adult ballet – Page 3

Adult Ballet Student: Acacia Warwick

March 16, 2012 by 4dancers

Welcome Acacia–our latest adult ballet student feature this month…and stay tuned as we feature more content on that theme throughout the month of March!

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

When I was six years old I started taking ballet classes in a tiny studio over a pizza parlor on the corner of Sunset and Vine in Los Angeles. I loved dancing, but after a few years, it became clear that I would never have the body of a ballerina and ballet faded from my life. Fast forward thirty years later, I finished my treatments for breast cancer and started thinking about what I could do to get my strength back and ballet lept to mind. I always loved the grace and power of dancers and decided to try to bring some of that back into my life.

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

I usually take two classes a week. I’m limited since very few classes are offered here in Peoria, and since I’m back in cancer treatment I can’t always get to class.

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

The mirror. No, wait, the slim little ballerinas running around the studio. No, it’s the mental disconnect between what I think I can do and what my body can actually pull off. Or figuring out what a plus-sized ballet student can wear other than yoga pants and a t-shirt…

Actually, the biggest challenge was walking into the studio for my first class.

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

Getting to the point in class where nothing else matters, not the mirror or anything else. I leave every class feeling light, graceful and happy with what my body could do. I find myself getting up on my toes at home, waiting in line, even at work for days after a class.

5. Do you have any advice for other adult ballet students?

If you want to dance, dance. Adult classes are really adaptable for wherever you are when you start, and once you show up for the first one, it’s easy.

BIO: Acacia has been a beginning ballet student for one year and writes about her experiences at her blog The Melancholy Swan (melancholyswan.com.) She is also an art historian, seeker of tenure, lover of books, writer, melancholic, and is living with metastatic breast cancer.

Dance In The UK: Adult Ballet

March 15, 2012 by 4dancers

by Jessica Wilson

Jessica Wilson

Having seen a huge influx of dance and the performing arts in the media over the past few years – think Andrew Lloyd Webber’s search for his next big hits, Dancing with the Stars, and Black Swan – the number of adults indulging in ballet classes has increased profoundly. A survey conducted by YouGov in 2011 in the prelude to the Dance Proms at the Royal Albert Hall found that just over 1 in 5 British adults have become interested in dancing as a result of shows such as Strictly Come Dancing and So You Think You Can Dance, not considering those throughout the rest of the world. It seems the ballet bug is here to stay, having turned a fad into a trend!

The appeal of ballet runs far and wide, and today seems to have taken on a more of a popular culture persona as more people are becoming aware of ballet and its benefits. Pirouetting against the stereotype, ballet does not have to be girly and strictly disciplined; there are a huge variety of ballet and dance class choices in the exercise world today, meaning that there is an option for everyone. No sooner had gym culture taken over our lives, dance cults began to make an appearance, such as Zumba, reinforcing the notion that engaging in physical activity does not have to involve a treadmill.

Not only does ballet engage and stimulate the mind, it also provides participants with an environment which is of alternative appeal. Tapping into your artistic side really does have its benefits, for adults as well as children!

The Royal Academy of Dance teachers of London have affectionately referred to this recent ballet trend as “Black Swan Syndrome” – despite such dark inferences throughout the film – considering the number of adults they have seen sign up for ballet classes in the wake of the blockbuster movie. Some may argue that the increasing commercialisation of dance may cause it to lose its intrinsic artistic value, yet if the combination of the media with promotion of dance is able to entice more adults to dance in such a profound way, something must be right! Indeed there has been a significant increase of dance-related films that have emerged over the past few years, in addition to screenings of dance performances in numerous cinemas, putting dance well and truly on the map. [Read more…]

Adult Ballet Student: Rebecca Jukes

March 13, 2012 by 4dancers

Today’s featured adult ballet student is from South London…

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

Just over 4 years ago, I was going through a period of re-building my life, regaining control over who I was, and trying to fill an emptiness inside of me.

My therapist at the time suggested that I should think about finding an activity that would help me connect with myself and others, he listed off some options, and one of these was ballet. I initially scoffed at the idea knowing how uncoordinated and inelegant I was, coupled with being the owner of 2 left feet, besides, I had never shown an interest in ballet as a child, although in fairness the opportunity had never arisen to try a class back in my youth.

However his suggestion nagged away at me for a number of days, I had always admired and respected dancers, particularly ballet dancers; for their commitment, grace, beauty and ability, they were something to behold. Should I dare to actually venture into this world at my time of life? So I Googled for a local adult ballet class, and sure enough, up popped a studio close to me in Dulwich South London, which offered complete beginner classes, and I duly signed up.

Now I would admit that at the beginning of that very first class, I thought “what on earth am I doing here”, a 36 year old woman out of her depth and out of her comfort zone. But by the end of the class it was like someone had turned on a light switch, it was the most amazing hour of realization and discovery–ballet was the one thing that had been missing from my life. A spark had been ignited within my soul, and it has burned there ever since.

This spark has now grown into a fully raging inferno of burning desire and near obsession to become a better ballet dancer. The last four years have seen my interest steadily grow from one class a week, to two per week, and now up to the point of I would happily dance 8 days a week if such an extra day existed. [Read more…]

Adult Ballet Student: Lisa Blanchard

March 2, 2012 by 4dancers

With the focus on adult ballet this month, I thought it would be fun to highlight different voices from the large group of people out there who make up this demographic. The first is a student of my own, Lisa Blanchard…

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

I first got involved with ballet when I took it as an elective during my freshman year of high school. As an adult, I joined your class because I was feeling stressed out and was looking for something interesting to do. I remembered how much I had enjoyed ballet back in high school and figured it would be a fun way to get some physical exercise as well.

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

I currently take one ballet class weekly. Occasionally, I will drop in to an open ballet class as a little treat.

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

My greatest challenge as an adult student is getting my mind and body to work together smoothly. I have to really concentrate on things that require the upper body and lower body to work independently like when changing arm positions during pas de cheval and petit battement!

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

Ballet gives me the unique feeling of being free and being empowered at the same time. That brings me tremendous joy.

5. Do you have any advice for other adult ballet students?

I’d advise the adult beginner to find an instructor who is really passionate about teaching ballet; otherwise, it might feel more like an exercise class. If you’re a visual learner, a good beginner’s book can be helpful. I liked “Ballet Basics” by Sandra Noll Hammond. Lastly, accept that it’s going to take a while to feel coordinated and strong, but if you’re committed to learning, you will be amazed at what you can do.

BIO: A native Chicagoan, Lisa Blanchard grew up on the Near West side, in the Taylor Street/UIC neighborhood.

After graduating from Robert Morris University, she entered the workforce as an administrative assistant in 1986, first at JMB Realty and later at the Leo Burnett Company, where she worked for over fifteen years.

In 2004, the happily married mother of two decided to leave the workforce, preferring instead to take on the great role of Director of Home Operations. She now lives in Oak Park, directing best-life scenarios for her family of four and immersing herself in most anything ballet-related.

52 Weeks Of Adult Ballet – A Guest Post

July 22, 2011 by 4dancers

More than 20 years ago, I allowed the first love of my life to slowly slip away. We were then reacquainted 10 years ago for a brief, happy, but not overly fulfilling affair, after which I was convinced that my passion for ballet – my first love – had fizzled out and that I would find joy through other forms of dance.

Unexpectedly, and in a totally unplanned manner, a series of circumstances found me back in an adult ballet class about 4 months ago. I was persuaded to join a class “just for fun”; I thought I’d do one, two classes at most, then probably give up.

I couldn’t have been more wrong. [Read more…]

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