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I want to start off by saying YOU ARE NEVER TO OLD. I don’t care if you are 60 years old and in a wheelchair or 25, it is never too late to start pursuing a passion you have always had.
As a society, we need to start reframing how we look at ballet. Often we can look at this sport as for only kids, but actually, it can be accessed by anyone.
There is nothing embarrassing about practicing ballet as an adult and being bad at it. Sometimes we think that because we are older, we need to be the best at whatever our hobby is, but that is not true.
Being a beginner student is a good thing. We ask our minds to adapt and change to a physically and mentally challenging practice. There are so many benefits of starting as an adult.
Don’t be scared to be new. This is about YOU and not what OTHERS think of you. If you need some more mindset tips, go check out this blog post. You will learn 4 easy ways to start changing how you look at yourself as an adult ballet beginner.
What age is too late to start ballet?
Well starting as an adult may mean that you can’t be a “professional dancer” (depending on how late you start) it doesn’t mean that you won’t ever be able to perform or just enjoy ballet class in the studio. You could still find local opportunities to perform if that is something you are interested in.
No Age
You may be asking yourself what is too old? Where is the cut-off point? The simple answer is there is no point where you can’t practice ballet.
Look at Silver Swans classes from the Royal Academy of Dance. They are serving senior adults, who may not have had access to ballet, and are reaping the benefits!
There is nothing more inspirational than seeing 75+ seniors pursuing their passion, which leads me to my next point.
Pursue your passion
At all ages, it’s important to have something you are passionate about. Whether that is crocheting, reading, hiking, or even puzzles! Having an activity that lights you up will help keep you sane in this crazy world.
I know after becoming a new mom I desperately needed that hour or two by myself doing something I love. It helped fill my cup so I could pour into my daughter.
Just like it’s never too late to start crocheting, it’s never too late to start ballet if it’s something you are passionate about.
How to start ballet?
When you first dip your toe into the ballet world as an adult it can be very overwhelming! Between the vocabulary, deciding what to wear to class, and finding the right teacher, it can be hard to know where to start.
I have a few tips on making sure you get the most out of your ballet classes.
Create goals
I know I may have lost some of you now, but just hold on a second. Yes, creating goals can seem pointless, but I promise you it can make a huge difference! You need to decide are you pursuing ballet for leisure or to see progress?
If you want to just do it for fun, there is nothing wrong with that! You can go to some open adult ballet classes near you, and enjoy the movement and community.
But if you have big dreams like being on pointe and high extensions, you will want to approach how you pick your classes differently.
That’s why defining your goals, in the beginning, is important, it will change how you approach every class. Me, I want to go on pointe one day. So I treat my ballet practice seriously and am working toward seeing progress.
If you need help writing out your goals, check out this post where I teach you how to create actionable goals.
Will I be able to go on pointe?
Yes, barring any extreme physical limitations, you can go on pointe! Often we think of pointe work as something only professional dancers can achieve, but adults can get there too. It just takes time (sometimes years) and lots of practice.
To start to achieve your goal of going on pointe you first need to find a teacher or studio that can support you. This can be one of the hardest steps depending on your location. You also need to make sure they teach at your level. Are you a beginner or do you have some dance background?
For me, there were no adult beginner ballet classes near me. Any dance classes near me are recreational and don’t teach at the skill level I’m looking to achieve. So I had to look online for support.
But for you, there may be an amazing ballet class near you that teaches adults pointe work when they are ready. Just do a simple google search, and start calling studios. I highly suggest paying for one class first before committing to a semester.
I didn’t do this at first and I got stuck at a studio that just taught adults dance routines with no technique. It’s important to check out the studio thoroughly before committing to a place.
How to start ballet at home?
If you are like me, you may not have any ballet classes near you, but do not worry! The internet is a wonderful place, and with apps like zoom, you can find many good ballet classes online to practice at home.
Finding an online studio or teacher
Finding an online studio that I loved actually fell in my lap from Instagram! I’m part of the amazing adult ballet community on Insta, and I was recommended by someone that I followed, Broche Ballet.
This is hands down one of my favorite online studios, and the only one I use right now! Julie is very knowledgeable about ballet technique and comes to class with the unique perspective of starting ballet later in life. I’m currently taking her classes almost daily and have noticed a huge improvement.
Some other options that I love are:
- Veronica K Ballet offers really great cross-training videos and barre classes.
- Vitality Ballet offers adult beginner barre classes and she often goes live on Instagram for mini barre classes.
- Adult Ballet Collective has beginner/intermediate intensive style ballet classes where you learn different variations.
- Kathryn Morgan has a huge variety of classes for all levels and really great cross-training videos.
I hope this list helps you get started! I began with free classes on YouTube and quickly learned that I needed something more structured. Broche Ballet offers that for me and I can’t tell you enough how much I enjoy Julies classes.
Try a variety of classes and you will find a teacher that works best for you and your goals.
Get plugged into the ballet community
Sometimes dancing at home alone is lonely but also hard to maintain. I have found being part of the dance community on Instagram has helped so much! I’ve met some amazing people that inspire me to get to my barre every day!
Try searching the hashtags:
#adultballet #adultballetbeginner #adultballetcommunity
You will find tons of people to follow and connect with that are right where you are at. This will help you stay consistent with your practice so you can achieve your dreams of being a ballet dancer. You can follow me here. I love connecting with adult dancers so please DM me!
So at what age should you start ballet?
I hope you now know after reading this that at any age you can start ballet. IT IS NEVER TOO LATE. Never, ever.
You just have to start.
Go be the dancer that I know you are.
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