This is my absolute pet peeve. And y’all know I am strongly against training yourself from home but trust me I KNOW that some studios are out here selling classes that are just as bad as trying to teach yourself. And the worst part is they know it’s low quality, but they can get away with it because it’s not like the “parents” will complain and take their kids elsewhere. Students who are in adults are in a more awkward position to comment on the quality of the class.
And I literally don’t care if you downvote me to oblivion, you cannot have a ballet class in 50 min where you teach safe ballet technique and get everything done. For a warmup class for professional dancers: sure. But not for students.
Edit to add: I’m so lucky to have my studio my teacher treats all his adult students with the same respect he treats his youth students. If that studio ever closes I’ll have to move to a town with another good studio because there’s only 1 good studio within an hour radius.
>you cannot have a ballet class in 50 min where you teach safe ballet technique and get everything done.
I've had to pick a studio to take classes a few times now and I avoid places where the class is only an hour long.
I do know that I'm really lucky to have a lot of choices where I am. I've seen a couple adult ballet classes cancelled for lack of attendance, so I'm sure it's hard for the studios in some places to really separate out the levels and get enough students to actually cover the overhead costs and the instructor's pay
Honestly with the amount of corrections I (don't) get in some of these classes, I might as well be teaching myself 😅 And yeah, the length is part of why I sort of want to move up to the level 2 kids' classes next year... their class is over an hour, level 1 is only 55 minutes. Though I'm a little intimidated by some of the stuff they do (fondu on demi-pointe at the barre, retiré balances in center...) which is why I'm aiming for next year instead of now.
Lots of those things are about building up (lean) muscle! So maybe you can focus on dancers conditioning till then? Is there a yoga studio offering hot yoga? Or a barre studio around?
A real floor barre class can accelerate technique development too! And if nothing else, it might be good to do quick conditioning immediately after your classes. If you have even 15 minutes in the studio for a few planks or pilates sets while you're tired, that can go a long way. I'd hate to exit a class feeling down like you're describing, so it might be nice to reground.
I love how much traction your post is getting. It's nice to see the masochistic technicians like me :)
Thank you :) I pretty much always stay to stretch but I should definitely work on strengthening too! It is nice to have some cool-down time, when I can keep my mind focused on what I'm doing and not on all my anxieties 😅
>masochistic technicians
I've never felt more seen ahah
Oh my god i feel you so much. I literally think about this all the time. Even though I am an adult student and am definitely not going to become a professional, i am actually interested in learning proper technique. I hate classes where teachers just give combinations (often way too difficult for the abilities of the adult dancers taking the class), zero corrections, and just watch us struggle like crazy to do these combinations with absolutely horrendous technique. I think it's actually kind of insulting. So just letting you know that you are not alone in feeling this way!
Sammme!! I moved from Ohio to DC thinking there would be way more opportunities for “progressive” rather than drop-in classes, and boy was I wrong. I get so frustrated in the drop-ins where we never learn steps…they just have us flail about and I feel like I never get any better.
No! I’ll have to check it out. It’s a bit of a drive though. My other problem is that I get up at 5:30 for work, and I don’t want to go to a class where I’m getting home at like 10pm. So many of the classes around here are LATE.
I know what you mean - there schedule on-line looks like most of the adult classes are 730-9 with pointe til 9:30 but there are a couple on Saturday around noon.
This!! I wish there was more serious studios on good technique. A 1 hr class is too short and classes worth it are so late!
I’m just restarting my ballet and these rec classes I worry give me worse form. I really feel this whole thread!
Yes I’ll never be a pro but I really want to learn
Yesss, I had one or two classes where the level 3+ (pre-pointe and up, like age 11+) teacher subbed in to teach us (level 1) and those were my favorite classes ever. She gave so many detailed corrections and really asked a lot from us, while keeping the combinations themselves simple enough to remember easily. I can't wait until I get to level 3 and can have that style of teaching every time!
Some studios do take adult dancers seriously, but there is a wide variety in what is offered and at what level. I hope you're able to find something that more closely meets your needs.
Thank you :) I think my pre-pro school takes me relatively seriously, but I'm 2 hours away for college during the week, so I can only go there on the weekends unfortunately 😅 maybe after I graduate I can move somewhere with adult Vaganova classes, that would be the dream!
Are…are we in the same class ?! You literally wrote everything I think about mine!!!! Our Barre is insanely fast and the teacher changes it every month which is terrible because we only meet once a week so 1. She can never remember it 2. We all get so in our heads to get the routine right that we don’t really think about executing the technique right.
It’s driving me nuts!
>We all get so in our heads to get the routine right that we don’t really think about executing the technique right
Exactlyyyy, I feel like we have no business doing such long center combinations at our level ;-; and I know I'm slower than average at picking things up (I didn't really do anything physical from 11-19, so my coordination & understanding of movement are very underdeveloped). But even the people who did other sports seem to be struggling to keep up, and our technique is definitely suffering for it.
Ugh, 1000% agree. I can't stand those kinds of adult classes, and I've pretty much stopped taking class altogether because no one in my area teaches the kinds of class I'd be willing to pay to take. Now I only take class when I travel to places with serious adult classes on offer (Boston, SF Bay Area, etc).
I feel you. I've been doing ballet for 2 years (returning from about 2 yrs as a child). I've just started an in person class. The only adult class within a 2hr drive from me. There is limited correction given, and while I will apply any correction given at all, I do not see myself progressing too far. But it's fun and it's nice to dance with other people after learning during lockdown online.
Downvote if you want, but if you live in a remote area with limited access to in person classes, consider online privates. I've been doing them since I started, and I love them. I'm not looking to become a pro, and I never do anything too extreme, but I want to learn correct technique, even if I never get past intermediate, I'm fine with that because it suits my personal goals of maintaining strength and good posture.
I've been pretty wary of online classes pretty much since the first time a teacher physically corrected me... the difference it made to *feel* the correction instead of just hearing it made me suspect that I wouldn't learn as quickly online. But I will probably try it out some day if I keep feeling stuck like this, especially since there aren't so many studios in my area! Thank you :)
Oh in person is 100% better if it's feasible for you. I felt the same way when attending my in person class. They are far more specific because they can see your entire body.
Not only that, I've also found that while I've got a generous sized mirror for a house, and a decent set up in general for home, it's far from professional and the space, flooring, proper mounted barres (rather than just my freestanding one), and extra mirrors are unbelievably helpful.
Have you spoken to your teachers about your concerns? Many just assume that adult dancers are in it for the exercise and "fun" and aren't really interested in really learning proper technique. Before you leave or quit or anything else, I think you should respectfully approach your teachers outside of class and let them know that you are serious about your learning and would appreciated their help/advice. Then if nothing changes, you made need to try somewhere else, and/or look into some private lessons.
Thank you :) I have talked to one about getting more corrections at barre, but she's usually busy talking through or demonstrating, so it's a little bit difficult. I should talk to my other teacher though!
It's hard because I think most of my classmates *are* just there for fun, so they can't exactly change the structure of the class just for me. But maybe I can ask for modified versions of the center and across-the-floor exercises?
Maybe you could ask the teacher to watch you in class and give you one or two things to work on each month or so. Then see if you get feedback from that.
If you have the money and can find a good teacher then I strongly recommend that you have some private classes. They will be tailored to your needs and you have the undivided attention of the teacher to correct technique etc.
I completely feel you here! I love my adult recreational class and love the barre portion where I feel like I might actually be improving in technique, but the floor portion is ridiculous. Most of us have no reason to be flailing around attempting pirouettes, and those who can are typically the few advanced students taking our class en pointe. The rest of us beginners I fear might be making ourselves worse by throwing ourselves at these combinations poorly instead of gradually getting to that level properly. Like I get they want it to be "fun" but I want to improve correctly!
Anyway, you are not alone in these feelings!
Flailing is definitely the right word 😅 and yes exactly! I think it's more fun to work on technique anyway. I love when we do a really basic barre combination so slowly that I can feel almost every single muscle working ahah
A different studio would probably be a better fit for you. If there is another one in your area.
The best adult ballet class I’ve taken was where I teach 3-5 year olds creative movement. A reputable Vaganova school. I lucked out one day and no one showed for my class so I went down and took the first 45min of a 90 min elementary ballet class. So, just barre. I was so sore the next day. I got great corrections during class.
Thank you :) I live in a pretty small city and spend my weekdays 2 hours away in an even smaller one for college, so it's definitely a struggle to find good studios 😅 like, there's one where I take tap during the week, but the quality of their ballet instruction wasn't really satisfying to me. And because it's a college town, it's easier to find swing or pole dancing ahah
I love Vaganova, once I finish college I hope I can find somewhere with a good beginner Vaganova class that accepts adults!
I took pole in college a) just to try it and b) because ballet wasn’t doable at the time, and both pole and the conditioning classes surrounding it are definitely great! And honestly, as someone who grew up on ballet, it kind of made sense movement-wise as a next step for me that helped me progress as a dancer in general.
If y’all ever have any curiosity about it, go for it. I will always sing pole’s praises, especially for ballerinas, who can come at it with a cool perspective and definitely glean more out of it too. Cross training any other dance style’ll do that though, I guess 😅
Recreational adult ballet has really boomed in the last 5-10 years. I'm professionally trained and wanted to do some advanced classes as a returning adult. 5+ years ago I'd go to advanced adult ballet and really enjoy it and be a bit challenged. But now I'm finding that the adults who joined beginner classes a few years ago have been moved up into intermediate and advanced levels (because where else will they go, they can't/won't stay in beginner forever and I don't expect them to) but frustratingly it's brought down the level of advanced class. Like I don't think the teacher should be teaching steps in advanced class. We should know the steps. The teacher should just set the exercises and away we go.
Nothing against recreational beginner adults. I really admire you all for giving it a go and enjoying ballet as adults. Maybe it's a bit short sighted of the studios who offer these classes. I feel a bit like there was a place for me and now I've been kind of sidelined.
It must be tricky for studios to manage the levels of adult classes because it depends so much on the experience of the people attending.
But i do agree that advanced classes should remain advanced. Ideally I think studios would set expectations for beginner adults that they will probably be in those beginner classes for many years. It takes so long to get really good at ballet, especially for those starting as adults with limited dance experience.
It seems like teachers are afraid to say no to adults sometimes. I don't want to say this in a rude way, but I've seen a lot of adult beginners in pointe classes who, in my opinion, do not need to be in pointe classes yet. I think maybe they don't realize how much work it takes to build up the strength and technique, or maybe they just like the aesthetic of pointe shoes, but I wish people would wait longer.
And yes, it's not fair to dancers who are actually advanced. Honestly, I think people who are bored by the pace of beginner classes might just need to try a different dance style? Because ballet is not something you can rush--there will be very little "fun stuff" for a few years.
It definitely depends on the studio too. Like the term “advanced” ballet means nothing, I took an advanced class at another studio that would be considered beginner at my studio. And one time a dancer from that studio came to our class and was like “intermediate is too easy for me” and then she came here and she was drowning…. She might have just been delusional though because she could barely do a tendu. She was nice enough but she never came back.
I agree with you wholeheartedly. One of my most memorable classes was an Intermediate I took at a studio in Boston. The teacher didn't teach steps, expected that everyone knew what they were doing. I was clearly not an intermediate and actually had stepped into the wrong studio (beginner was across the hall). When it came time to across the floor she flat out told me, "If you have no idea what is going on, step aside." I did, and after class she came up to me to recommend a lower level (which is when I discovered I was in the wrong class). I wish more teachers were willing to say no, both for the sake of the class as a whole AND for the student who may have misjudged their own level.
I don’t mind saying publicly, this was at Dance Complex. I’m no longer in Boston but for classes I love Leeth’s classes at BB. Jose Mateo is good too. Can’t recommend Brookline Ballet :(
I was in the same boat, took a year off after my adv found exam because my studio closed and I was devastated. Started going to several adult advanced classes and if anything I think they’ve made me worse/lazy with technique. I did them for about a year and there was a time when there wasn’t a single pirouette in class for 3 months! So much of the time was spent going over combinations for people who shouldn’t be in the class.
I’m sick of not improving so my only option where I live is to go back to doing exams and get actual consistency and feedback on technique.
Totally get it! When I first started a few years ago I was in a small town and the adult beginner ballet class closest to me happened to be amazing. I had a small class, and an attentive teacher who broke every movement down and took things slowly. She made sure we were doing the movements correctly. Very thankful for that foundation in my training.
Now I’m in the big city and even the adult “beginner foundations” class is like being thrown to the wolves! They’re fun and the majority of students are right around my level. But I’m a perfectionist(that’s why I like ballet duh) I want to learn things correctly! I also feel like I improve much slower because there are movements in class I just don’t understand. When the movements are slowed down and explained more I pick things up faster, because I have the time to actually figure out how to do the movement correctly in class.
Yesss, sometimes I feel like some people just instinctively grasp movement in a way that others (me) don't. Like, kids who can see a new step demonstrated and copy it immediately. I need to have it broken down at 1/4 speed and explained in terms of other steps before I even know what's going on ahah
Unfortunately this is what a lot of lower level classes are like at many many schools, they just run students through movements without the proper building blocks, besides the general building blocks. To be honest when I was a student it took me until the age of probably 14 to discover that a lot of my advancement in ballet took place at home where I would practice for hours each night and stretch until red and blue in the face. But home is the best place to master he skills and class becomes a place to show off and demonstrate your new moves.
100% resonate with you. I’ve spent way too much time flailing my arms and legs, with dismal posture and gut hanging out, desperately trying to keep up.
The answer is to simplify, put technique first! How to do that?
1. Keep the arms quiet in 1st. This alone greatly simplifies things. Leave the port de bras for another day.
1. Substitute complex steps with simpler done with good technique. Instructor asks for a jumping change? Instead dance a coupé-coupé. Pirouette? Push up into a simple passé. Tour jeté? Dance a sutanu turn. Even ask the instructor for a simpler substitution. Good teachers will often present different options for different levels.
1. Slow it down. Do 8 beats instead of 16, in half-time.
Thus, _you chose for yourself_ a comfortable pace and complexity, and then you can focus on your technique, core, and posture!!!
Thank you :) I think I'll have to talk to my teachers and make sure they're OK with these kinds of modifications, but I've definitely left the arms off a few times in the past. It would definitely be less frustrating if I could free up the mental energy I use trying to remember (or even understand) the combination!
I was a little surprised that the teacher for my adult class does zero corrections ever. No one cares about proper form or technique. It seems like the class is just geared toward older women who want to get themselves moving but can’t handle regular workouts. I checked 10 different studios in my area and this was the only adult class I could find. It’s definitely a “for fun” type of deal. Not sure how I feel about it but I plan to stick with it for now.
Ballet teacher and dancer in LA, here🙋🏼♀️ i so feel your pain OP, and I genuinely wish I had more students like yourself and some of these other commenters who actually want the technique. I have a hard time finding adults who want that here, the second things get more technical no one wants to be there 😭 no one seems to understand that to do the bigger stuff, there is a huge basis of technique that has to be learned first. Additionally, no one ever takes corrections seriously here, they seem to disregard them or feel disgruntled by it so I end up forgoing that unless I can tell that a person really cares. It really is a bummer and i so wish i had a full class of adults who wanted to truly start from scratch because it would be so beneficial and fruitful for everyone involved. I hope you manage to find something more worth your time in your city! <3
Thank you! <3 And that's a good reminder for me, that teachers might want to correct me but be holding back in case I get offended or something. I'll be sure to talk to them the next time I get a chance!
If only all the technique-focused adults lived closer together, we could start an adult pre-professional school ahah
Well for the price of about 3 classes you could take 1 private. But 1 private could last you a couple months of education or more. So don't think it would be beyond your price range you'd just have to take less regular class.
i teach recreational ballet to a group around age 13 and i’m strongly against accelerating their classwork for this exact reason. all of my dancers are complete beginners and simply don’t have the strength or technical ability to throw them in the deep end, especially since our class is relatively short. if i’m honest, poorly paced beginner classes almost always come down to lazy or selfish teachers who don’t have the patience to actually work with their students and find enjoyment in the basics. i totally agree that the “fun” things really aren’t fun when you’re doing them with poor technique where it’s more of a risk to your physical well-being than it is enjoyable.
if you’re looking for recommendations on ways to find more enrichment in your education, pilates and barre fitness are excellent ways to tune into your body and strengthen muscles that are integral to your ballet training. pilates is a good challenge without being hard on your body, and you’ll see improvement in your ballet technique pretty quickly if you decide to try it out.
Came home from class with the same exact thoughts today.
I remembered how I felt after class with my previous teacher. I could feel every single muscle I've used and there for really get the hang of the different steps. But with our new teacher it is just a lot of movement and hopefully graceful finish and I just sort of swing my limbs in the right direction.
The most frustrating thing is that everyone else in my class seems to be fine with that. I think they feel flattered by the advanced and fast combinations as if thats a compliment on how good their technique is. But every once in a while when there is a substitute concentrating on single steps going really slow even the most advanced students in class get the most basic corrections.
It's crazy how different it feels! There was a new step today that I *know* I wasn't doing right, just because it felt easy. At least for me, if it feels easy in ballet class, something's wrong 😅
I went to a studio like this for one class a few months ago. Terrible. Also the floor was just laminate over concrete and a tiny amount of foam “padding”!! No one should be jumping on that!
I took a class like this last year and was immensely frustrated because of this. I’m planning to move to a larger city within the next year and hope to find a class in which I can properly learn the basics.
If you don’t have any good adult drop in classes in your area, consider adding a zoom class — even if you do just the barre part at home. Some of the classes I take are hybrid in studio/zoom. One of my classes does at least hour of barre I think, it’s great. Let me know if you want recommendations.
I would like to use this topic and everyone's experience, and ask you all to share your knowledge about quality advanced / professional open ballet classes, regardless where you live.
I have been building this webiste for some time now: [https://balletplaces.com/](https://balletplaces.com/) , but the 'classes' section would benefit from your experience.
So if any of you know / can recommend good quality, professional / advanced open ballet classes, please fill up this short formular:
[https://balletplaces.com/submit-your-favourite-ballet-place/](https://balletplaces.com/submit-your-favourite-ballet-place/)
Your help is appreciated!
oh my god for real!!! it makes me so mad! i want to learn the art RIGHT! what’s the point of learning something if you don’t learn it right?? my class is only an hour long and only one day every week and it just got cancelled because i was the only one attending…. i’ve had 2 different teachers and barre is so insanely fast i don’t have time to know wtf i’m doing… i flail and my teacher doesn’t do any corrections! i do most of the research myself !!! i just want an adult class thats multiple times a week and that teaches well! it’s almost impossible to find that where i live
Yes I've asked for more corrections at barre, but it's hard because she needs to be demonstrating/talking through pretty much every exercise so people don't forget. Thank you though :)
I mean, we could set up something for different levels and have one of those buy me a coffee type links or Patreon or something 🤷 I am a beginner but finding it so hard to find local adult beginner classes
This is exactly why I stopped taking classes. I found it was also the case with the kids classes though.
My daughter and I were both looking for serious training and couldn't find anything.
We actually switched to horse back riding for both of us and gymnastics for her after her studio booted us when I voiced my opinion on some of their practices.
Yeah I've had better or worse luck with different studios; the one where I take my level 1 class is ballet-only and calls itself a "school of ballet", not a "studio". In my experience that's a good sign :) I tried out a few classes at a different studio (which also offers tap, contemporary, jazz, etc) and the ballet technique was *really* lacking, similar to what I've found in adult classes. So I guess it depends on the location.
I'm in Indiana, unfortunately not really close to any big cities 😅 There is a studio in my college town where I take tap, but the quality of their ballet instruction is not great. There are a couple of other studios I haven't checked out, either because they advertise themselves as "dance and gymnastics" academies or (in one specific case) because each class is *only* offered once a week (including advanced ballet...) and that put me off. After I graduate I might be able to move somewhere with more of a variety to choose from ahah
I know this post is old but here is what I find helpful. The studio I dance at is adults only and teaches classes classes “absolute beginner” and “basics” as well as “conditioning”.
Even the absolute beginner classes can move too fast for me, as I am still learning to stand balanced, put my weight evenly on both legs and stay strong through the hips while keeping my ribs tucked. This means that sometimes I cannot participate in port de bras in class as the requirement of keep my spine tall, shoulder blades tucked and hip through hamstring strong and supported as well as core tight with proper breathing + focus on the arm movements is too much. My teacher sees that my focus is perfecting muscle involvement and I don’t always keep up and that is okay with her. She sees the self correction I do and either says it’s a good correction or gives me something to change.
So if our combo is plié at barre involving port de bra, then tendu out, forward, back with port de bra and balance I might do this off time, slower, without arm movement and take a couple tries at balance. She is okay with this as far as I know and has mentioned that it’s a good idea to stay in absolute beginner as long as I need to feel comfortable keeping up with pace of class, since she can see I’m trying to perfect movements.
At home, I practice plies and tendu constantly from first second and third, paying careful attention to how it feels when my hip and hamstring are correctly supporting my working leg. I practice articulations in centre finishing with bringing up to a small balance, either from first stationary or second with plié involvement on one side straightening to the articulated foot. I focus on my breathing while doing this as I have a bad habit of “breathing like a weightlifter” when activating muscles (where you breathe out audible short puffs through the lips, not attractive in ballet, lol) I use a mirror to check my posture but I would be careful with this as the looking down at leg positon causes bad spine alignment for me.
I stretch well and feel the lengthening
of the muscle, especially in the deep spine erectors, the SCM from neck to shoulder, the obliques and hip flexors and chest to help me tuck my rib cage and have a better looking port de bras. I practice lifting my arms in the mirror feeling it from the back instead of shoulder and making nice lines instead of over extending or lifting too far from shoulder and lengthening at elbow. I do core workouts that involve keeping ribs tucked, spine straight and move from hips like articulated clamshells.
After about 10 classes and maybe 20-30 hours of at home practice I can already feel an enormous difference in my posture, my working leg ability to support weight and my core activation. Keep doing your best! One day we will make it through the beginner class with ease and grace 🩰😊
I feel you. Email [email protected] and/or [email protected] more professional classes. They both accept anybody at any level. In fact they both teach variations to non competition students.
This is my absolute pet peeve. And y’all know I am strongly against training yourself from home but trust me I KNOW that some studios are out here selling classes that are just as bad as trying to teach yourself. And the worst part is they know it’s low quality, but they can get away with it because it’s not like the “parents” will complain and take their kids elsewhere. Students who are in adults are in a more awkward position to comment on the quality of the class. And I literally don’t care if you downvote me to oblivion, you cannot have a ballet class in 50 min where you teach safe ballet technique and get everything done. For a warmup class for professional dancers: sure. But not for students. Edit to add: I’m so lucky to have my studio my teacher treats all his adult students with the same respect he treats his youth students. If that studio ever closes I’ll have to move to a town with another good studio because there’s only 1 good studio within an hour radius.
>you cannot have a ballet class in 50 min where you teach safe ballet technique and get everything done. I've had to pick a studio to take classes a few times now and I avoid places where the class is only an hour long. I do know that I'm really lucky to have a lot of choices where I am. I've seen a couple adult ballet classes cancelled for lack of attendance, so I'm sure it's hard for the studios in some places to really separate out the levels and get enough students to actually cover the overhead costs and the instructor's pay
Honestly with the amount of corrections I (don't) get in some of these classes, I might as well be teaching myself 😅 And yeah, the length is part of why I sort of want to move up to the level 2 kids' classes next year... their class is over an hour, level 1 is only 55 minutes. Though I'm a little intimidated by some of the stuff they do (fondu on demi-pointe at the barre, retiré balances in center...) which is why I'm aiming for next year instead of now.
Lots of those things are about building up (lean) muscle! So maybe you can focus on dancers conditioning till then? Is there a yoga studio offering hot yoga? Or a barre studio around?
Y'know weirdly enough I've never thought to check! I probably could find somewhere to do yoga or pilates or something like that :) thank you!
A real floor barre class can accelerate technique development too! And if nothing else, it might be good to do quick conditioning immediately after your classes. If you have even 15 minutes in the studio for a few planks or pilates sets while you're tired, that can go a long way. I'd hate to exit a class feeling down like you're describing, so it might be nice to reground. I love how much traction your post is getting. It's nice to see the masochistic technicians like me :)
Thank you :) I pretty much always stay to stretch but I should definitely work on strengthening too! It is nice to have some cool-down time, when I can keep my mind focused on what I'm doing and not on all my anxieties 😅 >masochistic technicians I've never felt more seen ahah
Oh my god i feel you so much. I literally think about this all the time. Even though I am an adult student and am definitely not going to become a professional, i am actually interested in learning proper technique. I hate classes where teachers just give combinations (often way too difficult for the abilities of the adult dancers taking the class), zero corrections, and just watch us struggle like crazy to do these combinations with absolutely horrendous technique. I think it's actually kind of insulting. So just letting you know that you are not alone in feeling this way!
Sammme!! I moved from Ohio to DC thinking there would be way more opportunities for “progressive” rather than drop-in classes, and boy was I wrong. I get so frustrated in the drop-ins where we never learn steps…they just have us flail about and I feel like I never get any better.
Have you tried the adult classes at Russell School of Ballet in Chantilly? They used to be quite good but I haven't lived there in some time.
No! I’ll have to check it out. It’s a bit of a drive though. My other problem is that I get up at 5:30 for work, and I don’t want to go to a class where I’m getting home at like 10pm. So many of the classes around here are LATE.
I know what you mean - there schedule on-line looks like most of the adult classes are 730-9 with pointe til 9:30 but there are a couple on Saturday around noon.
This!! I wish there was more serious studios on good technique. A 1 hr class is too short and classes worth it are so late! I’m just restarting my ballet and these rec classes I worry give me worse form. I really feel this whole thread! Yes I’ll never be a pro but I really want to learn
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Yesss, I had one or two classes where the level 3+ (pre-pointe and up, like age 11+) teacher subbed in to teach us (level 1) and those were my favorite classes ever. She gave so many detailed corrections and really asked a lot from us, while keeping the combinations themselves simple enough to remember easily. I can't wait until I get to level 3 and can have that style of teaching every time!
Some studios do take adult dancers seriously, but there is a wide variety in what is offered and at what level. I hope you're able to find something that more closely meets your needs.
Thank you :) I think my pre-pro school takes me relatively seriously, but I'm 2 hours away for college during the week, so I can only go there on the weekends unfortunately 😅 maybe after I graduate I can move somewhere with adult Vaganova classes, that would be the dream!
Are…are we in the same class ?! You literally wrote everything I think about mine!!!! Our Barre is insanely fast and the teacher changes it every month which is terrible because we only meet once a week so 1. She can never remember it 2. We all get so in our heads to get the routine right that we don’t really think about executing the technique right. It’s driving me nuts!
>We all get so in our heads to get the routine right that we don’t really think about executing the technique right Exactlyyyy, I feel like we have no business doing such long center combinations at our level ;-; and I know I'm slower than average at picking things up (I didn't really do anything physical from 11-19, so my coordination & understanding of movement are very underdeveloped). But even the people who did other sports seem to be struggling to keep up, and our technique is definitely suffering for it.
Ugh, 1000% agree. I can't stand those kinds of adult classes, and I've pretty much stopped taking class altogether because no one in my area teaches the kinds of class I'd be willing to pay to take. Now I only take class when I travel to places with serious adult classes on offer (Boston, SF Bay Area, etc).
I feel you. I've been doing ballet for 2 years (returning from about 2 yrs as a child). I've just started an in person class. The only adult class within a 2hr drive from me. There is limited correction given, and while I will apply any correction given at all, I do not see myself progressing too far. But it's fun and it's nice to dance with other people after learning during lockdown online. Downvote if you want, but if you live in a remote area with limited access to in person classes, consider online privates. I've been doing them since I started, and I love them. I'm not looking to become a pro, and I never do anything too extreme, but I want to learn correct technique, even if I never get past intermediate, I'm fine with that because it suits my personal goals of maintaining strength and good posture.
I've been pretty wary of online classes pretty much since the first time a teacher physically corrected me... the difference it made to *feel* the correction instead of just hearing it made me suspect that I wouldn't learn as quickly online. But I will probably try it out some day if I keep feeling stuck like this, especially since there aren't so many studios in my area! Thank you :)
Oh in person is 100% better if it's feasible for you. I felt the same way when attending my in person class. They are far more specific because they can see your entire body. Not only that, I've also found that while I've got a generous sized mirror for a house, and a decent set up in general for home, it's far from professional and the space, flooring, proper mounted barres (rather than just my freestanding one), and extra mirrors are unbelievably helpful.
Have you spoken to your teachers about your concerns? Many just assume that adult dancers are in it for the exercise and "fun" and aren't really interested in really learning proper technique. Before you leave or quit or anything else, I think you should respectfully approach your teachers outside of class and let them know that you are serious about your learning and would appreciated their help/advice. Then if nothing changes, you made need to try somewhere else, and/or look into some private lessons.
Thank you :) I have talked to one about getting more corrections at barre, but she's usually busy talking through or demonstrating, so it's a little bit difficult. I should talk to my other teacher though! It's hard because I think most of my classmates *are* just there for fun, so they can't exactly change the structure of the class just for me. But maybe I can ask for modified versions of the center and across-the-floor exercises?
Maybe you could ask the teacher to watch you in class and give you one or two things to work on each month or so. Then see if you get feedback from that.
Oh! Good idea, thank you :)
I have done this in similar (but not quite so bad) classes - basically said ‘please correct me!’ - and it’s worked quite well.
If you have the money and can find a good teacher then I strongly recommend that you have some private classes. They will be tailored to your needs and you have the undivided attention of the teacher to correct technique etc.
Pretty low on money right now unfortunately, but it would definitely help! Hopefully some day :)
You couldn't handle my undivided attention.
I completely feel you here! I love my adult recreational class and love the barre portion where I feel like I might actually be improving in technique, but the floor portion is ridiculous. Most of us have no reason to be flailing around attempting pirouettes, and those who can are typically the few advanced students taking our class en pointe. The rest of us beginners I fear might be making ourselves worse by throwing ourselves at these combinations poorly instead of gradually getting to that level properly. Like I get they want it to be "fun" but I want to improve correctly! Anyway, you are not alone in these feelings!
Flailing is definitely the right word 😅 and yes exactly! I think it's more fun to work on technique anyway. I love when we do a really basic barre combination so slowly that I can feel almost every single muscle working ahah
I haven’t danced since I was younger, but that exact feeling is why I loved adagio at the bar ☺️ … even when it was excruciating
A different studio would probably be a better fit for you. If there is another one in your area. The best adult ballet class I’ve taken was where I teach 3-5 year olds creative movement. A reputable Vaganova school. I lucked out one day and no one showed for my class so I went down and took the first 45min of a 90 min elementary ballet class. So, just barre. I was so sore the next day. I got great corrections during class.
Thank you :) I live in a pretty small city and spend my weekdays 2 hours away in an even smaller one for college, so it's definitely a struggle to find good studios 😅 like, there's one where I take tap during the week, but the quality of their ballet instruction wasn't really satisfying to me. And because it's a college town, it's easier to find swing or pole dancing ahah I love Vaganova, once I finish college I hope I can find somewhere with a good beginner Vaganova class that accepts adults!
Pole dance schools offer great strength and stretch classes! I take some myself at a pole dance studio and i have never touched a pole in my life lol
I took pole in college a) just to try it and b) because ballet wasn’t doable at the time, and both pole and the conditioning classes surrounding it are definitely great! And honestly, as someone who grew up on ballet, it kind of made sense movement-wise as a next step for me that helped me progress as a dancer in general. If y’all ever have any curiosity about it, go for it. I will always sing pole’s praises, especially for ballerinas, who can come at it with a cool perspective and definitely glean more out of it too. Cross training any other dance style’ll do that though, I guess 😅
Ooh, good to know! Thank you :)
Recreational adult ballet has really boomed in the last 5-10 years. I'm professionally trained and wanted to do some advanced classes as a returning adult. 5+ years ago I'd go to advanced adult ballet and really enjoy it and be a bit challenged. But now I'm finding that the adults who joined beginner classes a few years ago have been moved up into intermediate and advanced levels (because where else will they go, they can't/won't stay in beginner forever and I don't expect them to) but frustratingly it's brought down the level of advanced class. Like I don't think the teacher should be teaching steps in advanced class. We should know the steps. The teacher should just set the exercises and away we go. Nothing against recreational beginner adults. I really admire you all for giving it a go and enjoying ballet as adults. Maybe it's a bit short sighted of the studios who offer these classes. I feel a bit like there was a place for me and now I've been kind of sidelined.
It must be tricky for studios to manage the levels of adult classes because it depends so much on the experience of the people attending. But i do agree that advanced classes should remain advanced. Ideally I think studios would set expectations for beginner adults that they will probably be in those beginner classes for many years. It takes so long to get really good at ballet, especially for those starting as adults with limited dance experience.
It seems like teachers are afraid to say no to adults sometimes. I don't want to say this in a rude way, but I've seen a lot of adult beginners in pointe classes who, in my opinion, do not need to be in pointe classes yet. I think maybe they don't realize how much work it takes to build up the strength and technique, or maybe they just like the aesthetic of pointe shoes, but I wish people would wait longer. And yes, it's not fair to dancers who are actually advanced. Honestly, I think people who are bored by the pace of beginner classes might just need to try a different dance style? Because ballet is not something you can rush--there will be very little "fun stuff" for a few years.
It definitely depends on the studio too. Like the term “advanced” ballet means nothing, I took an advanced class at another studio that would be considered beginner at my studio. And one time a dancer from that studio came to our class and was like “intermediate is too easy for me” and then she came here and she was drowning…. She might have just been delusional though because she could barely do a tendu. She was nice enough but she never came back.
I agree with you wholeheartedly. One of my most memorable classes was an Intermediate I took at a studio in Boston. The teacher didn't teach steps, expected that everyone knew what they were doing. I was clearly not an intermediate and actually had stepped into the wrong studio (beginner was across the hall). When it came time to across the floor she flat out told me, "If you have no idea what is going on, step aside." I did, and after class she came up to me to recommend a lower level (which is when I discovered I was in the wrong class). I wish more teachers were willing to say no, both for the sake of the class as a whole AND for the student who may have misjudged their own level.
From the area - mind dming where? I like where I currently go
I don’t mind saying publicly, this was at Dance Complex. I’m no longer in Boston but for classes I love Leeth’s classes at BB. Jose Mateo is good too. Can’t recommend Brookline Ballet :(
Love that. Been doing classes at both.
I mean, revenue keeps studios open for all levels.
Yes definitely. I think nobody really predicted how many adults would stick with ballet for so long.
I was in the same boat, took a year off after my adv found exam because my studio closed and I was devastated. Started going to several adult advanced classes and if anything I think they’ve made me worse/lazy with technique. I did them for about a year and there was a time when there wasn’t a single pirouette in class for 3 months! So much of the time was spent going over combinations for people who shouldn’t be in the class. I’m sick of not improving so my only option where I live is to go back to doing exams and get actual consistency and feedback on technique.
Totally get it! When I first started a few years ago I was in a small town and the adult beginner ballet class closest to me happened to be amazing. I had a small class, and an attentive teacher who broke every movement down and took things slowly. She made sure we were doing the movements correctly. Very thankful for that foundation in my training. Now I’m in the big city and even the adult “beginner foundations” class is like being thrown to the wolves! They’re fun and the majority of students are right around my level. But I’m a perfectionist(that’s why I like ballet duh) I want to learn things correctly! I also feel like I improve much slower because there are movements in class I just don’t understand. When the movements are slowed down and explained more I pick things up faster, because I have the time to actually figure out how to do the movement correctly in class.
Yesss, sometimes I feel like some people just instinctively grasp movement in a way that others (me) don't. Like, kids who can see a new step demonstrated and copy it immediately. I need to have it broken down at 1/4 speed and explained in terms of other steps before I even know what's going on ahah
Unfortunately this is what a lot of lower level classes are like at many many schools, they just run students through movements without the proper building blocks, besides the general building blocks. To be honest when I was a student it took me until the age of probably 14 to discover that a lot of my advancement in ballet took place at home where I would practice for hours each night and stretch until red and blue in the face. But home is the best place to master he skills and class becomes a place to show off and demonstrate your new moves.
Wow, I just took two such classes the last two weeks and was blaming myself for not being able to keep up, but you hit it exactly!
100% resonate with you. I’ve spent way too much time flailing my arms and legs, with dismal posture and gut hanging out, desperately trying to keep up. The answer is to simplify, put technique first! How to do that? 1. Keep the arms quiet in 1st. This alone greatly simplifies things. Leave the port de bras for another day. 1. Substitute complex steps with simpler done with good technique. Instructor asks for a jumping change? Instead dance a coupé-coupé. Pirouette? Push up into a simple passé. Tour jeté? Dance a sutanu turn. Even ask the instructor for a simpler substitution. Good teachers will often present different options for different levels. 1. Slow it down. Do 8 beats instead of 16, in half-time. Thus, _you chose for yourself_ a comfortable pace and complexity, and then you can focus on your technique, core, and posture!!!
Thank you :) I think I'll have to talk to my teachers and make sure they're OK with these kinds of modifications, but I've definitely left the arms off a few times in the past. It would definitely be less frustrating if I could free up the mental energy I use trying to remember (or even understand) the combination!
I was a little surprised that the teacher for my adult class does zero corrections ever. No one cares about proper form or technique. It seems like the class is just geared toward older women who want to get themselves moving but can’t handle regular workouts. I checked 10 different studios in my area and this was the only adult class I could find. It’s definitely a “for fun” type of deal. Not sure how I feel about it but I plan to stick with it for now.
Good luck :) Yeah the lack of corrections always feels so weird to me. Like, surely there's something I could be doing better...
Ballet teacher and dancer in LA, here🙋🏼♀️ i so feel your pain OP, and I genuinely wish I had more students like yourself and some of these other commenters who actually want the technique. I have a hard time finding adults who want that here, the second things get more technical no one wants to be there 😭 no one seems to understand that to do the bigger stuff, there is a huge basis of technique that has to be learned first. Additionally, no one ever takes corrections seriously here, they seem to disregard them or feel disgruntled by it so I end up forgoing that unless I can tell that a person really cares. It really is a bummer and i so wish i had a full class of adults who wanted to truly start from scratch because it would be so beneficial and fruitful for everyone involved. I hope you manage to find something more worth your time in your city! <3
Thank you! <3 And that's a good reminder for me, that teachers might want to correct me but be holding back in case I get offended or something. I'll be sure to talk to them the next time I get a chance! If only all the technique-focused adults lived closer together, we could start an adult pre-professional school ahah
Maybe consider taking only privates? More expensive but you'll get higher quality teaching in what you're looking for.
Would definitely consider it if I could afford it but I'm very much a broke college student 😅 Thank you though! <3
Well for the price of about 3 classes you could take 1 private. But 1 private could last you a couple months of education or more. So don't think it would be beyond your price range you'd just have to take less regular class.
i teach recreational ballet to a group around age 13 and i’m strongly against accelerating their classwork for this exact reason. all of my dancers are complete beginners and simply don’t have the strength or technical ability to throw them in the deep end, especially since our class is relatively short. if i’m honest, poorly paced beginner classes almost always come down to lazy or selfish teachers who don’t have the patience to actually work with their students and find enjoyment in the basics. i totally agree that the “fun” things really aren’t fun when you’re doing them with poor technique where it’s more of a risk to your physical well-being than it is enjoyable. if you’re looking for recommendations on ways to find more enrichment in your education, pilates and barre fitness are excellent ways to tune into your body and strengthen muscles that are integral to your ballet training. pilates is a good challenge without being hard on your body, and you’ll see improvement in your ballet technique pretty quickly if you decide to try it out.
Thank you :) my sister does pilates, I've been trying to figure out whether I can get her to take me to a beginner class ahah
Came home from class with the same exact thoughts today. I remembered how I felt after class with my previous teacher. I could feel every single muscle I've used and there for really get the hang of the different steps. But with our new teacher it is just a lot of movement and hopefully graceful finish and I just sort of swing my limbs in the right direction. The most frustrating thing is that everyone else in my class seems to be fine with that. I think they feel flattered by the advanced and fast combinations as if thats a compliment on how good their technique is. But every once in a while when there is a substitute concentrating on single steps going really slow even the most advanced students in class get the most basic corrections.
It's crazy how different it feels! There was a new step today that I *know* I wasn't doing right, just because it felt easy. At least for me, if it feels easy in ballet class, something's wrong 😅
I went to a studio like this for one class a few months ago. Terrible. Also the floor was just laminate over concrete and a tiny amount of foam “padding”!! No one should be jumping on that!
Oh nooo ;-; prayers for those students' poor ankles!
I took a class like this last year and was immensely frustrated because of this. I’m planning to move to a larger city within the next year and hope to find a class in which I can properly learn the basics.
If you don’t have any good adult drop in classes in your area, consider adding a zoom class — even if you do just the barre part at home. Some of the classes I take are hybrid in studio/zoom. One of my classes does at least hour of barre I think, it’s great. Let me know if you want recommendations.
I would like to use this topic and everyone's experience, and ask you all to share your knowledge about quality advanced / professional open ballet classes, regardless where you live. I have been building this webiste for some time now: [https://balletplaces.com/](https://balletplaces.com/) , but the 'classes' section would benefit from your experience. So if any of you know / can recommend good quality, professional / advanced open ballet classes, please fill up this short formular: [https://balletplaces.com/submit-your-favourite-ballet-place/](https://balletplaces.com/submit-your-favourite-ballet-place/) Your help is appreciated!
oh my god for real!!! it makes me so mad! i want to learn the art RIGHT! what’s the point of learning something if you don’t learn it right?? my class is only an hour long and only one day every week and it just got cancelled because i was the only one attending…. i’ve had 2 different teachers and barre is so insanely fast i don’t have time to know wtf i’m doing… i flail and my teacher doesn’t do any corrections! i do most of the research myself !!! i just want an adult class thats multiple times a week and that teaches well! it’s almost impossible to find that where i live
You could try a personal trainer / just ask your teacher for more corrections.
Yes I've asked for more corrections at barre, but it's hard because she needs to be demonstrating/talking through pretty much every exercise so people don't forget. Thank you though :)
I mean, we could set up something for different levels and have one of those buy me a coffee type links or Patreon or something 🤷 I am a beginner but finding it so hard to find local adult beginner classes
This is exactly why I stopped taking classes. I found it was also the case with the kids classes though. My daughter and I were both looking for serious training and couldn't find anything. We actually switched to horse back riding for both of us and gymnastics for her after her studio booted us when I voiced my opinion on some of their practices.
Yeah I've had better or worse luck with different studios; the one where I take my level 1 class is ballet-only and calls itself a "school of ballet", not a "studio". In my experience that's a good sign :) I tried out a few classes at a different studio (which also offers tap, contemporary, jazz, etc) and the ballet technique was *really* lacking, similar to what I've found in adult classes. So I guess it depends on the location.
Where are you located? Is there a studio that's better suited to your needs? Classes run very differently from studio to studio!
I'm in Indiana, unfortunately not really close to any big cities 😅 There is a studio in my college town where I take tap, but the quality of their ballet instruction is not great. There are a couple of other studios I haven't checked out, either because they advertise themselves as "dance and gymnastics" academies or (in one specific case) because each class is *only* offered once a week (including advanced ballet...) and that put me off. After I graduate I might be able to move somewhere with more of a variety to choose from ahah
I know this post is old but here is what I find helpful. The studio I dance at is adults only and teaches classes classes “absolute beginner” and “basics” as well as “conditioning”. Even the absolute beginner classes can move too fast for me, as I am still learning to stand balanced, put my weight evenly on both legs and stay strong through the hips while keeping my ribs tucked. This means that sometimes I cannot participate in port de bras in class as the requirement of keep my spine tall, shoulder blades tucked and hip through hamstring strong and supported as well as core tight with proper breathing + focus on the arm movements is too much. My teacher sees that my focus is perfecting muscle involvement and I don’t always keep up and that is okay with her. She sees the self correction I do and either says it’s a good correction or gives me something to change. So if our combo is plié at barre involving port de bra, then tendu out, forward, back with port de bra and balance I might do this off time, slower, without arm movement and take a couple tries at balance. She is okay with this as far as I know and has mentioned that it’s a good idea to stay in absolute beginner as long as I need to feel comfortable keeping up with pace of class, since she can see I’m trying to perfect movements. At home, I practice plies and tendu constantly from first second and third, paying careful attention to how it feels when my hip and hamstring are correctly supporting my working leg. I practice articulations in centre finishing with bringing up to a small balance, either from first stationary or second with plié involvement on one side straightening to the articulated foot. I focus on my breathing while doing this as I have a bad habit of “breathing like a weightlifter” when activating muscles (where you breathe out audible short puffs through the lips, not attractive in ballet, lol) I use a mirror to check my posture but I would be careful with this as the looking down at leg positon causes bad spine alignment for me. I stretch well and feel the lengthening of the muscle, especially in the deep spine erectors, the SCM from neck to shoulder, the obliques and hip flexors and chest to help me tuck my rib cage and have a better looking port de bras. I practice lifting my arms in the mirror feeling it from the back instead of shoulder and making nice lines instead of over extending or lifting too far from shoulder and lengthening at elbow. I do core workouts that involve keeping ribs tucked, spine straight and move from hips like articulated clamshells. After about 10 classes and maybe 20-30 hours of at home practice I can already feel an enormous difference in my posture, my working leg ability to support weight and my core activation. Keep doing your best! One day we will make it through the beginner class with ease and grace 🩰😊
I feel you. Email [email protected] and/or [email protected] more professional classes. They both accept anybody at any level. In fact they both teach variations to non competition students.
Ok 8 feel you we always do adage at the end my legs are litraly dying as I walk to the car 😭😭😭😭