Myths in Ballet dance : Danceblog
Ballet still remains off-limits for a large percentage of the population—particularly teenagers and, especially, young men.
If you or those around you are reluctant to learn ballet, probably one of many misconceptions is skewing the perception of what is actually an exciting and dynamic art. So here we debunk the most common myths about ballet:
• Myth #1: You need to start ballet as a child. You can’t do ballet if you’re over 20 years old.
I can’t tell you how many people interested in dance tell me that they always wanted to try ballet, but for some reason they didn’t get the chance. No doubt, kids often pick things up easier and have more agile bodies, but as an adult, you have a greater capacity for understanding and applying the knowledge.
There is nothing to stop you learning the movements of ballet no matter what age you start, and you are likely to gain great satisfaction from mastering them. Yes, the results comes slower as body grows, but not that you cannot join ballet after 20 years.
• Myth #2: You have to be born with a slim body to do ballet. Ballet is not for everyone.
I firmly believe that it’s not the way you look, it’s the way you move and hold yourself, how passionate you are and how you approach the class that matters. Ballet work out tonnes down the body and makes you able for such objectives. It works on each and every muscle of your body, stamina, balance, length and posture.
• Myth #3: You need to have previous dance experience to do ballet as an adult.
Sure, if you join a ballet class that isn’t for beginners, you’ll quickly feel out of place and perhaps scarred for life (joking!). But that’s why we have beginner classes. There is no need to have any previous ballet or dance experience, at least for a move through a beginner class. The classes for beginners is structured in a way that makes it easy for a fresher to grasp and enjoy the class. I myself joined and started learning ballet when I was 16 years old.
• Myth #4: Ballet classes are very serious and formal
Ballet is a formal style of dance, in that there are specific steps and patterns of movement, and rules to be learned. These rules aren’t there to keep you in line, they are there to help you learn how to move in the most efficient way possible, and to learn to control your body, so that eventually you can fly. But just because there are rules and correct ways to do things, it doesn’t mean the experience of being in the class is boring or tedious. You are allowed to have fun! And we do not take a serious strict class of Ballet at our academy. We would make you feel comfortable with the form and environment.
• Myth #5: Ballet is only meant for girls.
In fact, Ballet was only for men for years after its origin. Ballet is equally for boys and girls. The men lifts and women gets lifted. Rest the entire dance form is learned and performed by both men and women. Its just because whenever we think of Ballet, Tutu comes to our mind which makes us believe that this dance form is for girls.
• Myth #6: Ballet is only dancing on toes.
Ballerina yes, they dance on toes but Ballet is not only about that. It is after a lot of practise and transforming their physique, ballerina start their training in pointe shoes and it’s difficult to learn this as the dancer experiences injuries during this process. Whatever the dancer learns on flat feet, they do the same combinations en pointe. Thus after years of perfecting the combination the ballerina is promoted to start on pointe.
• Myth #7: Ballet is done on boring piano music.
Classical ballet is a fragile art built upon history and has changed over the years and no doubt it will continue to change. The modern ballet has freedom to use other music apart from the classical piano music in the classes. The music with varied tempo, counts and rhythm clearly determines the agility, grace and distincts the sharp and soft steps. But the teachers makes the class interesting by using contemporary music or any other instrumental music.
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