r/adultballetdancers

I have never done ballet before and am planning on starting adult beginner (fully introductory) classes soon as a 30yo. Most adults I hear talk about doing ballet as adults are talking about returning after having learned some in childhood but I literally have zero experience 🥲

I have NO knowledge of ballet. I only recently learned there are two different shoes for ballet (tippy toe and not tippy toe). My only dance background is in street dance styles (hip hop, popping, choreography, super amateur stuff though). I got into pole dancing recently for fun, but I want a new, more difficult, more technical challenge. So I thought ballet would be good for that purpose! I have no aspirations to perform, but I want to get good enough to be able to learn full choreographies (if that's what they're called in ballet) eventually.

What do you all recommend I know or look into in advance as a true beginner adult? Curious about classroom rules, culture, what to expect physically, mentally, and maybe how long I should expect to be in which stages of learning, etc. TIA 🙂‍↕️

Edit: Maybe one specific question is: how flexible should I be before starting? (I am very not...)

...Actually, I literally probably can't do this, not yet, but that's why I'm here. Someday I will!

I'm so intimidated by all the dancers' bodies, everybody looks like a peak physical specimen 😭😅😂

EDIT: I DID IT, I SUCKED, IT WAS GLORIOUS

I DO NOT LOOK FORWARD TO WALKING TOMORROW

Hi y’all!

I was approved to go en pointe a month ago, have been doing 1x (sometimes 2x) pointe classes, which is usually just 30 minutes of barre a week at a normal technical class, and then I do center on flats. I take regular class on flats 3x-4x a week.

Should I be increasing this to 2x minimum? Will rolling up/down at home help? I’ve been reading online and some say that 1x a week isn’t sufficient to build up the necessary strength.

With summer ballet approaching, to those adults who are new to ballet, it will better serve you if you stay off the front row during barre and stay in the middle or back row/last group during center/travelling. To those who are somewhat experienced (like a year or more in), please try to gravitate to the center, front row during barre, going in the first groups and staying in the front row during center in beginner classes. This will be beneficial to everyone in their progression.

Remember, this is a beginner class, and you are not expected to know things. You may develop feelings of being lost, frustrated, incredibly sore, insecure.... Those are all normal feelings to adult ballet beginners and everyone else. Each class presents an opportunity to be better than you were last class even though improvement can be hard to notice/feel.

Unless your school has a true dress code for adult ballet, show up in what you feel comfortable in while still allowing a teacher to see your lines (see you and not your clothes). Wear ballet shoes or socks to your first class, no street shoes though!

I have never danced ballet in the summer without air conditioning before. My normal outfit is a tank leo and full tights, thick socks at the barre and a legwarmer over my problematic knee. It is getting so hot though! How do you all adapt a leo/tights combo for class, and do you still feel the need to protect your joints in summer or is it less of an issue?

I’ve been doing adult ballet and contemporary for a couple of years now and I’ve wasted so much money on cute dancewear that either falls apart after a few washes or rides up the second I start moving.

A friend recommended Energetiks and I’ve been really impressed. The leotards, crop tops and bike shorts are comfortable, the fabric has a nice stretch but still holds its shape, and they actually survive regular training and washing without pilling or losing elasticity. I’m a size 6-8 and their sizing has been pretty consistent for me.

Has anyone else found a brand that’s both affordable and actually decent quality for dance? I’d love more recommendations!

hi everyone, I did a search but the posts were a few years old and didn’t address my issue.

I’m hoping to get a recommendation for a marley floor with some cushioning to go over hardwood flooring in my home studio in the U.S.

the Marley floor I have now came from one of the older threads here. It works but it doesn’t have any cushioning and I’m doing an upgrade. using both flat ballet slippers and pointe shoes.

thanks!

Obligatory pretty oil painting

https://preview.redd.it/c3x8p18ql60h1.jpg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c3bfcec2d6a3e1935d0bbe6107eeb921537fed58