Adult Beginner Ballet Dancers - You are not the Problem

It seems to be a steady characteristic of the adult ballet community - frustration. Perhaps that’s the word we can use to frame our entire population: frustrated.

After nearly every class, we tell ourselves the usual diatribe: “I started too late and my body is old, I’m not flexible enough, I can’t learn these combinations, I don’t have the stamina, etc, etc.”

I’m here to tell you something about your struggles: YOU ARE NOT THE PROBLEM.

“Oh no, but I AM the problem,” you may say.

No. YOU ARE NOT THE PROBLEM.

Have you ever discussed your ballet class frustrations with an accredited school teacher? Like, a person who teaches math, English, science, or language to children? A teacher may give you a different insight, because he or she has been schooled for years in how to manage student frustration in the classroom. That teacher may very well tell you what I’m going to tell you now:

YOUR TEACHER IS THE PROBLEM.

“Oh no!” you may say. “But, my dance teacher is wonderful!” And I’m sure she is. But any good credentialed school teacher will tell you that she or he would never let a student continue to flounder in their frustration because it’s “their own silly fault” or because of their “genetics”. Teachers just don’t do that. They actively design their lessons so that every child can leave the classroom having learned. Good school teachers know this adage about teaching:

If they have not learned, you have not taught.

Unfortunately, few dance teachers have even a fraction of the training of a public school teacher. They may not have any teaching training at all. And yes, that does matter. Just because you can do something very well, doesn’t mean you can teach it. Just because they have danced with a major ballet company doesn’t mean they can teach ballet well.

Far too many dance teachers GIVE class. They do not TEACH class.

Your frustrations as an adult beginner student come out of the fact that you are being GIVEN a class, not being TAUGHT one.  

Ballet education is cumulative - you must learn A in order to progress to B. In too many adult “beginner” classes, adults are started off with E, F, and G! The foundations of ballet are not properly taught, and instead are rushed through in order to teach “fancier moves” or “choreography”. However, if you do not have a strong foundation, you simply can not properly execute these advanced movements with lightness, balance, and grace. And you, as a student, can feel that. You look in the mirror and can see and feel that something just isn’t right. Your first thought is that it’s because of your own faults.

Pirouettes are a great example of a movement that is often given in beginner classes when it really has no place there. Here are just some of the prerequisites to a successful pirouette:

-Strong 5th position - able to close securely in 5th from tendu, sousus, jumps, etc.

-Weight centered over toes in relevé and élevé.

-Application of turnout in relevé and élevé.

-Foot aligned correctly in sur le cou de pied back and coupé front.

-Understanding and application of turnout in sur le cou de pied positions.

-Foot peeled off the ground and returned correctly during coupé.

-Ability to hold pelvis and shoulders square with the leg raised to coupé or lower calf.

-Strong “pathway” of port de bras from first and second positions.

-Strong and snappy spotting of the head.

-Feeling relatively at ease in turning the body in basic chaînés and skip turns.

So, WHY are pirouettes so often included in beginner classes, and these crucial prerequisite movements so often ignored?

Teaching is hard work. Not just the act of being on your feet all day and being very attentive to the needs of others, but the process of choosing and implement appropriate content is exceedingly challenging. Having an understanding of foundational exercises and implementing them effectively for adults can be a challenging task, especially if the teacher herself was too young to remember her own learning experiences when she was a 4 or 6 year old dance student.

Adult students are intelligent, critical thinkers who can handle a great deal more information and technicality than a child, but they still need the time, care, and attention that an 8 year old would receive. In far too many adult ballet classes, adults are not getting anywhere near the attention that is given to children, and the cost is saddening.

The next time you come out of your dance class feeling down, feeling frustrated because you couldn’t do an attitude pirouette or even comprehend what the blazes a contretemps is because it wasn't even explained, please breathe and forgive yourself. Your education is not complete, but your ability and potential are still strong. If more options are open to you, keep searching for a quality beginner adult program. If you are relegated to a single studio, speak with or email your instructor about taking private lessons or adding simpler combinations to your class.

You can do it.