Starting Ballet as an Adult Was Terrifying, but I’ve Loved Every Minute of It.
Last year, a friend of mine invited me to a total beginner’s workshop at the adult ballet studio where she worked. I decided to go along, figuring it couldn’t hurt. After all, it was free so if I didn’t enjoy it, my bank balance wouldn’t take a hit. Little did I know then the passion this would spark in me.
As a child, I never had that one hobby that I stuck at and perfected, though I tried virtually everything. Tap dancing, guitar lessons, football, cello– its hard for me to think of things I didn’t try at least once. But nothing seemed to stick with me. I lost interest, stopped practicing or refused to go once the seasons changed and it became too cold.
I’ve always envied people who stayed with any one hobby long enough to actually get good at it. Staying focused and persevering through the awkwardness of being a beginner has never before been my forte.
Knowing this, stepping into a ballet studio for the first time since I was 6 years old at 25 was an incredibly daunting experience. I knew that ballet is something that takes years of training and dedication. Could I even enjoy it when I knew I wouldn’t be good? I remember sitting down in front of a wall of streak-free mirrors before the class started and being so embarrassed that I couldn’t look at my reflection. I felt like I had just signed up to fail.
Once the workshop began, I found myself lost in the desire to focus. All fear was forgotten as I tried my best to keep up with the instructor’s teaching. Translating the effortless movements she made with great difficulty onto my own clunking, inflexible form. By the end of that ninety minute class, I knew I had found something that I truly enjoyed.
In the eighteen months since that first class, I have not become a prima ballerina, I cannot do 10 pirouettes and I do not float around the room on my pointe shoes. But, excitingly, I have definitely improved.
Just by attending class a couple of nights a week, I am able to see a difference in my technique and my form. There is joy to be found in the steady progress I have been making.
At the beginning, I would stand at the barre and fidget, my legs uncomfortable at holding even 1st position. The very first time my teacher instructed me to stand in 5th position, my hip flexors cramped so hard that I couldn’t even stand up straight, let alone complete the exercise. Now, I have the strength and flexibility to step right into it without any trouble at all.
In the last few months especially, ballet has given me a lot of these little victories which fuel my desire to improve. For the first time in my entire life I’ve consistently stuck with a hobby. Eighteen months on, I am still finding the wonder in it.
Since I started my adult ballet journey, I’ve spoken to a lot of people about it. Many of them have said the same thing; that they would love to try ballet, but they aren’t young/fit/flexible enough to.
As humans, we find it all to easy to discount ourselves and our abilities. But, speaking as someone who has the flexibility of a matchstick, anyone can try ballet. Many beginners classes aimed at adults require no previous knowledge or special equipment. Tights and leotards are not prerequisites, regular exercise clothes and socks are the uniform of most beginners.
If you’ve ever been curious about trying ballet, I encourage you to go for it! I firmly believe that there has never been as good a time to give it a go, as restrictions in many countries have pushed many studios to live stream classes. You can avoid the discomfort of walking into a room full of strangers, and try it out from the comfort of your own home.
As for me, I’ve asked for a leotard for Christmas, and I don’t see myself quitting ballet any time soon.
If you’re looking to try out ballet as an adult, I can personally recommend the following studios:
- Dance Domain, Auckland NZ
- Align Ballet Method, Los Angeles USA.These are personal recommendations only, I am not affiliated with either studio.
