former lurker revealed...with ??

[mermangel]

Hello all. i just am finally taking the time to jump in with both feet and say "hi". i am a 37 year old mother of two. i returned to ballet (again) last year after taking a break to have my second child. (i had taken classes for a year after a 20+ year "hiatus" before becoming pregnant). right now i am taking only one class a week (all that time and money will allow at present), but hope to move to at least 2 pr week in the new year ('07) and hopefully progress to pointe in about a year or two. i have enjoyed perusing the board(s) and hope to be able to more actively participate in the weeks and months ahead. now, realizing we are all different in terms of bodies, strength(s) and experience, for those of you with a somewhat similar background, how long did it take to go from "advanced adult 'beginner'" to being on pointe? and is it as glorious and exhausting as it appears to those of us on the "other side" in our pink leather slippers? hope you all have a grand day. ~alice

[appleblossom]

I'd had about 7 years break (although had taken open adult classes on and off), and had kept in shape through other sports and a healthy eating plan.

 

When i started back I was doing 2 classes a week of 1.5 to 2 hours. It was 6 months into this that pointe was introduced (i had briefly been on pointe before - before the break). But it was no more than 10 - 15 mins a class - with a long warm up - shoe work-in and not much more than rises/releves at the barre.

6 months later echappes in the centre and maybe a caroou (?) or two.

 

After 2 years with the amount of pointe gradually increased and things like poses, piques and releve passes introduced, (plus an intermediate exam passed) i can now take part in a full pointe class (1 to 1.5hours twice a week - with 6 hours of regular class and 2 hours pilates - most weeks). There are still some things i cant do (mainly because of fear) - but I am going to be on pointe in this years ballet concert - so my teacher obviously has faith in me.

 

Stick with it, work hard and dont be afraid - because the mind is the thing that holds me back most at this age - (I'm just over an hour into my 26th birthday as i write this)

 

Hope that all wasnt too confusing, keep us posted on how you go... and congratulations on your babies by the way, children are a gift of God.

[mermangel]

thanks for the reply, appleblossom. i really try hard not to be inhibited in class. that is one thing i have really worked on over the last few years. previously (even when i was young, lithe and flexible) i was very intimidated by center work, jumps and turns. these days i really look forward to the freedom, both physical and mental, that being in classs allows and the last thing i want to do is waste my valuable time feeling awkward or embarrassed. i don't always do everything right, but i do my best and keep on going no matter what. i find my teacher has helped in this area alot, she is very even handed with both corrections (which i thrive on) and compliments (whcih let's face it, we all appreciate!) she continually challenges the class while somehow maintaining an environment of serious effort and pure enjoyment simultaneously. gotta love that! i just hope to keep improving and gaining strength over time. even if i never get on pointe i know my life has been enriched and my health has benefitted from my renewed interest in ballet. and a very happy birthday to you. i hope you enjoy it doing something wonderful. and thanks for the congratulations on my children. they are wonderful and i do thank god for them every single day. take care ~alice