Back in Ballet Class

[Marcelle]

Hi Jamie,

Welcome back, haven't seen you around for awhile. Glad to hear you are back at ballet as I know you were really enjoying it.

Hugs

Isha

[CamillaCD]

Glad to hear you're back, 4 months is a long time. I haven't stopped, still doing two classes a week (90 minutes each), plus an hour at home in the weekend.

[JamieG]

Thanks, everyone for your encouragement and sharing your own stories.

If I thought I could take up ballet and develop a physique like yours without it killing me stone dead in one lesson, I'd do it tomorrow...

You make me blush, Katey. I don't know how much ballet has helped my physique, but it certainly has improved my balance and grace.

Jamie, as a person with two left feet, no rhythm, and incredible inflexibility, i admire your willingness to endure the demanding discipline of ballet!

I once had two left feet myself. After four years of ballet, I wouldn't claim to have a proper left and right yet, but two left feet is no longer true. Maybe two left and a right?

Good for u, Jamie! Practice may NOT "make perfect", but it certainly "makes improvement"!

True. If we don't practice, there's no way to get better.

oh nice! I am also looking to return to Ballet and hopefully next season will join. My friend has found a good adult class (god they are rare... who thought of the idea of mixing aerobics with ballet and call it adult ballet classes????) In my previous class in another town we also had a few men joining us. It was lovely. The younger girls were a bit apprehensive of having a guy in class (well 16 years old teenagers are just well 16 year old teenagers ha!) but the rest was bring it on... there can be more!

Thanks. Yes, I've been lucky to find an a really good adult class. There's a big focus on technique and a clear intent that the exercises learned at the barre prepare you for the moves steps during center work. Also, everyone has been so friendly and supportive. And although at times I've been the only "man" in class, we've had as many as four at one time. BTW, always good to hear from a GG! Thanks for joining the forum.

Glad to hear you're back, 4 months is a long time. I haven't stopped, still doing two classes a week (90 minutes each), plus an hour at home in the weekend.

That's great Camilla! You must be making great strides with that much practice time.

[CamillaCD]

I wouldn't say great strides. It may be that I have reached a skill level where getting better requires more one-on-one tutoring.

[Sarah V]

Jamie: So glad to hear about your classes again. What was your 4-month break for?

We are just finishing up our spring semester and then will roll right into our summer session. Same class, it just keeps on going, and going, and going. Our class has shrunk a bit and we are now back down to a core group of about 5 adults. Class is still going wonderfully though. Our school's recital is in a few weeks, and we adults will most likely volunteer to help out like we did for their Cracked Nut last winter......I had a blast doing that BTW. We were talking about the schools upcoming recital in class yesterday and our instructor told us she was contemplating expanding the recital next year, and it got us adults thinking about if we should ask her if we might be able to do a small simple piece in it for ourselves. We will see. But so glad to hear from you again. Keep on Dance'n !!

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Jamie , That sounds like a wonderful time I love to watch the Ballet .
If I was 50yrs younger and 100lbs lighter that would be a lot of fun.

[JamieG]

Last night I did a double class: my regular ballet plus the subsequent jazz class as a makeup for a class I mentioned earlier. I felt really good during the ballet class. The teacher even remarked that my dancing was much improved, and that I had a "just go for it" attitude that was needed to dance well. We worked more on pirouettes and I'm getting closer, although I still haven't perfected them yet. My goal is to nail that before this session ends. During the stretches, the teacher spent some time with me, and tried to get me to do the side splits, but I'm not ready yet. I got further than I have since I lost them, but then I felt a sharp pull in my left thigh and had to give up before I could get my chest to the floor.

The jazz class was difficult. The steps were faster than those we learn in ballet and the combinations require remembering more steps. I really wasn't able to keep up with either of the two combinations we learned. One thing that bothered me was that there were different arm movements for the guys (i.e., me as there were no other guys in either class). I didn't like be singled out, and of course, I would be happy to be included with the girls. I did well during the stretches so that at least gave me something positive to focus on from the class. Despite not being very good at it, I do enjoy the music we dance to in jazz better. The steps are more modern and, unlike ballet, some could even be used if I went out dancing in a club.

[Katey888]

Jamie - I still feel it's totally admirable that you choose to do this for fitness, poise and posture...

I remain completely in awe and envy, and still exhausted from just reading about it... I'd love to be able to find a local class to do it here - chances are it probably remains one of those 'female only' bastions... So I'll just have to content myself with reading about what you do... :D

Keep working on that pirouette!

Katey x

[JamieG]

I bought myself some new dance tights for my birthday, and debuted them in my class this week. Normally, mens tights are black. However these tights from Wear Moi are grey and also quite soft, especially compared to the scratchy mens tights from Capezio. I was a little self-conscious in them, as the light grey tends to show not only muscle tone but also every bulge.

We only had 8 people in class, which meant we each got personal attention, but also meant that the teacher worked us really hard. We had a week off, and I think it showed, 'cause was a little rusty. I got more corrections than kudos, but at least she liked some of my work. There was one combo at the bar that had some fast footwork that I had trouble with. But when we repeated it to the other side, I was told that I did much better. She also liked my developpe during a slow combination on the floor. We did pirouettes again, and I think I took a step backwards. She even tried to help me by giving a push as I began my spin. Our last dance was a combo that ended with grande jetes (running leaps) across the floor. Sometimes I got it, and other times I found myself leaping off the wrong foot.

Despite trying to drink plenty water, I had a few muscle cramps during class. And by the end, I was sweating profusely. So I guess I at least got a good workout, even if my dancing wasn't as beautiful as I would have liked.

BTW, Katey except in very small towns you should be able to find a school willing to have a male-bodied person in class. Most instructors and serious students realize that ballet needs more men and they tend to be very encouraging. After all, isn't the UK the home of Billy Elliot? Or you could just go as Katey, which would probably be more fun!

[Sarah V]

Jamie: My classes are continuing as well, but very small attendance at adult summer classes, as a lot of folks are taking the summer off, and I myself have had to do some unexpected traveling for work again, so I have missed many more than I had wanted to. Hopefully things will return to normal in the fall as far as who is in class. Small classes are nice, I get a lot more attention and correction, which I can always use, but the class seems to drag on without all my acquaintences. Enjoy your new dance things........and of course, Happy Birthday!!!

And hey......don't make fun of my scratchy Capezio men's tights!! Funny enough for my home practice I have just tried my fist pair of ladies Capezio convertible tights and I just love them!!!

[mechamoose]

Despite trying to drink plenty water, I had a few muscle cramps during class. And by the end, I was sweating profusely. So I guess I at least got a good workout, even if my dancing wasn't as beautiful as I would have liked.

You need to keep your sodium & potassium levels up, hon. It will help prevent cramps. Can you bring Gatorade or snacks into the hall? If so, you should. (banana chips and salted peanuts are my favorites)

I miss ballet. I kind of substituted it with kung-fu later, but I miss the *expression* that ballet has. With compressed discs (from doing kf jumps & landings for so long) and bone spurs, it isn't an option now.

Thank you for the 'diary' you are keeping here

- MM

[Linda E. Woodworth]

Hi Jamie,

I finally found a pair of ballet slipper but they turned out to be too small. I've been wearing them in the hopes the leather will stretch out but no such luck so far. I've got a pair of canvas slippers coming from Discount Dance Supply.

I moved up to the Intermediate class starting in June but with family commitments I haven't made as many classes as I would have liked. Even so I found I was ready for the class and enjoy taking it. Last class I actually thought I looked graceful at times instead of a flailing whale.

Nicole, I'm envious of you taking pointe class and hope to some day. I'm in no way ready for that though.

Camila, I practice at the house about 1 hour a week and then the class is usually 90 minutes long. I'd like to take more classes but they're in the evenings and I don't want to tie up that many nights every week.

Sarah, thank you for the wonderful suggestion about dancing together with Jamie. Unfortunately I feel I'm a long way from being able to do that.

Unfortunately girls I must return to work and I'll be leaving the country for 2 1/2 months starting next week. I'll practice my barre work in my room when I can but center work isn't practical. Also, I don't have any access to this web site as the company controls all the computers while I'm on the job.

Enjoy the classes and I'll be back around Thanksgiving!

Love,
Linda W.

[Sarah V]

Ms. Linda: I am sure I can say for all of us, we will be waiting for you to get back in touch with us here after your work assignment. Do practice as much as you can, many hotels that I stay in for my business trips have a ballet barre' installed in their hotel gym/work-out room, and many also have mirror's on the wall so you can check your alignments. You might get lucky and have one too, so do check it out where you are staying. Do travel safely also.

[JamieG]

This week's ballet class went well. There were a few combinations that I was a little lost on at the outset, but figured them out before we finished them. Our work across the floor was very fast paced and I even got a compliment on one such combination, which is rare. The floor is where I usually struggle, especially with fast triple meter music as this was. We had a few new students in class, including one guy. Not much else to report. Til next week...