Adults Dancing: Looking to dance again...

[Guest frokenvin]

Hello,

 

When I was in junior high I enrolled in a dance school in my hometown. I was set in to level 2 and quickly advanced to 3... within one year of dancing I was to have been on pointe shoes (lv. 4), however, the courses weren't fitting within my fathers' budget and I had no other option but to quit. I was so disheartened.

 

Since then (I'm now 20) I've been dying to get back in to ballet... and at some point I really hope to find myself in pointe shoes.

 

Where might I start at this age? The studio I was enrolled in was quite pricey at $155/level 4 per month. I'm sure I could have moved to a different studio but my father couldn't care less (Even though there was a more affordable studio within 10-20 miles )

 

What do you think of "at home" videos? How far can I go without assistance of an instructor?

 

I am on a budget at this time in my life... so I'm just looking for a balance... and I think now is a good time to dive back into the study. I miss it so!!

 

Any advice will be thoroughly appreciated

Edited November 18, 2005 by frokenvin

[Mel Johnson]

Hi, frokenvin and welcome to Ballet Talk for Dancers.

 

We get quite a bit of traffic from "rebeginners", and it's important to remember that while time heals all wounds, it also wounds all heels, and everything else that got flexible the first time around. You should be starting at a lower level than you were when you last studied, and catch up from there, as you re-train your body to do what it once knew. In a big way, it's good that you didn't get onto pointe the first time around, as one year of study is no way enough technical training to start a student on pointe. You should be starting by taking at least two classes a week, just to get re-conditioned, then proceed to at least three classes a week, with the year before starting pointe having 90-minute classes. Usual progression of training is three years of study before pointe.

 

Videos are not really useful for students who are not functioning at the level of the video. It is necessary to have a teacher present, and correcting.

[Guest frokenvin]

Hi Mel, thanks for the prompt reply : )

 

The problem is -- I work 2nd shift hours (3pm-11pm) and I'm having a hard time finding something that will work out for me in-class at the moment. The only possibility I've come across is a drop-in intermediate course offered in the city thursday mornings at 11am. : /

 

Realistically, I feel that I should be doing excersizes to begin to regain some of the strength and poise I had when I was dancing years ago. It seems that it may take me a while to get a line on something that will work with my schedule. So this is why I was wondering how any form of at-home training may help. I remember everything my instructor would tell us about the body form. However I do understand it is important to have a professional overseeing development. I just don't know what kind of in-class training is going to work out for me right now. It's difficult enough to find a studio that is open to those aged 18+. Then as for morning classes...

 

Of course I can call all of the studios in my relative area and inquire with them... as I will... but I have a feeling I may not strike gold on this one.

 

Any other pointers?

[Mel Johnson]

Nope.

 

Throw in shift work in rural Minnesota and you got a real situation there. All I can say is, try to find a schedule as much like that as we've covered so far, and work carefully.

[Guest frokenvin]

!! Oh my gosh oh my gosh (JA, I'm minnesotan! ) !!

 

I just spoke with a studio not too far from my hometown who offers adult-morning classes 3x/week!

 

I am soooo excited!!

 

Thank you for your advice, Mel. I was truely jumping the gun here...

 

And now my heart is about to shoot right through my chest!

 

[Mel Johnson]

AW-Riiiiiiiiiight!

 

I thought that a diligent enough search might just be profitable!