Nédar Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 (edited) Hello everybody !! I'm all new to this forum and first off i wanted to apologize because I didn't find the section in which I should introduce myself before posting and because I'm French and so my english isn't that good... So I'm a 21 years old girl from south of France and after 10 years of dancing and a 4 years break, I want to practise ballet again but I'm afraid about starting again I lost a lot of flexibility, strenght etc... I'm gonna practise 3 times a week in an advanced program and yep, it get's me nervous (yet i can't wait to start haha). So i registered here to find people in the same situation as I am, or just adult dancers, or actually whoever is dancing and can give me tips about how to improve flexibility, arches so I can fully go on ponte (I've quite flat arches and I'd love to improve, even a tiny bit ^^), exercises I can do at home and maybe find a partner to discuss dance, to motivate each other and to share our doubts, fears, joys etc.... Thank you all for ready, I hope to hear from you soon !! Nédar Edited September 7, 2017 by Nédar 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 Hello Nédar and welcome to the Forum! We have a lot of adult dancers who contribute and offer support for each other. I have added a tag to the top of this thread so that you can click on that and find some of the previous postings. Most of our members are in the UK so if you are based in France we probably can't recommend any specific classes. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 Bienvenue, Nédar :) I was wondering if the Dansomanie website might be of help to you? I can't remember whether they discuss actually doing dance as well as watching it. Apart from that, then yes, certainly we're happy to discuss our dance journeys with you. I didn't start doing ballet until I was an adult, myself, but there are others who danced as a child and then came back to it much later, and I'm sure they'll be in touch. And don't worry about your English - it looks fine to me! I'm certain I wouldn't be wanting to discuss my dancing in French 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate_N Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 (edited) Welcome! There are several adult students here of varying experience. I've just come back from my first class after a 4 week summer break, and my main advice is to take it slowly. Even if you are of an advanced standard (I'm somewhere between intermediate & advanced), your return to dance meeds to go slowly. That way you can work on building strength slowly, and also, try to work on errors & difficulties with technique you may have had before. I always think that returning after a break is an opportunity to return with cleaner technique. Starting again, and simply - not doing to many fussy or fancy things at first, but going for good spinal alignment, steady level hips, neutral pelvis, relaxed shoulders, neck & head. Not thinking too much about leg height but thinking about the action of the foot along the floor. Can you do some conditioning outside of class? Walking, swimming, Pilates, running, weights in the gym - these all build strength and help you get to know the mechanics of your body. In terms of pointe work, I think you'd need to have been doing regular classes - 3 or 4 per week, for at least 2 years, to develop the body strength and control of your alignment - you need to be really confident about pirouettes on demi-pointe, for example, before attempting them on pointe. And you'd need to have good control of your hips and legs, as well as a supple and relaxed upper body to look ok on pointe. I really hate seeing adults going on pointe when they can't control their movements - seeing relevés with bent knees, shoulders hitched up in pirouettes on pointe, & so on - it's damaging for your feet and not good for your technique. Edited September 7, 2017 by Kate_N Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colman Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 Yup, take it easy going back: you're still young, but you're still in danger of pushing muscles and joints that aren't as strong as they were when you danced. You'll remember your technique but you may not be strong enough to execute it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rach B Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 I'm just returning to ballet properly for the first time in about 10 years, so can relate to what you're saying I've dabbled in adult classes a few times but finally taken the plunge and gone back to an Intermediate and Grade 7 class (having previously studied Adv 1/2). It's interesting being in a class with girls half my age - but a great challenge!! I particularly enjoy the coaching videos by Claudia Dean on YouTube - if you've already got a sound understanding of technique, you may find them a useful way to work on strength, flexibility and technique at home 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted September 10, 2017 Share Posted September 10, 2017 Welcome to the forum, Rach B, and good luck with the return to ballet! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rach B Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 Thanks Alison! 😊 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Token Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 Hi everyone I'm 35 and about 18 months ago I returned to ballet after a break of almost 15 years. I love it and a couple of months ago my dance teacher agreed to let me join the pointe class. I started dancing aged 4 so my ballet technique is pretty good and my teacher says my feet are strong and I have capable ankles (whatever that means) l used to do pointe, only at a basic level, but I'm much less fitter and less flexible than I used to be. l can see slight improvements every week and I know it's going to take time to progress off the barre but I'm wondering if it is leg strength or core strength that is most critical in pointe work? I'm trying to tailor my exercise rountine to compliment my ballet (and maybe I'm spurred on by the fact that I'm the oldest in the class by at least 10 years!) Also does the size of your feet have any bearing on your ability to do pointe work? I've often wondered because I have really big feet. (Uk8 I'm also 5'8" so tower over my fellow dancers! My teacher says it shouldn't make a difference but I'm sure I have to pull up so much further than everyone else! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 Hello Token and welcome to the Forum! I've merged your thread with this recent one also about an adult restarting ballet. You will see that it has a tag at the top. If you click on the tag it will bring up links to other threads related to adult ballet. We have quite a few adult dance members. Do keep joining in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate_N Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 I'd say it's about core strength and alignment. That's what holds you up, on pointe, demi, or flat. Yes, leg strength is necessary, but working on alignment and core in tandem is important. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 Agree with Kate but definitely think it's a little harder for taller dancers!! Are you in the London or Home Counties area? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Token Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 Hi I'm based near Manchester. Definitely going to work on my core. It's probably my weakest area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colman Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 I’d vote for spending limited time on core (though I’m becoming enamoured of weights too: raw strength is really useful). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 feet size isn't that much of an issue at size 8 ... as 8 / 9 is considered by retailers to be the largest 'normal' size for ladies footwear. It seems most of the mainstream pointe brands are stocked to 8 / 8 1/2 / 9 routinely by many sellers unlike those blessed/cursed with larger feet who pointe wise are 'stuck' with custom make from Freed or off the shelf from Sansha (as their unique to them sizing system goes up to their '16' which is a UK 11 iirc as an 8 you'd probably be a 13 in sansha whether flats , soft blocks or pointe ( or importing GMs from the states / custom ordering from UK stockists as they are available in larger sizes apparently women of african descent tend to have larger fett than white women ). i'm still relatively new to this all but i'd agree that core stength is important and Kate makes a good point that what keeps you up whether flat demi or on pointe is alignment and core strength, it sounds that psychologically and practically you feel you'd be starting from scratch with pointe ... ( but you'll never know if the muscle memory stuff will kick in unless and until you get fitted ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nédar Posted September 20, 2017 Author Share Posted September 20, 2017 Thank you everybody for your messages (I've been away from internet for a few weeks and I'm so sorry to answer that late) I started last week, I'm gonna take 4 classes per week (2h of floor barre and 3h of barre/milieu (I don't know the name in english), in an advanced class with very few students (we were 3 last week and I was alone this week). Any exercices/advices for improving arches, en dehors and legs line ? To Kate_N, I practice horseback riding as well, but I'm not sure it helps with ballet (I feel it's the other way round haha) To Alison, sadly dansomanie is only for dance lovers but not dancers... I can't find a french forum where the last message is actually recent and not from 2011... That's why I am here hehe, mostly looking for someone to share our experiences with ballet, exercices, improvings etc... To Rach B, thank you, I'll check her videos as soon as I can Have all a nice day/night and again, thank you for replying ! Bisous bisous ! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Red_Shoes Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 Hi everyone, I've been lurking for a while and thought I'd join in and introduce myself now. Greetings to all the other adult returners. I started taking an adult ballet class at the beginning of this year after a gap of 20 years. I've been so inspired by you adult dancers out there that I've just joined an RAD syllabus class. And also signed up for the Leeds Ballet Retreat and some RAD rep workshops. I really wanted to start with Intermediate Foundation, but there isn't one running locally, so I'm taking an Intermediate class and an Advanced 1 class. Not that I expect ever to take the Advanced 1 examination! However, the Inter girls will be taking their exam in the spring and then they will start on the Grade 7 syllabus and I really want to do that. Meanwhile I'm trying to get back into form, bearing in mind that at 64 some things will never come back. However my new teacher did say that I'm "a beautiful dancer" and I'm really chuffed about that. Actually I think I'm a very skilled and experienced bluffer. I don't know if I've ever met any of you in Real Life but I may have done, as I was with Chelsea Ballet way back when. In fact, I see this is their 50th anniversary year and I danced in their 25th anniversary Gala. It's quite alarming how the time has flown! See you! Maureen 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munchkin16 Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 If you search for arch exercises on YouTube I'm sure something might come up but the best thing I've found is lots and lots of tendus, really working through the feet. A theraband, the stretchy resistance band type things, are also really good for improving strength and you can carefully stretch the foot a little with them too. Again YouTube might have some good videos as examples. Good luck with your classes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 Hello TRS and welcome to the Forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 On 20/09/2017 at 21:09, Nédar said: I started last week, I'm gonna take 4 classes per week (2h of floor barre and 3h of barre/milieu (I don't know the name in english) I assume that's barre and centre practice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 Hi T-R-S I will send you a PM as I may know you from Chelsea Ballet! I was at their 50th Anniversay Dinner in July and saw lots of former members hadn't seen for years!! Im a little older than you so we may have just missed each other...not sure I danced with them from 1973 to about 1984 but always go to see their shows when I can. On Nov18th this year over in Richmond ( London) there is the 50th Anniversary performance ....a matinee and evening. I will be in touch! Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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