Are You Ever Too Old To Learn Ballet?
Ballet has always been the basis for all dance forms yet I never got the opportunity to learn it like most little girls do at a young age. As I grew older I still yearned to learn that beautiful dance form. The beautiful bodies of those ballerinas were an envy for sore eyes. Tall and lean bodies supported by incredible legs and glutes. Tiny waists, flat abdominals, toned arms and their absurd posture was the definition of grace and beauty. To see the Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Le Corsaire and other similar shows just gave me more enthusiasm to learn ballet.
My first trial was at a dance studio known to have professional ballerinas attend every class. I signed up to try the beginner class and I was completely lost from the moment I walked in the room. There were women as young as 18 years old and as young as late 60’s. The verbiage used in the class made me feel as if I was one of the cast members of the Twilight Show. I only knew the basic Plie and Releve but could not keep up with the additional instruction given to the class. The instructor was strict and to the point without welcoming any horseplay or dumbfounded faces. I walked out of the class sore and confused with little need to come back for more.
Shortly after, a new studio opened up near my apartment and I pushed myself to try it again. There were only two of us in the class which made it engaging and intimate. The instructor was in her 60’s but showcased such grace and flexibility that it made me want to learn much more. Seeing a woman in her sixties being able to releve, arabesque, touch her feet and jump in the air with such grace and wisdom demonstrated that you are never too old to do what you love. I may not look like a ballerina as I do my Allegros in the class but in my mind, I am soaring like one. I know I will never be a performer in a classical ballet show but at least I was able to attempt something I always wanted to learn. I hope you too can take the leap and try something you’ve always wanted to do.
