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Ballet is a rigorous sport that is physically and mentally challenging. You may be wondering if it’s safe for adults to take a ballet class or if there are any negative effects of ballet? Let’s dive in and see if learning ballet is safe for adult beginners.
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Negative effects of ballet
As with any athletic sport, there are some risks to picking up ballet slippers as an adult. Learning to work from unnatural positions (aka turnout) can strain the muscles if you try to push too fast.
There is always a risk when picking up any new physical activity from yoga to HIIT exercises. Here are some disadvantages of taking ballet training as an adult.
Risk of injury
This is one of the most prominent disadvantages of taking dance classes as an adult. You are not a 6 year old with no stressors in life. You are a 25+ adult who has lots of stress and tight hamstrings.
Since we are coming at this from a different body type, there is an increased risk of injury. But this is true for any sport! If you decided you want to learn how to rollerblade, then you are aware that you will most likely fall, and possibly hurt yourself. This shouldn’t stop you from learning!
Some more common injuries you may encounter include:
- Blisters
- Tendonitis
- Stress fractures
- Sprained ankles
- Torn cartilage/ligaments
- Ingrown toenails
- Plantar fasciitis
Finding an adult ballet class near you that caters to your older body is the key to success. Yes, you could get hurt. But by building strength and flexibility correctly you will be able to prevent injury.
Time Consuming
Unlike taking a 60 minute vinyasa class, most ballet classes are upwards of 90 minutes or even 120 minutes long! Dedicating this time even once a week can be hard if you are a working adult.
Depending on your goals though, one class a week might be all that you want. But if you want to see serious progress, then you will need to plan out your schedule for dance class.
Since I take online classes, I usually start the class right after I put my daughter down for the night. This works best for me now but I’m always flexible enough to change it if I need to.
If you are lucky enough to have a studio near you, then make sure to plan ahead of time who is taking care of the kids and have your dance bag already packed. That way you can head out the door with no distractions.
Plan out all your classes for the month plus more with this FREE ballet planner! It had been a game-changer for me to stay motivated and on track with my goals.👇🩰
Ballet is hard
This might seem like a weird disadvantage but hear me out. When starting something new, are you more likely to stick with it if you understand it on the first few tries or on the 1,000th time?
That’s what it can be like for ballet. I feel like even the simplest movement like a plie or tendu, are extremely hard. You think you are doing okay, but in reality, you just don’t have any body awareness yet to feel how your toes are articulating and how your heel needs to be more forward.
That’s why professional dancers train from the time they are 3 years old. Ballet is hard to learn and it is hard for the body to grasp.
But don’t let this deter you! If you love ballet and then pursue this dream! If you want to be on pointe one day, then work towards that goal!
Ballet is hard, but with time and dedication, you will start to see improvement and gain a whole new awareness of your body that you didn’t even know was possible.
Expensive
Depending on if you go to a ballet school, studio, or online, classes can get expensive. Well, your area near you will determine your pricing, you should expect to be spending $300 or more a semester on classes. This can sometimes be hard to budget and if that’s the case I suggest you look into online classes.
I take classes with Broche Ballet with the pre-recorded classes starting at $15 a month to live zoom classes for $40 a month. This can be a lot easier to manage as it’s the price of most gym memberships!
At the end of the day, you are an adult. You get to decide where to spend your money. If ballet classes are something you can afford, then go after them!
Body Shaming
I hate that is even a thing still, but it needs to be addressed. You may encounter people who don’t think you should practice ballet because of your body size.
If you want to be a ballerina and don’t fit the “mold”, then you may get some negative feedback. As an adult who may have had kids or work’s 40 hours a week, you can’t expect your body to look like 13 year old. And that’s okay.
Don’t listen to or delete any comments that are targeted toward your body size. Your jean size doesn’t determine if you are a dancer or not.
Keep chasing your dreams, because no one else’s opinion matters but your own.
Does ballet tone your body?
Ballet is a full-body workout that helps strengthen your muscles, improve flexibility, encourages healthy bones (weight-bearing exercise), and even helps in weight loss.
This is one of the reasons why I love it so much. I don’t have to do arms on Monday and then glutes on Wednesday. Every class includes all of your body, so you never have to worry about doing separate days to work on individual muscle groups.
Side note: I do suggest including conditioning classes like pilates and yoga alongside your ballet classes. This will help you develop strength and flexibility more quickly.
You can read more about the benefits of ballet for adults here. It covers a wide range of benefits from posture to improved cognitive function!
But if you are looking for a quick overview instead, here are some benefits of ballet for adults:
- Muscle Strength
- Flexibility
- Endurance
- Coordination
- Balance
- Posture
- Mindfulness
- Increased Confidence
- Self Expression
- Cognitive Function
These are the main benefits but there are so many more! One thing I did want to mention is weight loss with ballet. A lot of people have asked me if ballet can help you lose weight, and yes it can.
Ballet is unique in that it spends lots of time building strength, but it also can be a cardio workout. Movements at the barre like grand battements or fondus can increase your heart rate which in turn helps you burn fat.
Then center work can get the blood pumping. Center work often includes turns, jumps, and lots of balancing which helps burn fat more quickly.
To see the real benefits of all the muscle you are building, I suggest creating healthy food habits. You can do this by working with a certified nutrition coach or your doctor!
So, are ballet exercises good for adults?
Ballet is a great exercise for adults! As you can see, there are both disadvantages and advantages of learning ballet as an adult.
I believe finding a good teacher who has worked with adults before can help keep you safe and still reach your goals as an adult ballerina.
I hope this post helps inform your decision on whether or not you want to pursue ballet as an adult. If you are looking for more reasons to start ballet, then check out this post by Popsugar!
Make sure to share this post on Pinterest and DM me over on Instagram about your ballet journey! I love talking with you. 😊
Happy dancing!
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