Back in class

[Guest venecha]

Well, I just had to share this. After a VERY long hiatus, I started ballet at a studio in SC. I signed up for two classes, one on Thursday and one on Saturday. The thursday class is a Ballet 2 class with teenagers (and younger). I was so sore after the class, and didn't realize what bad shape I got myself into! It was a lot of fun though, and none of the kids made fun of me and my 'Rhino' dancing (to coin a phrase used by someone else here recently).

 

The saturday class was a Combo class. I thought that meant that it was adult beginner and intermediate ballet. However, I get there and it was a jazz/tap class. Oops! Didn't I feel silly in my pink tights and slippers! It was a lot of fun, though. Now I have to decide if I am going to drop that class to pick up another ballet class, or try to wheedle another evening out of the house from my husband. ERP!

 

Anyone have hints on how to convince their spouse that you need more time out? I work and my DH stays home with our daughters (2 and 4). Feel kind of bad, since he doesn't get out much. Any advice??

[Guest Tibbit]

I can sympathize, sort of. Well, I dance four nights a week right now and aerobics Sat. morning. My hubby sure does whine a lot about it. He certainly likes the shape I am getting into though. I am down a clothing size already and my arms and legs look pretty darn good at this point. Maybe you can use that to motivate hubby to let you go.

Perhaps even try to convince him to take a class with you. Maybe that combo class. Most men will at least try tap. I guess they don't find it as "feminine" as ballet. (hubby says, "I couldn't tell my friends I took a ballet class", but he might tap) Men are just so stuck in their ways. I wish they would figure out how hard it all is.

Anyway, great to hear you started back again and good luck convincing hubby to let you dance.

[Guest luna]

Tibbit has a good suggestion. My husband used to complain about the cost of my dance classes. Then I got him to take tap at the same studio--and now he understands that it's money well spent. It's fun, healthy, and now something we can do together!

[Guest dancerwannabe]

If my significant other would go to class with me I'd faint of shock! I'm just trying to get him to take yoga class with me and that's impossible!

[Guest luna]

Dancerwannabe,

Well, it did take a while, I'll admit. The first step was volunteering him to help out backstage with sets during performances. The next step was for my dance teacher to ask him to wear the "horse of many changing colors" with me in an "Oz" production (I was the back end). He also consented to partner me in the polka with the other citizens of Oz. Eventually, after another year of prodding, he agreed that he would try out a tap dance class with me, since there were some other married couples in it. Turned out he LOVED it (the musician in him loves the rhythms). You never know! Sometimes they can surprise you!

Chris

[Guest venecha]

I've been trying to convince him that he doesn't have to wear tights and that it would be a lot of fun. So far, no luck. But I am very persistant. Have to keep working on it! Thanks for the advice!

[Guest tournout]

Though I had no luck convincing my husband to take ballet or tap or jaz or yoga, I finally succeeded in getting him to take a Latin dance class with me. My parents were visiting and we all decided to go together. It was a beginner class, the instructor was amazing, and my husband loved the music, as well as the drinks we always went out for afterwards on the walk back to our apartment. That was one of our favorite things we ever did together.

[Guest piccolo]

Same here. I got my husband to go to 8 weeks of Salsa classes with me. I think he enjoyed it, too -- some of the moves came in handy at weddings.

 

In case you can't convince him to try dance, though, can you come up with some kind of compromise where you take your ballet classes 3x a week and he gets to have his "me-time" 3x a week, while you take care of your daughters? He could play basketball with his friends, go for a run, sit on the beach, whatever his fancy. Then, he can't complain about your time because he has his own time to do what he wants.

[Guest venecha]

That is a good idea! Since we just moved to the area, it would give him time to explore and find things he likes to do!

 

Thank you everyone for your advice!

[Boots]

Hi Venecha,

I also have hubby issues - although I have to say he has been VERY supportive. He knows how much I love to dance and he really likes to come watch me at recitals, and was just over the moon when I danced in a "real" concert. He has also become a supporter of the local dance scene and likes to go to local concerts with me.

 

This is not to say that he doesn't miss having me around, and I often feel guilty that I'm off at class so often. I try to make up for it by making a nice dinner, or going for a walk with him, etc. It really helps if your partner has something that they are into - they can understand the obsession. Mine likes to bike, so sometimes when I'm at class he's fixing his bike or off on a ride. I used to try to go for rides with him until my bike got stolen :mad: But we've put that on the list of things to save for, and once i've got a bike again I'm going to try to go for rides with him again so that we can share something else. We've also tried taking classes together - swing - and we had a great time, but never managed to find the time to go out and dance after the class was over. We keep saying we're going to take up Salsa....

 

Have you ever asked your husband if there was something (dance, non dance) that he has **always** wanted to try? Maybe it's rock climbing, or painting, or civil war re-enactment, or whatever. Maybe he needs to get out there and do the thing he's always wanted to do so that he can understand how important this is to you.

[Guest venecha]

It is interesting what he wants to do...1 is to take up racketball again (his dad used to own a club and he was really good) but there are no courts nearby.

 

And (get this) he wants to learn blacksmithing!? Very hot and difficult work. I am trying to find someone to teach him, and kind of surprise him with it.

 

He also likes to golf, but says it is too expensive (I don't think he realizes what I spend on dance class...erp) I think this will all work out.

[Guest venecha]

Had another ballet class yesterday. I've decided that the class for younger students is much more intense than the ones for adults. But I digress...I mention to my hubby that I would be switching my tap/jazz class to a ballet class, and he said 'Why are you going to do that?'. When I told him that I thought he'd get grouchy if I was out of the house 3 days a week, he said 'Well, if that is what you want to do, that is okay with me'. YIPEE! I am going at lunch today to buy my shoes (before he re-thinks his position *snicker*)

 

Thanks to Everyone!

Venecha