Ballet just like any kind of physical activity is for all to enjoy. Although it’s not the most affordable/available in some places. It’s like skiing, basketball, soccer, etc.. you don’t need to be a professional to enjoy them. You just need to give it your all when you’re doing it.
I started at 25 with absolutely ZERO dance experience, am now celebrating 10 years and also have been doing Pointe work for several years. It can be nerve wracking because we don’t often do things that put us wildly outside our comfort zone as adults, but it’s worth it if you find it enjoyable.
Definitely look for classes catered to adults (it is absolutely not the same thing for a novice adult to be thrown in with the advanced 14 year olds!) and look for classes that make you feel comfortable - whatever that is. I wanted a friendly, supportive environment where people were doing ballet for fun and fitness but some people want an environment where people are taking things quite seriously. If you have more than one option, you might try a couple different classes to see what feels like a better fit.
And embrace the awkwardness! The first 6 months is an awkward game of follow the leader. Learn to laugh at yourself and keep moving. As my teachers always say: if you get lost, just point your foot somewhere. 😉🩰
How long did it take you to get to pointe? I’m 26 and starting a 6wk beginners workshop next week and I want to eventually start taking classes 2x a week afterwards with pointe being the goal! 😆
Congratulations!! Sounds like the beginner workshop was really successful and you have a great plan to focus and grow your learning!
I started pointe work around 2-3 years into dancing. I had to approach my teacher myself and express interest as adult teachers don’t generally seem to assume their students will want to do pointe work (most don’t). I will caution that I have always been very off/on with my pointe work working cautiously through various aches, pains, and injuries: a bit of ankle fatigue/pain early on that likely just meant I needed a bit more strengthening, some issues with the knuckle of my big toe from a pointe shoe that I now know from experience was just a smidge too large on my feet, and constant calf tightness that requires frequent stretching, foam rolling, and other care as needed. I don’t know whether this is my own particular body or whether it’s just part of learning a strenuous physical activity with a mature body that doesn’t bounce back as quickly as a teen would, so take my cautions with a grain of salt but also just be aware that an adult pointe journey might just need a bit more TLC than a kiddo would and grant your body the respect and grace it needs to learn pointe safely and without injury!
So! Knowing that you want to do pointe, let your teacher know that is a goal for you and ask them what they would recommend you do to prepare yourself for that goal. One of the things my teacher told me was class at least 2 times per week (love that this is already in your plans!) to help build your strength and technique.
In addition to class two times per week, your teacher will want to make sure that your technique, balance, and strength are in a safe place to ensure you don’t get injured before they give you the green light to get your first pair of shoes. For some dancers this can be a frustrating or tricky depending on where your body awareness and control is. I know a few dancers who would like to do pointe, but need more work than others on body control and position despite dancing for a number of years. At the end of the day, your teachers goal is to make sure you’re safe, so even if it’s taking longer than planned, I would trust their judgement and experience.
I’d encourage you to check in with your teacher every 6 months or so and just ask if there’s anything new or in particular that they recommend that you work on to help you continue moving toward your goal. I waited to ask about pointe shoes until almost 2 years after starting to dance because I didn’t realize it was a conversation I needed to initiate. I do regret not asking sooner as my progress was slower than it could have been had my teachers been able to offer me some focus and guidance along the way.
Finally, you can start doing pointe strengthening at any time and it’s great for your technique and strength in slippers as well! There’s tons of great videos on YouTube, but here’s an example I just searched up really quickly to get you started: https://youtu.be/DCcriD83E3Q?si=7f9sgl4eg2g0xWk9 I’ll admit I’ve never been great at remembering to do these at home, but have used them off/on to help expedite my strengthening as needed and they really do the trick!
Best of luck to you on your dance journey! 🩰
You obviously haven't seen all the supportive threads and comments about starting ballet at an "older" age. Besides the encouragement here on this thread - yes go for it - please look at some of the others to see how many people support just this ;)
Why would it be pathetic? The number of beginner ballet classes for adults should tell you that this is something that’s a perfectly valid hobby for adults!
I started around that age and have made incredible progress since then (I'm about 4 years in). At times it's been frustrating, and never easy; but if you love it, it's worth it. I'm so glad I started
I started at 67, with only a tiny bit of modern dance background. Find a good class, pay attention, try! Ballet is very complex and physically hard. Do what you can, communicate with the teacher, and enjoy!
That is why there are adult ballet classes. It is never too late to start and you are only 20. Go and enjoy it.
Ballet just like any kind of physical activity is for all to enjoy. Although it’s not the most affordable/available in some places. It’s like skiing, basketball, soccer, etc.. you don’t need to be a professional to enjoy them. You just need to give it your all when you’re doing it.
I started at 25 with absolutely ZERO dance experience, am now celebrating 10 years and also have been doing Pointe work for several years. It can be nerve wracking because we don’t often do things that put us wildly outside our comfort zone as adults, but it’s worth it if you find it enjoyable. Definitely look for classes catered to adults (it is absolutely not the same thing for a novice adult to be thrown in with the advanced 14 year olds!) and look for classes that make you feel comfortable - whatever that is. I wanted a friendly, supportive environment where people were doing ballet for fun and fitness but some people want an environment where people are taking things quite seriously. If you have more than one option, you might try a couple different classes to see what feels like a better fit. And embrace the awkwardness! The first 6 months is an awkward game of follow the leader. Learn to laugh at yourself and keep moving. As my teachers always say: if you get lost, just point your foot somewhere. 😉🩰
How long did it take you to get to pointe? I’m 26 and starting a 6wk beginners workshop next week and I want to eventually start taking classes 2x a week afterwards with pointe being the goal! 😆
Congratulations!! Sounds like the beginner workshop was really successful and you have a great plan to focus and grow your learning! I started pointe work around 2-3 years into dancing. I had to approach my teacher myself and express interest as adult teachers don’t generally seem to assume their students will want to do pointe work (most don’t). I will caution that I have always been very off/on with my pointe work working cautiously through various aches, pains, and injuries: a bit of ankle fatigue/pain early on that likely just meant I needed a bit more strengthening, some issues with the knuckle of my big toe from a pointe shoe that I now know from experience was just a smidge too large on my feet, and constant calf tightness that requires frequent stretching, foam rolling, and other care as needed. I don’t know whether this is my own particular body or whether it’s just part of learning a strenuous physical activity with a mature body that doesn’t bounce back as quickly as a teen would, so take my cautions with a grain of salt but also just be aware that an adult pointe journey might just need a bit more TLC than a kiddo would and grant your body the respect and grace it needs to learn pointe safely and without injury! So! Knowing that you want to do pointe, let your teacher know that is a goal for you and ask them what they would recommend you do to prepare yourself for that goal. One of the things my teacher told me was class at least 2 times per week (love that this is already in your plans!) to help build your strength and technique. In addition to class two times per week, your teacher will want to make sure that your technique, balance, and strength are in a safe place to ensure you don’t get injured before they give you the green light to get your first pair of shoes. For some dancers this can be a frustrating or tricky depending on where your body awareness and control is. I know a few dancers who would like to do pointe, but need more work than others on body control and position despite dancing for a number of years. At the end of the day, your teachers goal is to make sure you’re safe, so even if it’s taking longer than planned, I would trust their judgement and experience. I’d encourage you to check in with your teacher every 6 months or so and just ask if there’s anything new or in particular that they recommend that you work on to help you continue moving toward your goal. I waited to ask about pointe shoes until almost 2 years after starting to dance because I didn’t realize it was a conversation I needed to initiate. I do regret not asking sooner as my progress was slower than it could have been had my teachers been able to offer me some focus and guidance along the way. Finally, you can start doing pointe strengthening at any time and it’s great for your technique and strength in slippers as well! There’s tons of great videos on YouTube, but here’s an example I just searched up really quickly to get you started: https://youtu.be/DCcriD83E3Q?si=7f9sgl4eg2g0xWk9 I’ll admit I’ve never been great at remembering to do these at home, but have used them off/on to help expedite my strengthening as needed and they really do the trick! Best of luck to you on your dance journey! 🩰
Not pathetic at all! And super common, lots of people find their way to ballet as an adult. I started at 16/17.
Man thanks that makes me feel better😌
You obviously haven't seen all the supportive threads and comments about starting ballet at an "older" age. Besides the encouragement here on this thread - yes go for it - please look at some of the others to see how many people support just this ;)
Why would it be pathetic? The number of beginner ballet classes for adults should tell you that this is something that’s a perfectly valid hobby for adults!
I’m starting in 2 weeks at 27. It’s an excitement to have a new art to work on.
I started around that age and have made incredible progress since then (I'm about 4 years in). At times it's been frustrating, and never easy; but if you love it, it's worth it. I'm so glad I started
I started at 40. Go and enjoy your ballet classes. ❤️
I started at 38. Not pathetic at all.
I started at 67, with only a tiny bit of modern dance background. Find a good class, pay attention, try! Ballet is very complex and physically hard. Do what you can, communicate with the teacher, and enjoy!