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I figured I would take a little bit of time out my busy schedule to talk
about BALLET! Ballet is my life. I spend two and a half hours every other day
and four hour rehearsals every weekend. I was wondering how many other people out there do ballet, because at points
it feels like no one does! I finally got on point this summer; I am very tiny and skinny so I wasn't
capable before now. I also am really inflexible, so I am just getting down into
the splits now, I guess better late than never! This December I will be in The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland, and I will
be in the tea party scene. My choreographer added parts of tea cups, tea cakes
(they are pretty much cupcakes) and a tea pot to the tea party scene. I am a
tea cake. Comment on this if
you have questions, are interested, or do ballet too!
I took ballet for a few years when I was little. We did Hansel and Gretel and, since there were no boys in the class and the teacher liked the way I could sing, I was selected to be Hansel. I think I was 6. While Gretel had a pretty folk dress, I got to wear shorts with suspenders and had my hair cut short. I wished I had something prettier to wear! But it was fun. I enjoyed the dancing, but I was also taking piano lessons, then I started violin, too, so I dropped the dance classes. I love watching great dancers like Barishikov leap! And I saw Rudolph Nureyev with the Canadian Royal Ballet in Sleeping Beauty years ago. We had seats very close to the stage, not ideal for viewing the whole ballet scenes, but we could see makeup, veins, and sweat, which was interesting. Now I play in an orchestra. We're doing The Nutcracker this year and I won't get to see much of anything because I'll be playing and watching my violin music the whole time!
Admin
submitted by Anna J., age 13, California
(October 18, 2011 - 10:18 pm)
(October 18, 2011 - 10:18 pm)
Ballet is the most beautiful dance I've ever seen/danced. We go to The Nutcracker ever year, and if possible some other ballet performances, too.
I was in Teenie Ballerinas during age three and four. I remember having fun, but I was a very serious four-year old-dancer so when I got a new teacher and she was... Well, not serious enough for my taste, I quit.
Over the years, I've wanted to start again because the grace and beauty of the dance is just jaw-dropping. I haven't really found any time for it and have thought I'm too old to start again. I now take modern/jazz. This Friday I'm going to try a ballet class. I'm really shy and worried that they'll all look at me weirdly (it's technically for older people) but I've mustered up all my courage and decided to try! Any tips?
Go for it!
Admin
(October 19, 2011 - 11:15 am)
I did ballet when I was 3 for a few months then dropped it--I felt like an ugly duckling. (I remember all the girls being all pretty and in bright pink and blue things while I was in black... but my mom said that everyone wore black actually.) Then I started it again two years ago because I had bad posture and I didn't mind it since I wasn't too bad--but I'm shy too as are the girls in my class so I didn't really have any friends until the year-end recital.
I'm not doing it this year because I'm doing pre-comp swimming now (hopefully I'll make actual comp next year) and I CAN DO THE BUTTERFLY!!!!!
...anyways, ballet's awesome. And I love watching it--all the dancers are so graceful.
@E.M.: Like Anna said, "better late than never". ;) Besides, I doubt that anyone will look at you weirdly, unless you're in a class for 2-year-olds, 40-year-olds, or prima ballerinas. :D
@Anna: It's so awesome that you do pointe! And I'm inflexible too, but I'm aiming to be able to do the splits *tries to stretch every night*. :)
Olive, I am in awe of you for begin able to do butterfly! I love to swim, but I can only do one stroke of butterfly. Also, FYI, I know a man who started taking beginning figure-skating lessons when he was in his 50s. He is also really tall, at least 6 foot 4. He was in a class with 8-year-olds. He said their mothers would ask which was his little girl, and he'd have to explain that he was the student! Now he's advanced and gone on to compete in some adult-level competitions, including one in France with an ice theater group. So don't worry about anyone looking at anyone weirdly. He's having the time of his life!
Admin
(October 25, 2011 - 1:37 pm)
@Admin: Whooooaaa! That guy's so cool! If I were in a class with 8YO girls, I'd probably freak out. *is very self-conscious* And which stroke is it that you know? I'm best at breatstroke, mostly because my endurance is horrible and breatstroke is the least tiring. /offtopicsorry :)
I just watched Oksana Baiul performing 'The Swan' at the Olympic Opening Exhibitions 1994. It's like ballet and figure skating in one! :D
I mean I can only do one arm/leg cycle of butterfly, then I'm winded. But I can do all the other strokes fine. Not racing, but I can do them in at a relaxed pace for a long, long time.
I could go on and on about figure skating--my passion. I can't do anything fancy, but I could watch forever. The thrill of competition, plus the combination of great music, dance, athleticism, and showmanship. Currently Alissa Czisny of the US is very balletic. There are others, too. And both the US and Canada have great ice dancers!
Admin
P.S. This same guy just got a walk-on part as a guard in Prokofiev's ballet Romeo and Juliet. He said he and another guard have to carry someone.
(October 25, 2011 - 5:26 pm)
That man sounds truly amazing. :)
While we're talking about swimming, I CAN'T SWIM FAST! At school we have to take swimming for four weeks and it counts as half of your grade. My gym grade isn't that important but I hate having bad grades.
The teacher isn't really that nice either because she said something really mean after i swam really badly. Plus, she said it to the others while I was standing behind her. She didn't notice I was listening. She also said we should go at our own pace, so I did and then she gave us grades.
23 + is a one (the equivalent of an A.) How am I supposed to get a one if I can't swim well? I can only swim on my back so I get really tired in a short time because my legs are doing all the work.
(October 28, 2011 - 7:48 am)
I used to take ballet. Now I take tap. I still know a few ballet moves because of dance camp.
I saw the Boston Ballet do the Nutcraker a few years ago. It was so cool!
I just got home from a Nutcracker rehearsal. I play violin and play almost all the time, so I can't see the dancing!
Admin
(November 7, 2011 - 10:07 pm)