Going back to ballet.

[Fiz]

I am going back to ballet. I am 54 and am now a size 16. Last year I decided to withdraw from valium and it was horrendous, even though done under a doctor's care. The withdrawal symptoms have only just stopped. You have all helped to keep me sane. I am very nervous, as it is five years since I did any dance, but I want to tone up and will swim if I can't dance. I need a little friendly encouragement!

[Aurora]

Go for it, it's never too late

[mimi'smom]

Well done to you Fiz - I am sure you will find great joy in returning to dance (are you like me and dance away in the kitchen when you think no-one is looking?) Let us know how it goes and have fun!

 

Angela x

[afab]

I wish I were as brave as you... Good luck!

[Anjuli_Bai]

Go for it Fiz - but go at it easily and in stages. Allow your body time to acclimate. You've been through a very trying experience. Do this for the fun of it - think of it as a well earned dessert. Just enjoy.

[porthesia]

Go for it. You are far braver than me - I'm contemplating doing a bit of Zumba but that will be in the privacy of my lounge, with the blinds down using the Wii so that nobody can see me.

[Karen]

Would love to do that! Good for you - enjoy!

[Regattah]

I'm so pleased for you Fiz! I danced for several years as an adult until a lack of time forced me to stop. When I retire (haha lol!) you won't be able to keep me out of the studio!

 

Enjoy!

[Tulip]

Good luck Fiz, have a brilliant time doing your ballet, and a massive congratulations with your recovery. Life is for living, so go and live it.

[primrose]

Fiz its lovely that you are doing something that you love and that it is something for yourself. We give so much of ourselves to others including our children and partners. I am really pleased that you are now recovering from your illness and think what a very brave lady you are.

[Lisa O`Brien]

Nice one Fiz. I have been thinking along the same lines myself. I am 44, size 18,and had major surgery about 8 months ago. Although i often pat myself on the back for neither smoking,drinking or gambling in any way,shape or form,my addiction to chocolate these last few years has really got out of hand.!! Was thinking of either Zumba or an adult ballet class, but i`m so out of condition i wouldn`t know where to start. I did try swimming for a few months before i became ill [Gallstone-Pancreatitis], but unfortunately i kept on swallowing mouthfuls of water each time, which would then go down the wrong way, which would then have me choking. Needless to say, it has put me off swimming for ever.! But really must do SOMETHING, i know.

[Fiz]

Thank you all! I ordered ballet tights for the first time ever yesterday and did not think they would come in my size, but they do and even larger, to my surprise. Angela, I dance everywhere! The cats and the dogs haven't seen it before but they are going to have to get used to it! Please think of me at 8.15 on Wed!

[Fiz]

thequays, our local dance class is for keeping fit and fun and not beautiful technique! Go for it, if you can find one! Incidentally, I was talking to one of ex DD's ballet teachers once and said that I found a good rule of thumb to see how students would turn out was to look at the parents. She said she did and so did professional dance schools - eek! My poor ex DD!

[tomuchtallent]

go for it!! i saw on youtube a while back a 40 year old start pointe.After that i went to my dd teacher and asked if i could join in her next lesson.She laughed but let me.We dont have any adult classes here!I didnt look to silly as im only 5.1 and a uk size 6 and the kids in my dd class are older than my dd and not far off my height.I know all the girls really well as i teach them musical theatre.I loved it so much,but that 1 lesson was enough for me.If i lived in the UK i would definatly be doing class!

Have a wonderful first lesson and let us know how it went.

[RhodaKuc]

Hi Fiz,

 

So pleased to hear that you are returning to dance!

 

Ballet is such good therapy - one of the reasons I returned after a gap of 22 years was because I felt I was going slightly mad with the stress of work and family, I felt I needed something for me. I was so excited when I went back (after the initial fear of joining a class of older teens/ twenty year olds, there was no adult class at the time). For the time in class I had to concentrate both mentally and physically so no matter what stresses I had on entering the class they were completely banished until the drive home - after I had gone over all the exercises in my head first!

 

For me Ballet has taken over (I still have the full time job and family to deal with but with their support...) I have gone on to take performers exams and now hold my Licentiate teaching qualification.

As well as infants and grade classes I have a particular pride in my Adult ballet class which I have been teaching for a year now - they range from mid to late twenties through to a newly retired gentleman. Their keen approach and willingness to don leo and tights - some for the first time, have resulted in a group of them entering for and passing Adult Ballet Medal exams (Highly Commended and Honours) this Easter. I was thrilled for them and they are such a pleasure to work with.

 

I hope your return to ballet brings you much pleasure - good luck, have fun and let us know how you get on!

 

Best wishes,

 

RK

[glowlight]

thequays

Was thinking of either Zumba or an adult ballet class, but i`m so out of condition i wouldn`t know where to start.

 

Can I suggest starting with walking - its simple and free and so good for general health and fitness and mental health. You can start with as little as you can manage and build it up at your own pace. You don't need any kit and you don't have to expose your body. But once you've got your fitness levels up a bit, then definitely give Zumba or Ballet a go. Zumba can be great fun and very energetic. Some classes are better than others, it depends so much on the teacher. The best class I went to was run by two of dd's friends - both professional dancers, and it was such fun watching them that you didn't really care about what you looked like.

 

Fiz

Good luck with your ballet class. I'm sure you will have a great time. But as Anjuli says don't push it too fast - I was surprised when I did a ballet class a few years ago how stiff I felt compared with when I was younger. One step at a time and you'll be fine I'm sure.

[Kitschqueen_1]

Good luck to you Fiz, I'm sure you will enjoy every minute. I have been doing an adult tap class for fitness and fun for a number of years; Andy Garcia I aint but my a**e and thighs aren't bad for a 50 year old! . I echo what others have said, when I am in that studio I can think of nothing else other than the next step so for that 45 minutes it totally clears my head of all the worries I usually carry round.

Have fun

[Ja Sm]

What inspiring stories! Good luck Fiz and enjoy.

I never danced as child, often wish I had though. However, I am completely in coordinated, so i would be something of a challenge to teach! The gym keeps me fit instead.

[Fiz]

I was given an excellent piece of advice on Twitter yesterday. To enjoy it, but not think about what I used to be able to do. I never had the chance to do much ballet as a child. I wanted to go from the age of 3 but until my mother had been back to the doctor with me for yet another sprained ankle and he said dance would strengthen them. I then had to find my own class. I was ten by then and the lovely teacher I had took two years to do a grade (there were only five then). She said I was too old to do it professionally and what a shame I had not started younger. I was 10. I have done some very easy baby classes, a grade 6 exercise class and was told I could do Grade 3 ISTD five years ago, but I didn't want to dance with lot of wand slim teenagers! Nor did I have the time as my Saturdays were not my own at that time. Mission for now - try to get back to a high demi pointe as I used to do before I tore all the tendons in my feet.

[Anjuli_Bai]

That is good advice - for all of us. We can't think of ourselves and expect of ourselves the things we expected to do years ago. Neither our minds nor our bodies are the same as they were. That is not a negative thing! We may have "lost" some physical prowess - but surely we must have (hopefully!) gained valuable experience.

 

Under the category of not being able to think of anything else during a ballet class (a good thing!) - I remember one day in class when I was in my late 20's, a very good looking young man came up to me during class and asked me if I would go out with him - yes, a date!

 

I remember pausing - my mind utterly taken up with the ballet enchainement we were working on - I knew there was a reason I couldn't accept....as slowly my everyday life came back to me - I said:

 

"Uh - I ...uh......er......don't think so...." "Uh ....I can't...." "Oh....wait....I'm married!" "Yes, I'm married....and I have a kid" "Thank you, no." Duh

 

He probably thought I was daft and was happy I had refused.

[Fiz]

I love you, Anjuli!

[rowan]

I would really like to try some ballet classes but when I mentioned it to my dancing teenager that I might enroll in the adult beginner classes at her dance school, the look of utter horror on her face was something to behold!

[glowlight]

Maybe look for adult classes somewhere else Rowan?

[Janabiyah-Jane]

Good luck with the class tonight Fiz.... x

[Gingerbread]

I'm going to run out of "likes" if I carry on reading this thread!

I'm finding it very inspiring.

 

Like Rowan however i think DD would be appalled - even at the thought of me taking ballet lessons anywhere in the world, let alone in a school she is attending!!

I am actually very very uncoordinated and would be a nightmare to teach and like Ja Sm, I am better suited to the gym.

 

Fiz - have a great time tonight!

[JulieW]

My daughter was fine (I do adult tap at her dance school) until I (jokingly) said that we might be doing something in the school show

 

Incidentally, I'm taking my first ever dance exam, and my first exam in anything at all in 24 years, in the middle of May - keep everything crossed for me that I don't fall over!

 

Enjoy your ballet class Fiz

[taxi4ballet]

I've been doing adult tap too, it's great fun, although I tend to avoid being in the shows - since my dd is in them as well, I usually use the excuse that I want to be in the audience watching!

[Fiz]

Guess who didn't sleep last night? I did a bit this morning , though, so the ironing can wait (the goodness for steam irons!) because I am going to go if it kills me (and it probably will!).

[alison]

Oh, I hope not . Good luck! And have FUN, even if your body can't remember what to do properly!

 

Anjuli - your post was a real coffee-spluttering moment. I was glad I didn't have a mug in my hand!

[wildflowers]

I once dreamt I'd joined DD at her vocational school as a mature student....was more of a nightmare to be honest!! Wonder what all the dream analysts would make of that one! Lol! Good luck Fiz, I'd love to do it but no adult classes near us.

[Fiz]

We have only had adult classes recently. I used to have a long drive if I went before and it didn't seem worth and hour and half's drive to and back for an hour's class. I once dreamed I was on stage at the ROH sing in Donizetti's "L'Elise D'Amour". I can't sing, don't know the words and don't like opera! I don't what I was so stressed about, either! I am now changed and waiting to eat and dying of nerves!

[CeliB]

Hope it was fun! My DS sometimes dances with his old teacher here in Sussex in her adult class- there are a real mixture of people of all shapes sizes and levels of ability from a terrifying brilliant lady who must be knocking 70 to a young(ish) chap who is shorter than me and built like a rugby player- I always think that what is so inspiring about the class is how much they are enjoying it!!

[Fiz]

Oooh, that was hard! So much fun though! My turnout, demi pointe and core strength are lamentable, but I know they will come back. I kept up. The nicest thing of all was that she told somebody else and me that we could get soft blocks in preparation for pointe. This was right at the start of the class and I knew I wasn't ready, so I spoke to her at the end and said I wanted to wait. She agreed, but said that in 2 or 3 terms I would be ready, and that if Judith and I really wanted to learn pointe, she would do an extra class for us! I'm flying!