adult ballet class

Adult Ballet Student: Lorry Perez

March 26, 2012 by 4dancers

It’s time for our next Adult Ballet feature–say hello to Lorry Perez!

lorrychi3 — Adult Ballet Student Lorry Perez

1. How did you first get involved with ballet and what attracted you to it as an adult?

I didn’t get much exposure to the arts when I was a kid. I got a job as an usher at the Music Center in Los Angeles in my teens because it was close to my home and the hourly pay was good. I was able to see wonderful productions and I really loved it, especially dance. But as much as I loved watching ballet, it seemed very distant. It didn’t seem like something that I could ever do.

Attending the ballet has always been a wonderful and even therapeutic event so about two years ago I decided that I would look into seeing if there was even such a thing as beginner classes for adults. To be honest it didn’t seem like a possibility because I would take a beginner class and they always assumed some prior knowledge, which I didn’t have. I didn’t even know how to stand at the barre and none of the teachers wanted to deal with my lack of knowledge or skill. It all was very discouraging.

I didn’t give up though and eventually I found a wonderful teacher who offered classes for adults with zero knowledge and zero background in dance. To be able to feel just a little bit of the magic of ballet – the music, the movement, the artistry – is such an amazing gift.

2. How many classes are you currently taking per week?

I take at least three classes per week, but I would go everyday if I could!

3. What do you see as your biggest challenge as an adult ballet student?

You know, when you are a kid, everything is possible. We are less self-conscious and just freer in our minds and with our bodies. But as adults, we bring all kinds of issues with us. I struggle with my body image, with overthinking, with fear of failure or ridicule; I bring a lot of junk with me to ballet class.

An incredible and unexpected by-product of ballet class is that I am learning how to deal with all of these things both in class and outside of class! For me the biggest challenge has not been physical but mental, addressing my issues and working through them so that I can embrace my beginners mind and take a more childlike approach that allows for happiness in learning this great art. Not to say that the physical part hasn’t been a challenge. None of this comes naturally to me, but arms and legs start to behave better when I worry less and open up more.

4. What brings you the greatest joy as an adult ballet student?

I loved ballet class from the very start, but what has given me the greatest joy is progressing to the point where I now have moments that I am able to dance inside the music. It’s not every step and not even every class, but there are moments when I can really feel how the music and the movement meet and become ballet and that is pure magic! I work really hard to improve in hopes of more of that!

5. Do you have any advice for other adult ballet students? [Read more…]

Adult Ballet Student: Jean Kyle

March 23, 2012 by 4dancers

summerschool — Fr L to R: me, Hayley, Tibor, Lynda, Natalie

1. How did you first get involved with ballet and what attracted you to it as an adult?

I started ballet classes as a 9 year old (considered a late starter for a child, I guess!) because I was always dancing around the house whenever music was playing, and it took a few years for mum to convince my conservative dad to allow me to take up ballet. For many years, ballet was my greatest passion but I slowly lost my passion for it when I moved overseas for studies in my late teens, not finding the same type of support I had from the teachers I grew up with.

After I completed my RAD Intermediate level I hung up my ballet shoes, thinking that maybe ballet was too technical and that there was nothing more I would gain from it. I looked to other forms of dance such as Lyrical and Contemporary to continue fueling my passion for dance. While I enjoyed them, I noticed that many teachers seem to view adult dancers as seeking recreation only, rather than continuous improvement.

One year ago, when I turned 40, I was persuaded to join a ballet class ‘just for fun’. I thought I’d give it a go for a week or two – I didn’t expect to be hooked again before the first class was over. In a large part, it was because the teacher, Tibor, who taught that class paid a lot of attention to technique, pushed us to our individual limits, worked us very hard but also took time to acknowledge it when we did something well. In that short time, I was reminded of how addictive the quest for perfection and the thrill of achievement can be.

2. How many classes are you currently taking per week?

Although I started out with 1, then 2 classes a week, I have been taking 5 classes a week for more than 10 months now. I decided that to regain my strength and technique, I’d need at least 3 classes a week. The thing about ballet is that it’s so addictive – unlike the gym, I never have to talk myself into going to ballet classes. In fact, I count down the days and hours to each class. We work very hard from the moment we start our first exercise to the moment we do our reverence, but it’s never a chore.

3. What do you see as your biggest challenge as an adult ballet student? [Read more…]

Review: Ballet Etudes By Robert Long

October 19, 2011 by 4dancers

This was my first exposure to a Robert Long CD and I really enjoyed it. Many fellow teachers have expressed the fact that they enjoy his music for ballet class, and I have to agree–it’s very good!

I always “test” CDs out on my adult ballet class. They are an eclectic group of students, and I received some nice comments on the music. The tracks were arranged well, and best of all, labeled well. As an instructor, I found the way he used the liner notes to be very helpful. They were broken down into categories that made sense for the way I teach: at the barre, centre practice, pirouettes, adage, petit allegro, batterie and grand allegro. It made it very easy to arrange my class, and it was a detail that was much appreciated.

The music itself is passionate and pretty, and there are plenty of tracks to choose from since the CD offers many selections. Since I have a fairly large class, some of the tracks in the centre were a bit short for my purposes, but I doubt that would be true for all teachers. There are 48 original selections in all for barre and centre practice. I listened to everything here and found each track to be well-suited to ballet class exercises.

It is obvious that Mr. Long has been involved with the dance community for a long time–his intuitive sense of planning the CD and its selections showcases this fact quite well. I’m looking forward to hearing more from him and using his music for class well into the future.

It’s worth noting that Mr. Long offers music on iTunes and Amazon as well, for those who prefer that format.

Visit Robert Long’s site for more information about him and his music.

Read more about this artist in the 4dancers “10 Questions With…” interview.

Teaching Tip: Keeping Things Fresh In The Adult Ballet Classroom

August 4, 2010 by 4dancers

If you teach an adult ballet class you are probably already aware of how rewarding it can be. Adult students are typically serious about doing well and try very hard to improve. While this is great–as the instructor, it is up to you to remind them of how much fun dance can be as well. Try to keep things fresh so that your students maintain their enthusiasum and love of dance.

Here are a few ideas you can incorporate into the adult ballet class that can be helpful in that regard:

Periodically have a class where each student can pick something that they would like to work on in the centre. It can be helpful to announce this at the beginning of class to give them time to think about what they’d like to do.
Mix in some music from the big ballets here and there. Nothing is quite as inspirational as moving across the floor to a piece from Swan Lake or Giselle.
Pair them up. Rather than having students do their combinations alone across the floor, have them go in twos. This changes things up a little bit and can help break the ice between people in class–especially if there is someone new.

Disclosure – Affiliate & Ad Info

Copyright Notice