Managing schedules

[lilpixi]

Right now I am in the process of finding a new job. So I have all the time in the world but little money. I have to have a job to live. But having a job means less time for ballet. So now that a job opportunity has come up, I am disappointed that I won't be able to take my studio's morning classes. The only classes i might be able to take are the 2 adult classes, but I'm a beginner and these classes feel really advanced. How do you balance work, dance, family time, etc?

 

On another note: the studio is closed for 2 weeks...

[olddude]

It's never easy. I mean, REAL life is never easy - it's just important. You want easy, watch TV and stay away from ballet! You want rewarding, then brace yourself for some serious work. That's my two cents worth.

 

For myself, I am retired so I have both time and enough money to eat and take classes. The downside of this approach is that I took my first ballet class when I was 56 years old. It would have been much better for the dance aspect if I had started 50 years earlier but of course then I would be worrying about where the food part would come from.

 

I remember when I was working in Corporate America, a boss once told me that the real "rules" are a secret - it's kind of an intelligence test, whether you can figure them out in time to capitalize on them. He never did say anything about figuring out whether you actually cared for this particular game. I don't think he ever questioned that. It's only in the last few years that I have come to think how much that view impoverished him.

 

I never did figure out those rules and eventually became so uninspired in that environment that I took the earliest retirement I could. That led me to start dancing (everyone here knows what that means...) and to start consulting for a few extra sheckles, and add another hobby or two. Your mileage may vary, but my life now is much more fulfilling than before.

 

Obviously none of the above is actually useful advice, just observations. It's hard to choose your own path, you will most likely make mistakes you will regret for the rest of your life, and yet - it's still well worth it.

[RobynC]

I know that this is probably not going to be very helpful to your specific question, but I recently retired from work (at 51), and a big part of the impetus for doing that was to fit in all the dance classes I wanted to do!   (Currently 5 per week)

 

I returned to ballet at 48 after having danced for 15 or so years in my youth, and I think I had forgotten how much I loved it.   Starting back with one class to help get fit, I now have a much heavier workload (as per above) and am loving every minute of it.

 

However, I am very grateful (yet again!) to ballet, because struggling to fit in this activity that I SO wanted to do with full-time work in a stressful managerial role forced me to really think about my priorities.   When I started to really question what it was I wanted for my life, both my husband and I realised that not only did we want to do other things with our time, but we also could afford to leave work to pursue those other goals.   I think we had just kept on working full-time because that's what we had always done, without really examining what we wanted to do and whether our current finances would allow us to do that.   When we looked at it in detail, we (rather to our surprise) realised that our financial position was such that we could afford to retire - so we did!

 

However, I am currently looking at whether I will need to go back to do some temp work to fund a trip to the Adult Dance Camp in Richmond next year - now THAT would be worth going back to work for!

 

Lilpixi, is there any chance that you could get part-time work at your dance studio, and do part-time work elsewhere to help foot the bills?   I know my dance studio is always looking for reception staff, and you might also be able to get reduced rates for your classes, and fit your working sessions around the classes that you want to do.   Other than that, it's really a question of looking at what you really want to do (like dancing and eating!), and cutting out any extraneous activities that interfere with that.   In my case, that extraneous activity was working!

 

Best of luck with finding something that can accommodate those all-essential classes!

 

Cheers

[ripresa]

Yes.. Real Life interferes with ballet!!!

 

After coming home from work, some days I'm so mentally drained I just want to watch TV, or curl up with a book and go to bed.

 

But I do notice the days I go to ballet class after a stressful time, I find the endorphins kick in and make me feel really good

 

If the teacher doesn't mind, you can do just the barre for the classes that's beyond you... especially if you've enough experience to modify the exercises to be simpler (on flat, passe instead of piroutte, singles instead of doubles, etc).

[lilpixi]

Right now I'm out of college and single. So 2 part time jobs probably won't cut it. I'm not sure if they're understaffed at my studio, but they do have a really nice main office person. Basically I was being sad that I got a typical 8-5 job and all the summer classes that I wanted to take are from 9-1. Basically I need a job to live.... especially since I'm nowhere near retirement age and don't have another income supporting me.

 

Let's just hope it doesn't take me forever to get back from work and that there's some 5:30 (or later) classes.

[Swiss_Chard]

Are there other studios which offer later classes and would accommodate your schedule?

[ineluctability]

I work 8:30-5.

My class was 7:30-9 on Tues and Thurs last semester. This summer it's on Wednesdays at 4:30. So I had to ask my boss if I could work through lunch and leave at 4 to go!

 

Then this fall class bumps back to 8-9:30. It's well worth it, however. It's just those nights I don't eat dinner with my husband and he gets time to do whatever he wants!

 

My classes don't cost too much, either. I just save a bit from each paycheck and bank it in savings to be able to pay.

 

I guess I'm lucky since I take with the rest of the students, too. Not "adult" classes.

 

Here's my pic from our performance last week.

If it doesn't work, let me know.

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd116/i...ity/lauren1.jpg

[blaise]

Right now I'm out of college and single. So 2 part time jobs probably won't cut it. I'm not sure if they're understaffed at my studio, but they do have a really nice main office person. Basically I was being sad that I got a typical 8-5 job and all the summer classes that I wanted to take are from 9-1. Basically I need a job to live.... especially since I'm nowhere near retirement age and don't have another income supporting me.

 

Let's just hope it doesn't take me forever to get back from work and that there's some 5:30 (or later) classes.

 

I'm right there with you. I graduated this past May and I work a 9-5 job. Living in NYC, it's easy to find classes that fit into my schedule but entry level pay and dance five days a week usually don't go hand in hand. It's a problem. Debt, here I come!

[ripresa]

Here's my pic from our performance last week.

If it doesn't work, let me know.

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd116/i...ity/lauren1.jpg

 

Awww. You look great!

[Laschwen]

I am experiencing how tight life can get and priorities.

I signed up for Adult /dance camp this year and planned lots of extra classes. Then gas prices kicked in worrying me a lot and I did miss a few classes. Now I am missing a few more and need to put aside the cash for each as I do for when I can catch up.

Meanwhile I have a niece staying with me because of medical trouble we hope to get solved nearby. This will involve surgery and I had to tell her she cannot schedule during the few weeks before camp or she will not have any worthwhile home care. I intend to keep to my training schedule of it would mean flushing the money already paid for the trip. I hope she understands lifelong dreams...but either way, with my husband gone for a business trip that I already declined joining him on, that is a bad time. If she can get in immediately or wait until Mid August she has me.

Family as ever, remains important, but for something like Ballet you have to stick up for your time and usually work for the money too.

I will be doing some contract work proofreading transcriptions between now and when I go to camp too. I don't know when I can squeeze it in with my already full schedule but it has to happen.

Increased classes cost more money and lately maintaining just 2 classes would be about $40.00 a week including gas and parking. It didn't used to be that bad.

Increasing time for dance also means my husband makes his own dinner because my classes are timed just to conflict. At least he can cook but I do plan for him to have leftovers whenever possible. It is hard on him too but I do not have daytime classes available to me right now.

I did just fill out a survey from one of my schools as to when class would be best for me and I told the truth. I'd go every day anytime between 2 and 5 if I could.

Best of luck figuring out how to make it happen. We are all in the boat with you there.

[lilpixi]

I don't know if it was after reading all your responses, but for some reason I became inspired to do some research of other dance schools in the area. And there are a lot in my area!

 

It looks like I might be able to keep it up after all! (it depends when i get off work and how long the commute is)

 

Thanks everyone..

 

I hope everyone else manages to fit in dance with this economy shift... and high gas prices.. my goodness i bet i'm closest to the highest in the county!

[MJ]

Until you are financially stable, work comes FIRST.

 

Do not go into debt! Try to eat in more, and skip the 5 dollar coffees at Starbucks.

 

Perhaps in the long term, you can move to a more urban/suburban area so you can take evening classes.

 

Mike