 · 27/01/2023 15:56

Soberfabulous is the town of that class beginning with an E? Or are there lots of chatty teachers with Disney piano remixes?

i'm not in the UK :) i love that so many of them are playing similar tunes!

EasterIsland · 28/01/2023 08:47

My teacher plays Disney tunes but I much prefer Chopin and Schubert.

MooseBreath · 28/01/2023 16:13

When I teach Ballet, I use instrumental Disney and piano cover versions of pop/alternative music. The familiar tunes helps adults (who tend to struggle remembering combinations week to week because of busy schedules and "old brains") remember subconsciously and it helps with muscle memory!

Westfacing · 28/01/2023 16:25

The Royal Academy of Dance in Battersea has a programme of adult ballet classes.

www.royalacademyofdance.org/dance-with-us/our-dance-school-in-london/adult-dance-classes/

bunty11 · 28/01/2023 16:43

EasterIsland · 28/01/2023 08:47

My teacher plays Disney tunes but I much prefer Chopin and Schubert.

Same in preferring classical. Though I like to use non-matching, favourite workout music, or faster classical, to learn trickier allegros at home. I find it helps.

Sometimes it matches if I take the trouble.

EasterIsland · 29/01/2023 10:17

That's a good point @MooseBreath I'm different to most adult students - outside of London or Birmingham probably - because I've been learning ballet since I was 12. So it's in my body. I remember hearing a friend playing some Mozart or Chopin or something, and my immediate reaction was "Oh, that's plié music!"

I had a very bad teacher from 12 to 15 though, so I stopped and didn't start again until I was 20. A much better teacher who was a revelation! So although I've been dancing for a long time, I'm really only half-trained, and now losing skills because although y local (county town) studio offers up to 4 classes a week, they are basic. And the teacher chats far too much.

It's a real dilemma - I really like the woman who runs the studio - sh's amazing in her vision & what she offers. But sometimes the chat between barre exercises - even between turning round and doing the left side - makes e want to walk out of the class.

soberfabulous · 31/01/2023 13:28

MooseBreath · 28/01/2023 16:13

When I teach Ballet, I use instrumental Disney and piano cover versions of pop/alternative music. The familiar tunes helps adults (who tend to struggle remembering combinations week to week because of busy schedules and "old brains") remember subconsciously and it helps with muscle memory!

Busy schedule and old brain rings so true here!

My lovely teacher often asks if I'm ok/bored as I yawn a lot in class.

The fact is I leave the house at 7 am to do the school drop off and work a 12 hour day, by the time I get to class at night I'm absolutely shattered!

17CherryTreeLane · 07/02/2023 22:07

Went to a different class tonight and it was a much better fit for me. We did some barre work, then learned a good chunk of dance, which was like ballet mixed with contemporary. I liked it!

ballerinaindia · 29/06/2023 09:50

The fact is I leave the house at 7 am to do the school drop off and work a 12 hour day, by the time I get to class at night I'm absolutely shattered!

I'd love a weekend adult class, now and then, as I'm usually dead in the evenings after a full day at work.

I was going to ask about corrections. I've been to classes where some individual correction is given (teacher walks around adjusting people, where needed, during barre), and some where it's more general (never individual).

I'm considering leaving one class where it's general and vague correction with the barre and very little general correction at all with the centre so lots of really poor standard centre work going on uncorrected. I feel some weeks I could do a YouTube follow along and get the same out of it.

StamppotAndGravy · 29/06/2023 10:24

I'm so jealous of all of you! There are adult classes here, but they're all of the pretentious preparing for the end of year show type, where they do the same routines every week. I want to do an open class where the routines and music change a each week and the participants view it as training rather than fulfilling toddler tutu fantasies. Then it's a workout for my brain too. I'd have to go half way across the country to train at the opera, but I'm no where near good enough for that. I haven't danced for a decade and my body has changed shape so much in not even sure if be able to balance an anymore. My centre of gravity has rather shifted!

ballerinaindia · 29/06/2023 10:48

One drop in class I sometimes do has an end of year show but that doesn't appeal to me at all (I don't know why as I like am-dram, or rather used to), so those of us who don't want to do it are allowed to join in at the back for a few weeks.

I'm in agreement about an open class where the routines and music changes each week and the teacher hasn't made it stupidly difficult (one class 😱) where everyone flails around looking silly.