Hi everyone!

[spankster]

Hi everybody,

 

I have been lurking for so long and it is time I came out and thanked you all for ... well, for just being there. When I started lurking I was only dreaming of starting classes again at 32. I have been taking classes for 10 months now and have just been loving it.

 

This forum is great.

 

 

spanky

[Mel Johnson]

Gee, where did everybody go today?

 

Anyway, welcome, spankster, to the Adult Students' Forums here at Ballet Talk on Ballet Alert! Online!

 

Now that you've found us, don't be a stranger, and don't feel shy about contributing to the other Ballet Alert! board as well!

[DreadPirateRoberts]

Greetings! I'd like to welcome you, and extend my thanks

For your delurking finally, oh dancing, noble Spanks!

This message board is full of people limber, wise, and fun,

and if they don't know how to do a step, it likely can't be done.

So dive right in, and never fear to click on "Add Reply"

You'll find your advice needed by beginners such as I.

Xena, Mel and Victoria are such kind-hearted mentors;

They help all us wobbly folk relax -- to find our centers.

 

[Guest starfly]

Hello Spankster and welcome. It is always great to hear from fellow lurkers!!! And I must add that I absoultly love your name .

[Guest Pigeon]

After various fits and starts that occur because of life's events, I'm taking ballet class again at age 62. There is a woman in our intermediate class who is 75 --fabulous.

When I read how frustrated some adult dancers get because they can't "do well," I feel inclined to shout out, "Just enjoy it!" It is amazing how muscle memory will bring back the steps and the combinations for you. But too many adult students spend their time concentrating on only technique. Yes, ballet is about technique, but it's also about DANCING. And you can't "dance" unless you free yourself up. Try doing the steps or the combinations with a SMILE on your face, shoulders relaxed, and tell yourself, "I'm just going to move with this one." The technique will come, and you will look so much better in class because instead of having a frightened, tense body and face, you will be easing, maybe soaring, through the combination. Try it!

[antbobby]

Yee Ha! You go 62!

[Guest Marianne]

 

The person who said they were 62 - I apologise that I have not noted your name. Wonderful to learn you are doing ballet - gives me the greatest of hopes. Like the other person I too have been what was stated as a lurker - not really knowing how to reply. I have been on the site a number of times and read the Adult boards where Adult Students state they have returned to ballet and find it hard etc at the ripe old age of around 23. Obviously I also atend ballet which I absolutely love. I got distinction in my RAD exam and am working to take higher levels and will work to gain distinction again. I am 50 but take class with children from age 10 to 17. The students do not know my age and treat me just like any other dance student. Whilst I did begin in the Adult ballet class they do not work towards exams and I have really outgrown the class now. I practice as much as I can and dance in school shows with the other dancers - I would like to be more limbered - which I really do work at and to be able to unfold my leg higher. I had thought that maybe I might get another 5 years to dance but maybe I too can go on longer - I just wish I was about 10 years younger which would give me longer to dance.

[DreadPirateRoberts]

I had just a couple of quick comments on Marianne and Pigeon's last posts.

But first, I have to say:

 

75 years old ?!

 

That is SO wonderful...

 

Marianne -- I too have had the experience of taking class with young children

and adolescents. It took a while, especially I think because I am a guy and they

were all girls / young women, but after some time we got along pretty well, and

encouraged each other in class and recital. I enjoyed their energy and enthusiasm

and some of them told me that they wished that their parent(s) would take dance

with them. (I often met parents, before/after class and tried to recruit them to take

class with us, but not with much success )

 

Pigeon -- I like your point about keeping the focus on DANCING, and "simple" things

like smiling. I know I grimace far too often!

 

The idea I feel behind both of your postings is that as "older" dancers, we may not

be as physically gifted as the younger students, but we bring other gifts to the party --

our love of ballet, our experiences as a spectator of ballet through the years, our

ability (well sometimes, anyway) to see the bigger picture. We don't fit the "traditional

mold" -- which can cause some tension in terms of syllabus and teachers' / other dancers'

misconceptions, but being different is wonderful, too... as you both said so well.

 

Keep going!

[Guest Pigeon]

ANTBOBBY, MARIANNE, and DREADPIRATEROBERTS,

 

Thank you so much for your kind comments of support! One of my ballet teachers said to me last year, "You should see how the teenagers look at you. They know they have a lot to learn from you." Well, believe me, they certainly can't learn technique from me --I've lost so much at age 62. The only thing they can learn from me is to assimilate the technique you do have with the joy of the music, the thrill of movement, the moment, the magic ---we certainly don't see the professionals plodding through the steps, do we? Stiff muscles, facial and body tension look so ugly.

 

One can "do" a plie, or one can "dance" a plie. One can "do" tombe pas-de-bouree or one can "dance" tombe pas-de-bouree. One can "do" ports-de-bras or one can "dance" ports-de-bras.. Do you "feel" the difference? I loved the sentence by DreadPirateRoberts indicating that as adult dancers "we bring other gifts to the party." Let's party on!

[Guest Marianne]

DreadPirateRoberts-Pigeon-Antbobby

 

Still trying to get used to this reply bit. The dance school I attend, which is a wonderful school with great teachers - especially the principle is just a dance school in the centre of town where students tend to leave at about the age of 17 to go onto professional dance schools, if they so wish. We do have Adult Ballet and Jazz classes and there are one or two mums who take private ballet lessons. However, it was the principles suggestion I join in the general exam classes with the younger students since she felt I was better than most of them anyway - but that does not mean I am good because technically I am not but I do dance from the heart and soul in every exercise and apparently have wonderful presentation. To me this is also part of dancing. I can admit that I do actually have more stamina and strength than the younger girls which could be due to determination and dedication. But it is good to know there are 'older' ballet students still dancing - I think this is absolutely wonderful. I don't see dancers in their 20's as being old or even adult actually. I am just like the young girls anyway but would be even more so if I was in my 20's. I have to say it took my daughter a while to accept - my daughter also dances but does the whole scene - ballet tap modern jazz festivals shows - she first went to the dance school I attend but now attends another dance school where she is educated. It was only when she saw how well the young students at dance class accepted me that she changed and stopped saying but you're my mum. My daughter is 15. We are both in the same ballet grades which I think is great as she can help me with the syllabus when she is home for the hols. She also came to watch me dance in London with the dance school which I thought was really sweet of her.