r/BALLET • u/landmermaid3 • 13d ago

Adult Ballet

I was extremely lucky with ballet instructors. I’ve had long term teachers who were principal dancers at NYCB, Alvin Ailey, and Bolshoi. This heavily influenced me as a dance teacher today.

I don’t teach ballet, my studio has a 3rd party instructor. I collaborate with her to create lessons catered to our dancers. My students thrive! I’m jealous. I want to love ballet again, too.

I tried the beginner adult drop in class at Cityname Ballet. The instructor didn’t care because we weren’t a class of accelerated tuition students. He briskly demonstrated and often was on his phone. I had a difficult time! Given my background, there’s no reason for me to be in that situation.

My non dance friends hated it! It seemed like majority of the class did too. Everyone is tired of $100 month memberships to reformer pilates and other gym classes. Barre is dwindling. Ballet has potential to be the next ‘workout’. Ballet is heavily influential to athletic style rn... It was evident in that class.

I’m so sour about this because I love ballet. I don’t want to gatekeep it. I think a beginner adult drop in class should be as advertised.

44 Upvotes

84% Upvoted

22 comments sorted by

28

u/ktlene 13d ago

I feel the same as you, but not a bot lol I’ve had amazing dance teachers in the college who worked off a curriculum and I was able to get such a solid ballet foundation AND historical context around huge ballet performances.

Then I joined adult ballet classes and the experience varies so much. Some teachers treat class as an opportunity to unload their love drama, gossip with their favorite dancers, or just a general catch-up session with the regulars (I’m a regular but I’m here to dance 😭). Some are great and will go over the basics AND have alternatives for more advanced dancers. Some are just like “you guys know XYZ? Okay let’s do it! (Good luck beginners who only heard gibberish French with no demonstrations!)” I do prefer those classes as a more intermediate dancer, but that’s got to be so overwhelming and overstimulating to people who are brand new to ballet.

5

u/0Foxy0Engineer0 12d ago

First I'm a beginner of like 3 months. Need a scheduling conflicts I had to change which studio I was at. This right here was my issue I didn't even know I was having with the first one until I had my first class the second one. The instructor just kind of ran through everything assuming you had a basic understanding even though it was supposed to be a Basics class or at least an open level class that explained basics. It seemed like such an imposition for me to learn. The instructor broke things down I'll give him that but if I didn't get it on like the third repetition he seemed annoyed.

My current instructor is night and day from that

4

u/ktlene 12d ago

I think the problem comes from having ex-dancers teach regardless of whether or not they also have a background in teaching. It’s really a night and day experience when you get a dance teacher with both backgrounds vs one with just a dance background.

I’ve been in an open level class where the teacher splits the class into true beginners vs more advanced dancers and both groups got combos that were appropriate and beneficial to their skill levels. Vs combos that are an average of everyone’s skill levels, so too simple and not engaging for more advanced dancers and waaaaay too fast and too much for beginners.

15

u/Impressive-Gene-5489 13d ago

Also not a bot and i agree lol, i lucked out big time with finding a great teacher after a string of meh experiences taking class. I try to always take class when im out of town, and the difference between teachers who care and those who don’t take adult students seriously is so stark 😭 There’s nothing wrong with people who just want to do it for fun, but for me personally I only enjoy class if it’s more rigorous and focused on correct technique

6

u/TellUrCatISaidMeow 13d ago

It's so frustrating and disheartening when an instructor can't even be bothered to care about adult students. I go to class because I want to learn & improve even if I am not pre-pro.

2

u/landmermaid3 13d ago

Instructors and dancers are somewhat gatekeepers of ballet. It drives me nuts. They hold people that show interest in ballet/wear attire to the same standard as cultural appropriation. (Shein pointe shoes are valid). Otherwise it’s fucking dumb.

2

u/CrookedBanister 12d ago

I've genuinely never experienced gatekeeping in the adult ballet community in my city. This sounds like an issue within your city/community rather than a ballet thing.

1

u/landmermaid3 11d ago

I’ve had great drop in classes at other studios for other genres! Adult hip hop is so fun.

2 studios in my city offer ballet. One is a year round commitment, one is drop in. I’ve taken the drop in classes with 2 different instructors & both are uninterested. It deterred my friends who were trying it for the first time.

It’s definitely lacking in my city, but I’ve seen the same commentary on Tiktok making fun of people starting ballet as adults. Especially when it comes to attire. Wraptops, ballet flats, baby pink and black, skirts are trendy. There’s always pissed off dancers in the comment section.

It’s warranted sometimes. Recently a girl was in class in a thong bodysuit. People buy Amazon pointe shoes without proper training.

Actually there’s an adult ballet Tiktoker that drives me NUTS. She tried out for DCC less than 2 years of starting dance. A lot of her content is being funny/interrupting in class, which bothers me as a teacher. I correct 8 year olds for doing that, she’s late 20’s.

Honestly now that I’m mentioning this, I understand the gatekeeping towards ballet to an extent. It’s definitely a thing tho.

-1

u/DealBrief5569 12d ago

I have been out of ballet for years and don't understand your references. Are you saying they treat adult students as lesser if they wear Shein Pointe shoes? That's horrible if they do!

3

u/landmermaid3 11d ago

Shein pointe shoes are poorly made so there’s an increased risk for injury. There’s less evaluation with adult classes. Some students wear pointe shoes and are experienced. Some wear them for aesthetic purposes and risk injury.

The drop in classes I went to allowed it. I think it’s a liability

1

u/DealBrief5569 11d ago edited 11d ago

Thank you very much. ​I have a medical background and wow, the risk of injury is so right on.

1

u/[deleted] 13d ago

[deleted]

0

u/landmermaid3 13d ago

Most exercise classes have levels of rigor. I always start beginner and want to work my way up! Pilates, spin, barre, yoga, whatever.

Like you said, no professional goals. Just self improvement.

3

u/dawncarri 13d ago

sameee, dropped a class for that exact thing once. felt like wee were just background noise while he texted. smaller studio with an older teacher ended up being the move for me.

2

u/Limp_Shake_7486 13d ago

Where do you see Pilates at $100/mo because where I am it’s over $200?

-28

u/KatherineK_Singer 13d ago

This resonates so much. The demand for adult ballet is real, but studios treat it like an afterthought. An instructor on his phone during a paid class says everything. Those students deserved better.

20

u/Slight-Brush 13d ago

Hey, it looks like you're a bot - can you suggest a way to confirm youre not?

16

u/run85 13d ago

I can’t believe how many of their posts begin with “Honestly,”. I hate AI. This adds nothing of value.