Ballet for Adults – How to practice it as a grownup
With maturity usually come the wisdom and better understanding of who we are, what we want, and what makes us happy. No matter what age you are, ballet practice offers a wonderfully effective yet versatile way to be active, learn something new overtime, get fitter more effectively than any traditional gym or aerobic activities, and, most importantly it allows to enjoy something that brings a sense of beauty to life at any age!
A few things to remember:
Learn to understand and be in tune with your body. Our body is always changing and evolving one way or another, it can feel a little different each day depending on the weather, nutrition, sleep, activity levels, etc. So it’s important to understand how to tune-in and feel it when you move. Learning to pay attention to your physical state is a big step towards working with your body in a sophisticated and compassionate way. It’s an amazing skill and can be transferred to make any activity in your life incredibly effective.
Calm the Critic. All of us have a negative voice inside that judges our efforts and puts us down, often using unrealistic comparisons or expectations to diminish or guilt us. It often leads to emotional self-sabotage that obstructs our joy and learning. This Critic’s only power is the attention you give to it! Learning to focus on a moment and the physical details of ballet technique will keep the mind fully engaged while allowing the music to replace that negative inner-voice with something beautiful. It will develop your consciousness, give you a strong direction to achieve as well as positive believe in your progress.
Quality not quantity. The beauty of ballet comes from the quality of movement it teaches. Learning that special combination of strength and softness brings graceful elegance to the body and joy to the heart! Learning how to move gracefully requires bringing mindful attention to parts of your body you may never have thought about before. Rather than looking to see how the technique appears on the outside, focus instead on observing how the movements feel . The “inner-sight” you develop by feeling (instead of looking at) the movement as well as promotes focused awareness.
Step by step. Whether you’re 6 or 86, ballet movements should always be done with attention and care. This means respecting your limits and giving yourself time to work up to the full expression of a movement. It’s best to approach challenging steps progressively. Exercise at least 2-3 times per week whenever possible, it will make every class more enjoyable. Your body will gradually evolve improving the balance and coordination, the movements will become more fluid and you will start to see graceful changes in your body.
Most importantly, enjoy it! It’s great fun and very rewarding experience, it empowers when you see the progress!
Looking forward to seeing you at our classes!
Source: everydayballet.com