Still having a blast with ballet

[JamieG]

Those who know me know I've been taking ballet lessons since 2010. When I started, I reported my experiences regularly here for a while, but it's been about a year since I last provided an update. This summer I started the Ballet II classes offered by my instructor. Because these are adult classes with short three month terms and lots of turnover in students, there's not a steady progression in training. When I first took Ballet I, I felt completely lost. Likewise, the step up from Ballet I to Ballet II is significant. I found the first class to be very difficult, but each subsequent week I felt like I was picking up more and more. And the more comfortable I get with it, the more fun I am having. The floor exercises feel like real ballet dancing, with plenty of graceful turns, dips, and leaps. Most of the class are young women, and many of them dress in the traditional black leotards and pink tights. However, there are 2-3 men in the class, depending on the night. And even though I dance with the other guys, I can't help but feel a strong connection to my feminine side while dancing. Most of the times, we dance the exact same steps as the women, although we are expected to jump higher. I've loved ballet from the moment I started, but, incredibly, I love it even more now. If I had the time, I'd be in multiple classes a week, and traveling for summer dance camps. I may even be more obsessed with it than crossdressing at this point!

[SherriePall]

Jamie -- And it is keeping you in tip-top shape to wear those things we all love, right?
Glad to hear that you're keeping up and loving it, too. Right now I couldn't do one twirl or dip without collapsing>

[Lana Mae]

sorry I am with Sherrie, I would collapse !! However, I do have a yellow belt in Tae Kwon Do! But that was a few years ago when I was more limber!!! You go Jamie and do this for yourself and all us old stiff people!! LOL Hugs Lana Mae

[SexySarah0727]

I love taking ballet classes! I took classes with the Official School of NJ ballet for almost 2 years in my early 20's. I loved the teachers there.

Only reason I stopped was an accident messed up my back and then work took over my life and I couldn't find the time to make it to classes. I've recently been looking for places closer to where I live/work now to start going again.

[Linda E. Woodworth]

Hi Jamie,

I've been home since the end of January and taking classes 1 to 2 times per week as my other hobbies allow. I'm still struggling with my pirouettes but I have seen a definite improvement in my technique over time.

One of the male dancers in the advanced class asked if I would be moving up any time soon. I think he would like to see other males in the class with him. I do want to move up and the Dancing Master has told me that he's throwing me in the deep end when he thinks I'm ready. Maybe next year?

I return to work in early September and will be gone until some time in December.

[SexySarah0727]

Jamie and Linda, I take you both are going as males to the classes?

I've been debating on whether to go as male or female when I find a studio to take lessons at.

[Linda E. Woodworth]

Hi Sarah,

Yes, I have always been enrolled as a male and dressed accordingly. I'm usually older than all the other students put together! Even if I was "out" I don't know if I'd attend class as Llinda.

I do practice at home dressed as Linda and discovered that I have to take the breast forms "out" before starting. I was learning how to balance and move with the extra weight on my chest. When I attempted to repeat the steps in class as a male my balance was off.

[JamieG]

Jamie -- And it is keeping you in tip-top shape to wear those things we all love, right?
Glad to hear that you're keeping up and loving it, too. Right now I couldn't do one twirl or dip without collapsing>

Yes, this is the only real exercise I get. I hate lifting weights and jogging, but I love dance. An added benefit is the increased flexibility was a big help in achieving some of the poses for my latest transformation photoshoot.

sorry I am with Sherrie, I would collapse !! However, I do have a yellow belt in Tae Kwon Do! But that was a few years ago when I was more limber!!! You go Jamie and do this for yourself and all us old stiff people!! LOL Hugs Lana Mae

Some of the ladies in my Ballet I class are in their 60s. You are never too old for ballet, although you'll probably want to avoid jetes (big leaps) and such.

Hi Jamie,

I've been home since the end of January and taking classes 1 to 2 times per week as my other hobbies allow. I'm still struggling with my pirouettes but I have seen a definite improvement in my technique over time.

One of the male dancers in the advanced class asked if I would be moving up any time soon. I think he would like to see other males in the class with him. I do want to move up and the Dancing Master has told me that he's throwing me in the deep end when he thinks I'm ready. Maybe next year?

I return to work in early September and will be gone until some time in December.

Always good to hear from you, Linda. Pirouettes are one of the things I'm hoping to improve in this more advanced class. I hope your dancing continues to improve too!

Jamie and Linda, I take you both are going as males to the classes?

I've been debating on whether to go as male or female when I find a studio to take lessons at.

Yes, I attend classes in male mode, and no one in the class knows I identify as a crossdresser. As a class for adults, there is no required uniform. I wear mens tights with a stretchy performance tee and black ballet slippers. I have a wide variety of tights that I alternate through: black M. Stevens, grey Sansha, and black Capezios. I have a tank, thong-back mens leotard that I'll sometime wear in lieu of a dance belt (under my tights, of course). I also have a black, footless tank unitard, and in the winter I'll sometimes wear my long-sleeve black unitard that was the base for my Catwoman costume a while back. When I go with that last look, I throw a white short sleeve shirt over top to "butch" it up a little.

[Sarah V]

Hi Jamie!! Good to hear from you!! Thanks so much for the update! Good to hear things are things are still going well with your training too.

Yes, it's been awhile, and I had wondered how long our last ballet thread here was going to last (before it died out) between the 4-5 of us regulars who take adult ballet regularly.

For an update about me:

1.) Well not much dance going on for me now, except for home practice, as I am off class for the summer, as most of us are. I am just getting ready to soon get back in the right mind set to start another year's class coming up at the end of August.

2.) I need to find a new school/studio, as the studio I was at for the last 4-5 yr.'s closed at the end of the spring semester due to the studio's owner getting re-married and moving with her new husband back to the east coast for his work. She had confided in me over 2 yr's ago, (as her relationship with this guy was developing so nicely) that this was something she was contemplating, so I knew it probably one day was going to happen. Sadly, that day came--she was an excellent adult instructor.

3.) I have completed about 1.5 yr's of pointe work with a private instructor I found, (after a lot of searching for a teacher who would work with a guy). And after all this time, I am just now moving out of being a absolute beginner on-pointe and I am finally getting comfortable with it. So I am looking forward to a fruitful fall to start improving more with my pointe work.

and finally 4.) I only stayed retired for about a year, and have gone back to work part-time, though my position has me working in the later afternoons' to early evening's 4 days a week. So since I now have to search out a new studio anyway that teaches adults (See #2 above), but I now will need to find one that will also have classes that are conducive to my work hours, or else I might have to bite the bullet and make the decision to start doing private lessons which can get $$$ spendy $$$ over time.

In other ballet news for all of us, I keep in-touch on-line with Ms. Linda E. (above post) and she is well. Linda has been on an extended break from her work, and has been at home. She is still enjoying her ballet studies as much as we both are. I have also been able to meet on-line (in some other forums) a few other older adult ballet hobbyist's who enjoy our pastime.

Let's all continue to say in-touch there Ms. Jamie. Have a great summer!

[SIZE=1]- - - Updated - - -[/SIZE]

Hi Ms. Sarah!!

FYI upfront, I too like Ms Jamie and Ms Linda take class as a male/guy--always have and probably (though a bit sadly) always will. It's the joy I get from dancing and being in class with other adults (mostly ladies) where I can connect it with the feminine side of me. As for dress for regular class, for me it is the traditional dance-belt, men's tights (though I only wear black ones), any t-shirt, men's soft flat shoes, and that's it. I wear a pair of tan Arie sweat pants to travel to/from the studio and to warm up in for the fist part of class while at the barre before I take them off for final barre and work in the center. For my home practice, I only wear ladies dance things.

GREAT to hear you want to start back up with ballet! If you loved it back in your twenties (I started in my late 20's) you will find you still love it when you get back. Depending on where you live it may be hard to find a school/studio that teaches adults.

Don't fret too much on life and work getting in the way of your ballet studies.
That happens to the best of us and is, in fact, quite a common a issue that almost all us adult ballet learner's (male/female/TG or not) have to deal with. I have started and stopped class many times due to a work career in military that moved me around the country frequently, and which also, due to my profession/career, saw me on-the-road for years with a heavy world-wide work related travel schedule. They only great thing about that was I got to see performances of many of the world's greatest ballet companies!!

But do be persistent in your search and I do encourage you to start class again. I am sure you will find a quality instructor out there. If you have any questions you want to ask about adult classes or restarting class do feel free to PM me here. Good luck with it!

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Jamie, I have followed your progress all along, You are just AMAZING......

[JamieG]

Thought I'd give a quick update. It looks my progress from my original post was an illusion. I've had two more classes since then, and neither went as well as that one. I frequently felt lost and clumsy. I don't know if it was me or if the lessons were harder. I did eat a quarter pounder a few hours before the last class, and that probably didn't help. ;-)