What are you proud of?

[Treefrog]

What's the thing that you are proudest of accomplishing in class this year?

 

I just finished my first year of once-a-week classes. I am happy to say that I can reliably balance in center, I can execute a clean sauté without stepping on my own toes (hey, I can even do a changement!), and I can move some parts of my body while keeping other parts still. Building blocks all.

[dido]

After several years of off and on, and two years of 3x week classes, I finally learned what using my rotation is all about, and am making progress with maintaining it at all times. That is definitely what I'm most pleased about, but will confess that the one clean double pirouette on pointe was more fun.

[Guest mic31]

just being able to learn choreography faster and execute it better.

[scoop]

Happy first anniversary, Treefrog! I've been taking class for more years than I care to admit, and I still step on my own toes during changements! Not enough turnout, I'm afraid.

 

I'm most proud/pleased to have come back from a hip injury fairly successfully. (Is there a knock-on-wood smilie?!) At first I tried to rush thing and re-aggravated the problem, but after that I slowed things down and now am dancing mostly pain-free.

 

My other point of pride is a better balances and (marginaly) better pirouettes, which I attribute to Pilates classes.

[Guest nicoal]

I can second the stepping on your own feet in changements - the worst is in pointe shoes because my heel always catches that vulnerable patch of skin right after the vamp - I can't count how many bruises I've given myself

 

I think I have two major accomplishments I'm most pleased with... finally being able to do somewhat consistent doubles in almost any turn (on both sides) and secondly, being able to keep up with the advanced people in the petit allegro (that is before they add batterie to every step ). With these long, flexible legs I have, sometimes I felt like I was stuck in molasses when it came to these combinations!

[Susanne]

A year ago I had barely done an arabesque on flats, now I can almost balance on demi-pointe in an attitude derrière! Well, of course, the attitude is not the best, but still, being able to balance on demi-pointe!

 

Ouch! I haven't managed to not step on my feet yet! Once a teacher just made us do grande jetés for fun and everything went alright until I somehow -when I landed with my left (on the left diagonal) managed to hit the left ankle with my right foot. So I tripped myslef up!

[Guest AmyLiz008]

I have two proudest moments this year, and one happened just last night!

 

The first moment would have to be in January when I took my first walk around the room (on flat) in my pointe shoes! I cried the whole way, and not because it hurt.

 

The second was last night. For the first time, my teacher was able to push my frog stretch all the way to the floor!! I 'woo hoo'-ed and everyone clapped for me, and I cried again! And not because it hurt!!

[DreadPirateRoberts]

What am I most proud of?

 

Well, the studio where I take class is affiliated with a small performing

company, and this year they did a production of Coppelia. I did not

dance in the performance, but I did have a walk-on, walk-off character

part. It was a lot of fun to see what goes on behind the scenes, and

to be a part of the cast.

 

That was great, but the experience that I'm most proud of is that before

the performances I was able to take class with the performing company,

on stage, in the empty theatre. That was so amazingly fun! It was likely the

only time that I'll ever dance on a stage, but the energy and electricity of

those classes was wonderful, and that has stayed with me since then.

 

It reminded me that the purpose for all of these exercises and combinations

and perspiration and pain is to dance, to express yourself, to make art,

and to perform. Even if it's only ever for yourself. Even if you're just

a clumsy adult beginner like me in the back row.

[silvergreydancer]

The three things I most proud of :

1. I actually started back to class.

2. I 've had an increase in my turnout. (4 degrees) I guess I just haven't been using the right muscles back there!

3. I've just been ask to be in this Decembers Production of the Nutcracker! Boy, they must be desperate! (LOL)

[Guest Until The End Of Time]

I am proud for being the only Male danseur in my class and having the girls give me tons of credit because I am the only guy that had enough courage to do that class with them.

[Swiss_Chard]

I am proud to have started taking ballet classes.

[Dick]

I am proud of being once more part of our school end of session recital (my fourth), this one to be held in 3 weeks from now.

 

In that occasion, I'll be performing two solos which are: 1) the two variations of the young peasant who gets maried plus the closing duo with my "fiancée" from Gisèle act 2, and 2) one Von Rothbart variation from Swan Lake. Also, I'll be partenering the final adagio of "The legend of love" with it's impresive closing lift, this in the middle of a corps de ballet.

 

It needs a lot of dedication and humility to accept to do this at my age in front of an audience, in full performance attire. I'm proud I accepted.

 

Dick

[Kitty]

I am proud that I actually had the courage to start classes again and that I took my grade 6 and 7 exams!!

 

Hopefully I'll be able to say that I passed them but I believe that participation is the most important thing!!

[spinbug]

Taking my grade one Cecchetti exam and getting a "pass commended" score. The material wasn't extremely difficult but I was the only adult in the group! It was so funny, the examiner started at the other end of our line and asked each girls name and age. When she got to me at the end she said, looking down at her sheet..."You are Candi and you are....(looking up at me), uh...an adult! Putting her at ease I triumphantly told her my age, too. It was something to chuckle inside about for the rest of the day. Hopefully I'll be able to to take my grade two this next fall and then grade three in the spring again. I keep thinking I'll improve this fast but am almost certain reality will hit me broadside, (literally)! One can only try.

 

spinbug

[Tiffany]

I am proud of my double pirouettes on pointe, and being able to do fouettes on flat. I am proud of myself for still making it to ballet class even when I have to drive straight there from my academic classes , which is really tough sometimes.