Black Swan (2010)
Have you ever wished that you could could’ve been a ballerina at the age of four? Or wished you could pirouette the way Natalie Portman did in the movie Black Swan?
Well, it’s really not too late. We’ve all heard the myth that adults can’t learn ballet because their joints aren’t as flexible as it would be when you’re a child. And while it is somewhat a little true, it’s still never too late to learn a little ballet.On top of it being a form of exercise, ballet’s a great way to help your body move gracefully, while tightening your body to the fundamental techniques of ballet. The trick of it all is to find a the right school.
Where do I start?
You’ll want to have goals when you start ballet. Think about what your expectations are when you take ballet and work on those goals. Did you want to do it to relieve stress? To gain strength? To work on your body balance, or perhaps to live your dreams as a ballerina like you always wanted to? These are some of the things you can discuss with your ballet instructor. And the biggest step to doing this is to actually step out and go for the class.
What if I’m not good enough?
Some of us are intimidated by other dancers who look like they’ve had years of dance experience if not ballet, and it can be quite demotivating. The trick? Stop feeling intimidated and observe them as somewhat like a mentor. Other than that, you can always talk to other students in the class. Adults who aim to dance for the sake of dancing aren’t competitive, and you’ll be surprised to know that learning ballet with other adults can be very encouraging.
What do I wear?
With ballet, you need to skip the yoga pants and invest in a good pair of tights or leggings. That aside, a comfortable leotard will come in handy. If you’re not comfortable wearing it out, then just wear a fitted t-shirt over it. Keep your clothing form fitting so that your instructor can observe that your body is making the right move and help you make the proper corrections. And if you need to buy some affordable and durable ballet slippers, you can pop over to Payless Shoe Source to get yourself the right pair.
Will I be able to en pointe?
It is extremely difficult for an adult to be able to en pointe, but it’s not impossible. The only reason it’s tough is because you’ll be holding all of your weight on your toes, which of course, going to be painful. But with the right technique, determination and most of all proper pointe shoes, you can possibly see yourself in en pointe. Mastering the en pointe can take years of training to be proficient, but you may be able to master it.
Where can I do it?
You can approach Dancepot in Setapak to try your hands at adult ballet. They even offer a free trial so you can have a go to see if it’s something you’d be interested in. Remember, it doesn’t hurt to try, so set all your fears aside and just do it!
