Many adults would love to try ballet but feel a little hesitant about taking their first class. It's totally normal to feel that way, but I am here to tell you that there are so many amazing reasons to take ballet...
And while your first class may feel a bit overwhelming, if you keep going to classes regularly, ballet will soon become as normal and familiar to you as any other activity you enjoy.
Here are five reasons you should get yourself to a ballet class as soon as possible...
#1) Ballet is good for your mind.
I think it's pretty obvious that ballet is good for your body — who doesn't want better posture, more flexibility, and a stronger core, am I right? — but did you know that ballet is good for your mind, too?
Well, it is!
Each dance combination is like a puzzle to be solved:
Is the accent of the tendu on the in or on the out? Does the foot close to the front or back? And what are my arms supposed to be doing, again?
Ballet can be confusing when you are a beginner, but as you attend more and more adult ballet classes, you will slowly begin to crack the ballet code.
Then one day, you will find that the combinations aren't so overwhelming.
Ballet will start to feel like second nature.
So, why should you take ballet?
Because it keeps your mind sharp and fresh, and although there is a steep learning curve at first, for many adults, ballet class is welcome change of pace from the monotony of day-to-day life.
#2) When you take ballet, you experience beautiful classical music.
When you take ballet, you do more than just listen to music and try to find a beat — you connect with the music in a new and unique way.
More so than just appreciating the music, you experience the music, and you embody it.
Some studios even offer live piano accompaniment in adult ballet classes.
The opportunity to dance to live piano in a ballet studio is a thrill like no other: the music fills the space and the pianist watches the dancers and plays to the room.
As you sync your movement to the music, all seems to be right with the world for that moment.
Ballet class with live music is one of the purest examples of living, breathing, collaborative art in action.
But even if you are dancing at a small studio that doesn't have the budget for a pianist, dancing to recordings of classical music is still an amazingly fulfilling experience.
And these days, you can even purchase recorded ballet class music to use at home, so that you can experience the joy of ballet class any time you like. (One of my favorite ballet class musical artists is Nate Fifield.)
#3) Ballet inspires confidence in those who do it.
Although it may seem like donning tights and a leotard and watching yourself carefully in a mirror as you attempt to execute extremely difficult dance moves would be the last thing ever to inspire confidence — it's actually quite the opposite!
Many adults who take ballet classes are pleasantly surprised when they discover what their bodies can accomplish.
Going to ballet regularly can lead to flexibility and strength you never thought possible.
For me, ballet was nothing but intimidating and overwhelming at first — but as I have progressed through the years, ballet has increased my self-awareness, my mind-body connection, and most importantly, it has taught me to appreciate myself and my body in a whole new way.
And please, don't let the prospect of wearing a leotard and tights deter you from ballet! Most adult ballet classes do not have a strict dress code. You can wear whatever you like, as long as you can move in it!
For a stylish, dance-friendly activewear available in a range of sizes, I highly recommend Danskin.
#4) It's a workout, but it doesn't feel like a workout.
Now don't get me wrong — you will likely experience soreness and tiredness from taking ballet, and it may even be the toughest physical exercise you have ever tried.
But here's the difference between classical ballet and mainstream forms of exercise: when you are in ballet class, you aren't just crunching or planking (or whatever else) simply for the sake of exerting energy to burn calories, build muscle, or lose weight.
Ballet IS an amazing workout but that isn't the actual purpose of ballet — instead, ballet is an outlet for creative expression and storytelling through movement.
You don't go to ballet to get a "bikini body."
You go to ballet to create art, to let go of stress and anxiety, and to have an experience like no other.
You won't be thinking about burning fat while doing ballet. You will be thinking about ballet!
#5) When you do ballet, you join a force that is bigger than yourself.
Ballet is a fascinating and mysterious thing that has been around for centuries. Until recently, the ballet world was unapproachable to most people. Now, with adult ballet classes becoming more and more common, anyone who wants to dance classical ballet now has the opportunity to do just that!
So, go forth and join this challenging, invigorating, rejuvenating, and uniquely beautiful form of artistic expression.
