Hi friends! I was really hoping this video could be an illuminating and honest portrayal of the ways it can be confusing to navigate starting ballet as an adult, but i see it’s also stirred some concern for my safety. So I just want to clear some things up: * I absolutely do NOT endorse going on pointe as a beginner without being carefully evaluated by a professional and being supervised when dancing. * I was approved by a professional teacher by taking a preliminary ballet class so she could evaluate my dancing. And have since discussed my goals with several other professional teachers who have seen my dancing and have approved it for the current level of pointe work I’m doing. * I take 1 pointe class every week/every couple of weeks where I only dance on pointe for 10-20 minutes at most, under careful instruction and switch back to soft shoes for the rest of class. I’m at the barre the whole time and very rarely come away from it. I certainly don’t do full center classes on pointe. I’m mainly there to absorb the technical cues and just start learning the basics of pointe work. * When I say “no one has ever explained these things to me in this way” I don’t mean that I’ve never learned the basics at all or that I’ve been poorly trained. I have taken absolute beginner workshops and courses where I did learn these foundations but I like things to be taught to me in excruciating detail or else I feel insecure about the holes in my knowledge. The advice I received in this video were really filling in those gaps of insecurity. * I’m definitely working on restructuring my learning schedule to focus more on series and workshops to become a more confident, strong, and safe dancer Please remember that you are seeing tiny snippets of my life and dancing that can’t encompass every part of this journey. I could choose to not share my struggles to make it seem like I’m a better dancer than I am and avoid the criticism, but that’s not how I wish to approach my channel. I genuinely love your feedback and support so much and just want this to be a space of inspiration and honesty. I’m doing my best for you
you're fine I took private lessons with a woman who was a professional dancer and within a year of starting ballet she okay'ed me to go en pointe and you are in way better shape than I was when I started. You are not in danger and you can clearly do barre in pointe. you have enough technique and strength. don't listen to people. I think you're getting a lot of people who are just salty. FFS look at what they do in that "hiplet" stuff. also where I live, they have barre classes in heels. those are much more dangerous in my opinion, but people do them just fine.
@@VeronicaViccora Lovely video. I haven't heard from you in a while. How is your recovery going? As a fellow adult ballet dancer, I know how it feels. Had a back injury two years ago (not dance related) and realize I will have to work my form back to where I was... it's a long road for me. I hope you're doing ok, physically and emotionally. Lots of love 💜
I also started ballet at 27 with zero experience and have had a similar dance journey to yours. I'm also a physical therapist (and I've worked with dancers) and here is what I've learned: it is VERY often that dance teachers and dancers who did their training as children lack understanding of the anatomy and reasoning behind their verbage. Common phrases such as "lift from beneath your legs" or the "up and out" or "stabilize with your rotators" are just often repeated and not understood. I've taken classes by professional dancers on the highest level who could not properly explain placement/muscles/and the anatomy is always wrong. They just keep repeating things like "use your turnout!" without being able to explain what that means or how to do it! Really good dancers are so used to being told what to do, how to place their body, they learn to mimic others.... and therefore they lack that internal awareness of basic anatomy. The whole "those that do, cannot teach and vice versa" concept. So I completely understand your confusion and frustration: yes you're still a beginner but most teachers don't know how to translate movement/positions to students because they themselves lack the foundational knowledge. All that to say: when you find a teacher that actually "gets it" and can break things down for students: follow them! You're exactly right though: as an adult there usually isn't a "school" where technique is sequentially progressed like kids. You bounce around from class to class and just do your best to learn. Just know that I'm right in that journey with you! Keep working and I promise you will continue to make connections in your body and have these "aha" moments: I know I do! P.S. I keep toying around with starting a ballet school for adults one day.... (sorta like Broche ballet...)... cuz there are lot of people like you and me.
Yes, please! Start a school for adults. With your background and experience I bet you'd be a wonderful teacher. I think more adults would get out of their boxes if we had more opportunity to do so and the schools/support/community to encourage it! (and make it possible)
I find turnout to be very poorly explained in general, so I wanted to share some info on turnout that is not usually touched upon. Basically turnout is a very complex process and involves all your muscles from the waist down. Two areas of focus are your toes and your psoas muscle. To properly activate your inner thigh muscles, you need to have not an ounce of pronation in your feet, and the ball of your big toe needs to be in contact with the floor. This also means your other toes need to be able to fan out. A good piece of advice is actually trying to pronate your feet the other way, that tends to activate the right turnout muscles. Your knees will also automatically be properly aligned that way. The other area of focus of your psoas muscle. This muscle starts in your lower back and wraps around your stomach to connect to your femur. It’s hugely important in turnout. Now here’s something you don’t normally read about: your psoas muscle can only relax if you do a complete exhale. In other words: it’s connected to your diaphragm and to your breathing in general. If you don’t breathe properly, your psoas is always under tension and this keeps your pelvis permanently tilted (keyword: anterior pelvic tilt). Look up Conor Harris’s youtube channel for more info on this. Hoping this helps :)
I’m no longer taking adult ballet classes. I’m in a regular class of girls between 13 and 20 years old (I’m 31) and what a diference. Since the progress is “expected”, the teaching is much more focused on improving the foundation and technique. And the teacher sees everyone on a week basis.
@@authenticallyadhd generally, they don't. I've been lucky once. When adults and teenagers were in a mixed class. Then gradually all the adults dropped out, except me. So I danced 4 and a half years with this class. But eventually, the teacher actually kicked me out (no other reason but "image"). I was heart-broken.
As a 13 year old ballerina who has been dancing since she was 5, watching your channel has really helped me to feel so much admiration for the art of ballet. I feel that younger dancers, like myself, often take it for granted just how lucky we are to have started at such a young age, and also just how closed off the ballet community is, especially when it comes to adult beginners. Watching your ballet journey has genuinely brought me so much joy, watching you grow, watching you get your first pair of pointe shoes, and making your way through ballet has made me so happy. So thank you ❤
keep going!!! as a professional ballet dancer, i promise you that we are always working on our “foundations” and even professionals feel like we have to always work on our basics. But i promise you that everyday you work, you get better and better:)
ALSO! I’ve been thinking of making a q&a video for ALL questions especially for beginner ballet dancers (specifically adult beginners) so if anyone has questions and would like answers, i’m happy to help! COMMUNITY
Have you taken any of her courses? I’ve been eyeing them myself but the price is steep [50AUD which is 2-3 in person classes for me, and that’s just the basic plan she offers)
@@Cherry_sew_sweet I am trying out her free trial right now and I am already noticing a huge difference. It is a huge expense but she has absolute beginner courses where breaks down every single part of ballet. The ballet classes are really great too as well as the conditioning classes. I really like her work out classes because they are specifically for ballet so there is different ways she has you do exercises that more fit working on your turn out or keeping your feet pointed
@@Cherry_sew_sweet I’ve just started the basic beginners but can see/hear from her tuition, fully booked courses, feedback, comments, podcasts, training etc that she most definitely knows her stuff & can convey it too, is an excellent teacher. It took me a while to locate the beginners barre video but now I have it I won’t need anything else for a while, but the beginners course will be an aspiration for me in the future although the next tier up 💜
Would also like to vouch for Isabella! I’ve been doing her classes for a year now and have noticed a lot of progress. Her instructions are very detailed and I like that she explains which muscles are being used in what way and delves into a lot of the finer points that I’ve noticed are often glossed over in adult open classes (at least the ones I’ve been to).
I’ve re-sewed my elastics - don’t wait for another pair to adjust them! You won’t ruin the satin beyond use. Some dancers even sew them on the outside of the shoe to avoid rubbing.
Grand Art Ballet post a BUNCH of beginners and intermediate classes online. I’m in the transition from basics to beginners as well, and doing classes at home helps reduce costs and lets you explore the harder beginners stuff before in person classes, it’s good practice. I’m lucky that my studio also separates basics into 2 levels, so I have been taking the second level of basics before starting the first level of beginners to make the transition easier. I’m also starting pre pointe to improve ankle strength, though it will be a while before I start pointe since I just started in January, at age 19. You were one of the first people I came across talking about adult ballet and you inspired me to start classes this year. I can not thank you enough ❤ My state also has a performing arts diploma of professional dance which I am interested in perusing within the next few years. Like yourself, I also find drop in classes frustrating and wish that more structured programs existed for adults!
Hi Veronica! I’m glad my previous tip is helping! I can see your posture is already greatly improved in your plies at the barre! I totally agree with everything you’ve said in your pinned comment, and I love your honesty in admitting when you’ve learned something that you’ve been doing wrong previously. You could just choose to only show the good bits and avoid criticism but I like that you share everything with us including the lows, that’s what makes you so genuine. Regarding pointe, it sounds like you have exactly the right approach - to just do what you can at the barre for now and eventually do centre work once you’re strong enough, I think continuing on with pointe once a week will help you immensely with strength and alignment (because you can’t fake being on pointe, you have to be properly aligned and strong enough!) and this will carry through to improving your ballet technique in soft shoes. Since starting pointe myself I have noticed a huge improvement in my posture and also understanding of just how straight everything needs to be when rising onto demi pointe or doing a balance. So keep it up I say! Regarding your elastics, as you’ve said their purpose is to keep the heel on the foot, if you’re not experiencing any issues with your heel slipping out of the shoe (usually happens most in Demi point while wearing your shoes) then where your elastics are now is probably ok. You could probably move them back a little bit more if you wanted but I find the thick elastics like you have hold everything in pretty well if you’ve used the correct length of elastic. That said though, positioning the elastic can be different for different people depending on the shape of your foot/heel, as well as the shape of the shoe itself. You’ll know if it’s in the wrong position because it will feel too loose in your heel area and your heel might start to slip out a little. But you can play with it and see what works best for your foot and shoe.
I didn’t realize you were only doing drop in classes. You definitely need a school or workshop type thing where you are getting consistent instruction. My question is how did you get approved for pointe? Usually teachers test you and exam your strength before approving you. Are your pointe classes drop in. I feel like if you are having so many foundational questions and struggles in your technique maybe you should put the pointe shoes away for a bit and focus on that? I watched another video where you said you had been standing in your shoes wrong the entire time. Like these are all things you should know. You could get really really hurt and not be able to dance at all like this. I love your channel. I think you’re fantastic and so passionate. I’m not an adult beginner I danced growing up and just returning after a break. But I personally think if you continue the way you previously were studying you’re going to hurt yourself. I think what you’re proposing about doing the workshops and restructuring your training is going to in the long run work out better for you even if it means scaling back for a bit to get a solid foundation. I’m cheering you on regardless what you decide to do though and I hope you do feel proud of how far you have come thus far
@@VeronicaViccora that makes perfect sense. And yeah I did ballet for a long time I can’t imagine how it be as an adult trying to get everything and how confusing it can be too sometimes. The thing I love about your channel though is you aren’t afraid to try and you never give up. You’re going to do great. And kindness is what the adult ballet community is (should) be about. We all come from different paths of life and experiences but we all love the same thing!
I didn't know you had a Yoga background... So cool.. I just started yoga last month to get help for my flexibility and stress about dance. And It suddenly become my best friend and feels like the only friend I need to support my ballet journey. Planning to stay close to yoga for my entire life
I loved your talk about being flaky and how you've made the effort to change that. Seems like nowadays canceling on people or not showing up has become socially accepted and it can be very hurtful and unfair to those that are counting on people showing up. I really enjoyed that part of your video :)
Love the chatty vlogs as I like to play them in the background whilst I work since I'm a virtual worker. It makes me feel less 'alone' and I enjoy people sharing their world/thoughts with me.
Love your videos! Your energy and openness is really wonderful. I'm not learning ballet myself, but I started learning figure skating last year (at age 24) so I'm really interested in adults picking up new skills, especially quite specialist ones like these :)
Thank you for your kind words! And That’s amazing! Good for you! Ice skating is something I wish I could do more of too! I hope some of the technical things I’m learning will help your ice skating too!
I love how this video begins with a visit to the botanic garden. The pitter-patter of the rain drops amd drawings of the flowers created such a calming ambiance. Your experience with ballet is so inspiring. I admire your flexibility and extension. I started ballet when i was 12 but I had to stop at 15 for financial reasons. I'm 26 now, and I'd like to try ballet again. I always dreamed of going on pointe one day. I'm so happy for you that you're experiencing pointe 😊. Please post more videos (only if your schedule allows and if you want to of course). Also, where did you get your pants at ( 5:32 )? Be well🌸.
Hi Veronica, I admire how you’re going after something that you love and sharing all with us , it’s so inspiring, and gives me hope as I’m just starting this chapter myself and sometimes it’s hard and very lonely too but your videos are fun and inspiring please keep making them, you give me strength to go forward thank you so much 🩰🏆
So sorry you hurt your knee, but yay for surprise private deep dive! And YES discipline is so important. Ballet is literally the embodiment of discipline 💪🏾🩰 I definitely share your frustrations with open classes. Taking open class is obviously a great place to start, but your teacher was right on the money. A workshop where there's consistent progression will help you sooooo much to fill in the gaps! My technique really skyrocketed when I started to do 2 things: 1) taking workshops. In addition to trying out in person ones, I would 10/10 recc checking out some of the ones by Kathryn Morgan, Broche Ballet - actually doing their 16 week beginner pointe cohort rn and it's been AWESOME - and Ballet with Isabella as they all have amazing programs that dig into all those foundational details. I still go to open classes, but now that I've started doing this "homework" I mostly use my open class as an opportunity to practice what I've studied. (Side note: they all also offer intensives which is a very cool way to learn that's also often not available to adults!) and 2) weight lifting. I'm the complete opposite of you flexibility-wise. I couldn't even touch my toes when I started ballet. Most stretches were painful and I didn't even know what I was supposed to feel. I ended up getting a coach, and between that and ballet training I've improved a ton. The most interesting thing I've learned is I'm very slightly hyperextended in certain joints. It makes it soooooo much easier to get injured. The only way I can keep it in check is weight lifting. And it really makes a difference in my jumps and balances when I get a good leg day in. ESPECIALLY now that I've thrown pointework into the mix. Hope my experience can help you out a bit! This is what the adult ballet community is all about 💞
hi! im an adult beginner of about 1-2 years. can you explain a little more about the workshops by kathryn morgan and broche ballet? is it a recorded class you follow from home? or something more? thanks :)
You’re very inspirational, all of your hard work and dedication will pay off. You have improved so much, keep going! Wish you all the best thank you for your videos.
Highly recommend checking out the Intro classes at Ballet Academy East to get lots of hands on corrections and helpful explanations of the foundational steps and movements. They take beginning adults seriously, particularly at the smaller daytime classes.
maybe you know her since you're both youtubers, but have you ever taken any courses by "ballet with isabella"? i really respect her because she seems to know a lot about how muscle groups work and the mechanics of how and why you're supposed to do things. she has a lot of courses and online classes. idk if they would be useful to you, but it's worth a shot, and it might be an affordable way to add more classes into your routine.
Absolutely! You’re not the first person to recommend her and I’ve been exploring her offerings more. Definitely interested in learning more from her. Thanks for the great tip!
I feel like the biggest part of the issue is in not knowing ourselves because I either see the "I don't feel like it so I'm not doing it today" kid of people or the "I'm so tired but I'm gonna do it anyway, no matter what" kind of people and me being the second one I have no idea how to recognize which "I'm tired" means I just need a kick, and which "I'm tired" means I will probably have a horrible time, possibly injure myself, and I should just stay at home and take a nap. So for the people who know themselves good enough to understand when it's time for a push, and when it's time for a break - tell me your secrets please.
I gotta tell you, I recently found your channel and I've been binge watching your videos. Thanks to you now I am on a journey to get in shape so that I can start taking ballet lessons again :) This is a huge deal to me, and it means changing my entire life in the best possible way. Regarding this particular video, it made me so sad to know about the people who bailed on you on your bday :( But I did love the message about being accountable and reliable, for others and yourself. Please keep creating content! Sending you much love 💗
I remember this feeling when ballet was my main form of dance I was pursuing for 7-ish years. (I'm a house dancer now). I started when I was 23. These plateus and feelings come a lot with the art form. One thing that helped me (im hyper mobile and my hips turn inwards and are incredibly weak) was going to lagree megaformer classes. but any strength and conditioning class will do. You just need to work the supporting muscles and strengthen them. it will improve your turnout and will make your core stronger to help with the lower back issue (I also struggled with this for the first couple years I started ballet). keep it up!
That umbrella flipping over, I felt that lol 😂 Thank you so much for your videos. They are so sweet, raw and inspiring. I started dancing because of your channel! You continue to share your story and give us all insight into the lessons you’re learning in life through dance. May God bless you and continue to guide you on your path and silence those thoughts that try to make you doubt yourself. This is your calling. 🩰♥️
P.S. 16:40 to 39 minutes is the absolute truth. I have these same thoughts and it weighs on me. Including recognizing my own shortcomings and how I never want to repeat certain behaviors or dishonor my word. Our society does highlight focusing on ourselves sometimes to a fault. Taking care of ourselves and listening to how we are feeling is important but often times we forget that others do count on us and appreciate the efforts we make to show up for them. I believe this is why so many of us struggle making and SUSTAINING adult friendships or personal goals. We have to show up and mean what we say. Thank you for discussing that topic.
I love hearing you talk about the corrections/tips you've had and how it also invites others to share their experience and bits they've learned along the way too! 💗
Hey Victoria, I’m a late start dancer currently finishing my first year at college for dance. I wanted to recommend a few things to help you improve faster that worked for me. If anyone else wants to use these feel free. 1. I recommend watching reliable ballet TH-cam channels to help improve technique and strengthening. Some that I recommend are… - dancing with Mackenzie -Kathryn Morgan -Claudia dean/ Claudia dean world 2. Pilates if able to incorporate it. The reason is the breathing and posture in Pilates is the same in ballet. 3. Look up where your pubic simphisis is. That’s what teachers mean when they say pull up. This was a game changer for me. 4. Researching kinesiology and anatomy I hope these tips help 😊you
Honestly with the expectation of adult students understanding cues. Just let the teacher know that you're not sure what they mean. It's hard teaching when you don't know the understanding level of adults. Either in the moment or after class just let them know you're not sure. You'll learn so much faster and most teachers will welcome them. Especially if you keep it to something that just happened in class.
Absolutely! This is such great advice. I know the struggles of teaching as well from my days as a yoga instructor, so I definitely don't fault the teachers! There's no possible way to explain every little detail of ballet in just one class. It definitely feels so good to have finally had a chance to fill in all those knowledge gaps!
Hi Veronica! I have a similar posture situation (hyperlordosis, anterior tilt, pronation) that sometimes makes it hard to access my core correctly. I’m a contemporary dancer and teachers and choreographers were always telling me to be more grounded here (pelvis) to have more freedom here (upper body!) Pilates has really helped me with this and I bring a Pilates perspective into a lot of my ballet and contemporary classes now. You have the Kane school right there in NYC too which could be a great resource for learning more about biomechanics! Lots of dancers and ex dancers in the Pilates world. Anyway I love your videos and perspective! I relate a lot and you’ve inspired me to find my love for ballet technique again. Would love to connect if / when I find myself in NYC 😊 keep dancing !!
I just rewatched the 1995 Pride & Prejudice & now can feel that I need to see the 2005 one. I’ve found the book in my bookcase when tidying away some books so that will be a next read! ❤
Glad you got many questions answered- I have spent my professional life - kinesiology and PT helping folks with the issues you mention- would love to connect to support you. Would also help me with one of my intentions
Suggest to watch video from salty sugar plum. She has explained turn out quite well. Every teacher has their own way to explain the muscle to use for turnout, and I think that pointe shoe teacher explained it quite well. For the muscle beside your abs for doing turnout, you can quite easily feel you need these muscles when you do tendu (doesn't matter it's front, side, or back). If you don't feel it, you probably "sit" on your supporting leg and also not turning out, and it can easily to tell from the side when you do tendu. And for the beginner class, it's time for me to practice all the basic techniques for all the higher level movements. You may feel quite easy, but it's time to play around your muscle, thinking about the body and the muscle when you do all the "easy" movements (Even it's pile, it's a good practice to focus on the turnout and activate your inner thigh muscle). I even sweat more in the beginner class because it's time for me to catch all the details. Good luck on your ballet journey. Spend more time to listen the feedback from your body. ❤
this is one of the reasons why joffrey got awarded for their excellence in ballet education at the prix de lausanne. their teachers are so knowledgeable and know so many ways to break down a step
If you want to feel like you're going to ballet school and you want corrections based on what your body can actually do, go to ballet academy east. Julie is my favorite. If you want to feel like you're in company class go to Alvin Ailey and take Robert's class on Fridays or Benjamin's class on Wednesday. (Ben is more about accuracy and making sure your turn out is always present so will push it a little bit.)
Oh, when I work towards my splits I have lower back pain. But, I do strengthening exercises just for that & it helps so much! It's called the opposite arm/leg reach. Do 10-15 on each side 👍
I love your channel and am learning so much from you! (I'm actually living vicariously through you ;)) Thank you for sharing your insights and experiences. Thank you for being fearless! Or, acknowledging the feeling of fear but doing it all anyway.
You are doing so well! Don't be discouraged by the foundational ups and downs. Even seasoned dancers have to keep going over the basics, it never stops. You are such an example of consistency and determination, keep going💪🏾💖💖💖💖💖
Ok now I’m feeling extra guilty for skipping class this morning 😂 I’ve been trying to get into a routine of attending all 3 classes every week but it seems like something always comes up! Today it was that allergies have been keeping me up at night and haven’t gotten much sleep all week so I decided to sleep in lol. Anyways, if you find a 6 week program please share! I didn’t know that even existed for adults!
Don’t feel guilty! It happens to the best of us, and of course you know your body best! If something isn’t right, it isn’t right. I’ve cancelled classes because I knew it wasn’t right for me too ❤ and yes I’ll definitely share some resources as I’m discovering them!
If you are able to have a private 1 hour lesson a week (two would be better if you can afford it) and take the same classes each week with good teachers who give corrections and you notice that you learn and improve instantly when with them, then you will improve so much faster! You are doing great! I am so amazed you have great port de bras for an adult beginner, and you have strong pointe technique for having started so recently! ‼️Also super important! A lot of dancers have this issue and don’t know‼️I think you very likely have a muscle tightness in your psoas! It is the muscle that runs from your low back and wraps over and around the hips. It causes all the issues you mention. This muscle is tight will cause arching and pain at times in the lower back, it makes you feel like you can’t turn out as much (knees not tracking is a sign because you likely have potential for more turnout but your Psoas is tight and it’s holding you back . You need to work on relaxing, massaging it (it is a long muscle so there are a lot of spots you would have to roll separately) stretching gently and strengthening it Visualizing lengthening it, taking a look at the anatomy and seeing where it is is actually super helpful. It is used in turnout and it stabilizes the back and pelvis. You want to visualize lengthening that muscle and relaxing it. Like it is stretching longer and longer and you are able to feel you’re getting taller. Also rolling it out and stretching gently. Don’t over stretch it . Roll using a good roller and also a ball sorta a harder one around the size of a tennis ball will work wonders. It also helps to remember to lengthen and engage every muscle from the first move at barre (arms need to be so engaged that you are using the muscles in between your shoulder blades, shoulders down of course, feet,ankles, toes, legs,back, core etc etc. But really I am certain if you get regular private lessons with teacher who is skilled at corrections and not just saying what is wrong you will become so strong! A bad teacher is worse than no teacher however! You want to learn properly or the muscle memory is ingrained and takes so much effort to unlearn. In some people they struggle always with bad muscle memory so it’s super important to learn each movement from when and how to allonge, where to place your head, how to hold the hands, the feet, what muscles are being used in each moment 100% correctly. I have a private coach I work with once a week as well as classes I take each week. I had not seen a fellow dance friend in 5 months or so and she was absolutely floored and shocked at the improvement I had made. Also the teacher of the class I hadn’t been to in 5 months was shocked. She teachers private lessons but just to be honest she is not a good teacher. She has 3 ladies who take private lessons and have not learned anything or improved at all from it. They are wasting their money and it shows how important the teacher is! More proof is how one lady started taking classes with me at the only decent studio in town and she takes a private lesson with her once a week and has finally started improving so much! So the teacher and a few students were asking how I improved so so much in 5 months. They were stunned when I said weekly private lessons from a former principal dancer and zoom group classes by the same teacher (I was taking maybe 5-6 classes a week). The teacher of the class I thought I had gone to adult intensives (the kind where you dance 5-8 hours a day for 2 weeks) she was convinced I went to at least two. When I started training I told my private teacher I wanted to learn everything that a child who is training to be a professional would learn and to learn all the stuff that is skipped over in adult classes. Exactly where my head and eyes go, proper carriage of my body and coordination of arms and feet/legs, to improve my memory for hard combinations, lines, etc. When I think about it I’m shocked too. I went from being very sloppy had awful arms (you don’t have bad arms at all, but I definitely did lol) to having other teachers say they never would have guessed it was once a weakness for me! I still have lots of improvements to make but I’m excited to see what the next 5-8 months can bring! I have been training with my personal coach/mentor on foundations of ballet and targeting my weaknesses for 8 months. I also started pointe with an in person private teacher for 4 months after training with my mentor a few months. I take what few in person group classes I can when it is available (sadly not many options here, 3 classes a week max so I take lots of zoom only classes. So after all that I can now do pirouettes en pointe! I can actually finally get over my box too. It’s great that you have not had issues with that. I was fitted so poorly and it took a long time to find the right pair. Also I had to keep taking Pointe class I am certain it actually gently and gradually improved and increased my flexibility in my feet and ankles. I am amazed I can do a single turn en pointe en dehour en dedan and pique turns too! I am certain I would not be anywhere near this strong if not for my private coach I see every week and the pointe coach I had at the start who worked to make sure I was safe and not developing bad habits.
Hi Veronica, I absolutely love your videos, you inspire me. I took ballet as a child, then briefly in my teens. I took a beginner ballet class for a few years in my early 50’s. Then I stopped because I couldn’t make the classes due to my demanding work schedule which spilled over into evenings. (12 h shifts). I recently retired and I so want to take ballet again (68y/o). I love dancing, moving, I need to keep up my flexibility, balance, strength etc. I wish I could find a ballet class for older adults as I would feel more comfortable in that type of setting rather than taking an adult class with young adult, sort of like a “silver slippers” instead of “silver sneakers”. . I live in Queens and can’t find any such type of class in the Queens or Nassau area, which would be most accessible to me. Thought maybe you had some suggestions. 🤗
I’ve heard about silver swans, but I don’t think there are any of these programs in the New York area. I might just have to get brave and take classes with young adults. It’s a shame, because there’s very limited opportunities for us older adults. I know that the Y near me has “chair yoga”. But I’m not the bingo playing Chair yoga type. L O L
@@iriskaufman5048 haha I understand! I think if you took some classes in the right space, you'd feel comfortable no matter what the age demographic was! I actually find it extremely inspiring when I see more mature folks in my classes, they're really guiding lights that show us it's never too late!
hello :) there is a studio in nassau, called american theater dance workshop, the adult ballet classes have many senior ladies that attend, and there is even a senior ballet teacher that teaches there :) hope that helps!
Have you read "Inside Ballet Technique: Separating Anatomical Fact from Fiction in the Ballet Class Inside Ballet Technique: Separating Anatomical Fact from Fiction in the Ballet Class" by Valerie Grieg and Naomi Rosenblatt it has a lot of really good visuals and explanations if you are into to knowing all the body mechanics.
Yes I agree! I took one basic workshop a while ago that was incredibly helpful but when they end, they start from the beginning again, so I've had trouble finding a new one. But I'm working on it!
You mentioned that most adult ballet classes don’t teach the basics. I’ve been very fortunate that my teacher in my adult ballet class taught all of the basics from step one. I feel you’ve been failed by your teachers not teaching the basics and the how’s and whys. It baffles me that your teachers have t been teaching you all of these things and that you finally had one tell you. Most of what we learn in ballet is for our safety so we don’t injure ourselves. Especially when it comes to putting on your pointe shoes. Why weren’t you taught to properly put them on? Makes me very thankful for my teacher I’ve had.
Same. I'm lucky that I go to a really small studio and my teacher went through all the basics, even though all of us at the first class had experience. And throughout the year, we've had some complete beginners come in and out so we get to retouch on the basics constantly. Even though I had eight years of experience, I didn't take ballet very seriously as a kid, so now that I am much more in tune with my body and more appreciative of the art, it's very nice. But unfortunately I've heard that many adult classes are similar to Veronica's. Many studios think that the adult classes are just for recreational, alternative to going to the gym, instead of seriously being interested in the art, so that's reflected in the way they teach the adults. I'm glad that more and more studios are starting to teach adults like the rest of their students because we're honestly such amazing beginner students.
@@selalorin I figured all studios taught it seriously. People don’t realize how technically it is and how dangerous it can be if not taught correctly. I’ve been fortunate to have a teacher that didn’t just see it as recreational. Everyone in class wanted to learn the art. When everyone in class got their pointe shoes the next class was nothing but learning how to sew the shoes and how to wear them correctly. I am happy that adult ballet is becoming more accepted and taken serious.
Ok I have kind of a weird question! You have WAY more hair than I do but I find my hair and head getting so sweaty during class. I’m doing 4 classes a week and prior to that I could do every other day or two day hair washes but because of ballet I have to wash after every class (which translates to almost every day!). How do you manage?
oooof I feel this, basically I feel like my hair is just constantly greasy to be honest haha. I'm in the process of trying to figure this issue out myself, but I have heard some people talk about the power of dry shampoo (though I don't currently use it myself)
I just saw discount dance is doing a 2024 ambassador search for a year long sponsorship...thought you’d be good for it. I think apps end the 12th of April
Have you looked in elhers danlos? I have it and it sounds like you have similar symptoms with the hyperextension and susceptibility to injury. There are supplements that help support your connective tissue if so😊
Hi Veronica Viccora, You have a nice channel with engaging content. Your video has been SEOed, but I don't know who did the SEO. While showing the SEO score is good, some fundamental SEO techniques might be missing in your title, description, and tags section. This is why you are slightly behind your competitors. It should be fixed for the betterment of your channel. If you'd like, I can elaborate. Thank you and best regards, Rezaul Bari (TH-cam SEO expert)
Not trying to be super critical but I used to teach pre-pointe and pointe and I cringe at the idea of anyone going on pointe before mastering beginner and honestly intermediate…it’s dangerous and really technique is everything.
Yes, your several comments on this video have made it abundantly clear that you're very knowledgable about ballet. I do appreciate your concern and even have some of those concerns myself. I'm currently working with teachers who have my best interest at heart. I'll continue to be guided by their expertise as they're able to get a much clearer and closer view of my capabilities. And if THEY decide pointe is not right for me, I'll gladly listen to them.
I have been watching your videos these past couple days after following you on Instagram for a while (fellow late ballet bloomer here) and even though I live on the other side of the world your calmness and the way you talk and live your everyday life is very inspiring and soothing like a hug.🤍
Hi friends! I was really hoping this video could be an illuminating and honest portrayal of the ways it can be confusing to navigate starting ballet as an adult, but i see it’s also stirred some concern for my safety.
So I just want to clear some things up:
* I absolutely do NOT endorse going on pointe as a beginner without being carefully evaluated by a professional and being supervised when dancing.
* I was approved by a professional teacher by taking a preliminary ballet class so she could evaluate my dancing. And have since discussed my goals with several other professional teachers who have seen my dancing and have approved it for the current level of pointe work I’m doing.
* I take 1 pointe class every week/every couple of weeks where I only dance on pointe for 10-20 minutes at most, under careful instruction and switch back to soft shoes for the rest of class. I’m at the barre the whole time and very rarely come away from it. I certainly don’t do full center classes on pointe. I’m mainly there to absorb the technical cues and just start learning the basics of pointe work.
* When I say “no one has ever explained these things to me in this way” I don’t mean that I’ve never learned the basics at all or that I’ve been poorly trained. I have taken absolute beginner workshops and courses where I did learn these foundations but I like things to be taught to me in excruciating detail or else I feel insecure about the holes in my knowledge. The advice I received in this video were really filling in those gaps of insecurity.
* I’m definitely working on restructuring my learning schedule to focus more on series and workshops to become a more confident, strong, and safe dancer
Please remember that you are seeing tiny snippets of my life and dancing that can’t encompass every part of this journey.
I could choose to not share my struggles to make it seem like I’m a better dancer than I am and avoid the criticism, but that’s not how I wish to approach my channel.
I genuinely love your feedback and support so much and just want this to be a space of inspiration and honesty. I’m doing my best for you
you're fine I took private lessons with a woman who was a professional dancer and within a year of starting ballet she okay'ed me to go en pointe and you are in way better shape than I was when I started. You are not in danger and you can clearly do barre in pointe. you have enough technique and strength. don't listen to people. I think you're getting a lot of people who are just salty. FFS look at what they do in that "hiplet" stuff. also where I live, they have barre classes in heels. those are much more dangerous in my opinion, but people do them just fine.
@@eeveefrost7975thank you for this ❤
@@VeronicaViccora Lovely video. I haven't heard from you in a while. How is your recovery going? As a fellow adult ballet dancer, I know how it feels. Had a back injury two years ago (not dance related) and realize I will have to work my form back to where I was... it's a long road for me. I hope you're doing ok, physically and emotionally. Lots of love 💜
I also started ballet at 27 with zero experience and have had a similar dance journey to yours. I'm also a physical therapist (and I've worked with dancers) and here is what I've learned: it is VERY often that dance teachers and dancers who did their training as children lack understanding of the anatomy and reasoning behind their verbage. Common phrases such as "lift from beneath your legs" or the "up and out" or "stabilize with your rotators" are just often repeated and not understood. I've taken classes by professional dancers on the highest level who could not properly explain placement/muscles/and the anatomy is always wrong. They just keep repeating things like "use your turnout!" without being able to explain what that means or how to do it! Really good dancers are so used to being told what to do, how to place their body, they learn to mimic others.... and therefore they lack that internal awareness of basic anatomy. The whole "those that do, cannot teach and vice versa" concept. So I completely understand your confusion and frustration: yes you're still a beginner but most teachers don't know how to translate movement/positions to students because they themselves lack the foundational knowledge. All that to say: when you find a teacher that actually "gets it" and can break things down for students: follow them! You're exactly right though: as an adult there usually isn't a "school" where technique is sequentially progressed like kids. You bounce around from class to class and just do your best to learn. Just know that I'm right in that journey with you! Keep working and I promise you will continue to make connections in your body and have these "aha" moments: I know I do! P.S. I keep toying around with starting a ballet school for adults one day.... (sorta like Broche ballet...)... cuz there are lot of people like you and me.
Hi ❤
Please do start a ballet school for adults!!!
This is so affirming, thank you for this! And yes PLEASE do something for adults! The world needs as many schools for adults as we can possibly get!
Yes, please! Start a school for adults. With your background and experience I bet you'd be a wonderful teacher. I think more adults would get out of their boxes if we had more opportunity to do so and the schools/support/community to encourage it! (and make it possible)
I find turnout to be very poorly explained in general, so I wanted to share some info on turnout that is not usually touched upon. Basically turnout is a very complex process and involves all your muscles from the waist down. Two areas of focus are your toes and your psoas muscle.
To properly activate your inner thigh muscles, you need to have not an ounce of pronation in your feet, and the ball of your big toe needs to be in contact with the floor. This also means your other toes need to be able to fan out. A good piece of advice is actually trying to pronate your feet the other way, that tends to activate the right turnout muscles. Your knees will also automatically be properly aligned that way.
The other area of focus of your psoas muscle. This muscle starts in your lower back and wraps around your stomach to connect to your femur. It’s hugely important in turnout. Now here’s something you don’t normally read about: your psoas muscle can only relax if you do a complete exhale. In other words: it’s connected to your diaphragm and to your breathing in general. If you don’t breathe properly, your psoas is always under tension and this keeps your pelvis permanently tilted (keyword: anterior pelvic tilt). Look up Conor Harris’s youtube channel for more info on this.
Hoping this helps :)
This is SO helpful. Thank you so much for taking the time to share this and help not only me, but so many people who might be struggling with this!
I’m no longer taking adult ballet classes. I’m in a regular class of girls between 13 and 20 years old (I’m 31) and what a diference. Since the progress is “expected”, the teaching is much more focused on improving the foundation and technique. And the teacher sees everyone on a week basis.
I want to start at 27 😅😂❤
@@AlinaHirtlMusic I started at 27 girl! Go for it
Yes yes yes! Taking progress-based classes is what actually gave me results too!
i've thought about taking younger classes if they'd let me!!
@@authenticallyadhd generally, they don't. I've been lucky once. When adults and teenagers were in a mixed class. Then gradually all the adults dropped out, except me. So I danced 4 and a half years with this class. But eventually, the teacher actually kicked me out (no other reason but "image"). I was heart-broken.
As a 13 year old ballerina who has been dancing since she was 5, watching your channel has really helped me to feel so much admiration for the art of ballet. I feel that younger dancers, like myself, often take it for granted just how lucky we are to have started at such a young age, and also just how closed off the ballet community is, especially when it comes to adult beginners. Watching your ballet journey has genuinely brought me so much joy, watching you grow, watching you get your first pair of pointe shoes, and making your way through ballet has made me so happy. So thank you ❤
Yes, that is what happened to me. It was granted, super easy, and I did not appreciated it at that time so I quit. I've never stopped regret it.
keep going!!! as a professional ballet dancer, i promise you that we are always working on our “foundations” and even professionals feel like we have to always work on our basics. But i promise you that everyday you work, you get better and better:)
ALSO! I’ve been thinking of making a q&a video for ALL questions especially for beginner ballet dancers (specifically adult beginners) so if anyone has questions and would like answers, i’m happy to help! COMMUNITY
BWI (Ballet with Isabella) might be just what you need. Online classes & courses & real time, intensive courses, superb teaching ❤
Have you taken any of her courses? I’ve been eyeing them myself but the price is steep [50AUD which is 2-3 in person classes for me, and that’s just the basic plan she offers)
@@Cherry_sew_sweet I am trying out her free trial right now and I am already noticing a huge difference. It is a huge expense but she has absolute beginner courses where breaks down every single part of ballet. The ballet classes are really great too as well as the conditioning classes. I really like her work out classes because they are specifically for ballet so there is different ways she has you do exercises that more fit working on your turn out or keeping your feet pointed
@@Cherry_sew_sweet I’ve just started the basic beginners but can see/hear from her tuition, fully booked courses, feedback, comments, podcasts, training etc that she most definitely knows her stuff & can convey it too, is an excellent teacher. It took me a while to locate the beginners barre video but now I have it I won’t need anything else for a while, but the beginners course will be an aspiration for me in the future although the next tier up 💜
Would also like to vouch for Isabella! I’ve been doing her classes for a year now and have noticed a lot of progress. Her instructions are very detailed and I like that she explains which muscles are being used in what way and delves into a lot of the finer points that I’ve noticed are often glossed over in adult open classes (at least the ones I’ve been to).
I’ve re-sewed my elastics - don’t wait for another pair to adjust them! You won’t ruin the satin beyond use. Some dancers even sew them on the outside of the shoe to avoid rubbing.
Grand Art Ballet post a BUNCH of beginners and intermediate classes online. I’m in the transition from basics to beginners as well, and doing classes at home helps reduce costs and lets you explore the harder beginners stuff before in person classes, it’s good practice. I’m lucky that my studio also separates basics into 2 levels, so I have been taking the second level of basics before starting the first level of beginners to make the transition easier. I’m also starting pre pointe to improve ankle strength, though it will be a while before I start pointe since I just started in January, at age 19.
You were one of the first people I came across talking about adult ballet and you inspired me to start classes this year. I can not thank you enough ❤ My state also has a performing arts diploma of professional dance which I am interested in perusing within the next few years. Like yourself, I also find drop in classes frustrating and wish that more structured programs existed for adults!
Hi Veronica! I’m glad my previous tip is helping! I can see your posture is already greatly improved in your plies at the barre! I totally agree with everything you’ve said in your pinned comment, and I love your honesty in admitting when you’ve learned something that you’ve been doing wrong previously. You could just choose to only show the good bits and avoid criticism but I like that you share everything with us including the lows, that’s what makes you so genuine.
Regarding pointe, it sounds like you have exactly the right approach - to just do what you can at the barre for now and eventually do centre work once you’re strong enough, I think continuing on with pointe once a week will help you immensely with strength and alignment (because you can’t fake being on pointe, you have to be properly aligned and strong enough!) and this will carry through to improving your ballet technique in soft shoes. Since starting pointe myself I have noticed a huge improvement in my posture and also understanding of just how straight everything needs to be when rising onto demi pointe or doing a balance. So keep it up I say!
Regarding your elastics, as you’ve said their purpose is to keep the heel on the foot, if you’re not experiencing any issues with your heel slipping out of the shoe (usually happens most in Demi point while wearing your shoes) then where your elastics are now is probably ok. You could probably move them back a little bit more if you wanted but I find the thick elastics like you have hold everything in pretty well if you’ve used the correct length of elastic. That said though, positioning the elastic can be different for different people depending on the shape of your foot/heel, as well as the shape of the shoe itself. You’ll know if it’s in the wrong position because it will feel too loose in your heel area and your heel might start to slip out a little. But you can play with it and see what works best for your foot and shoe.
I didn’t realize you were only doing drop in classes. You definitely need a school or workshop type thing where you are getting consistent instruction. My question is how did you get approved for pointe? Usually teachers test you and exam your strength before approving you. Are your pointe classes drop in. I feel like if you are having so many foundational questions and struggles in your technique maybe you should put the pointe shoes away for a bit and focus on that? I watched another video where you said you had been standing in your shoes wrong the entire time. Like these are all things you should know. You could get really really hurt and not be able to dance at all like this. I love your channel. I think you’re fantastic and so passionate. I’m not an adult beginner I danced growing up and just returning after a break. But I personally think if you continue the way you previously were studying you’re going to hurt yourself. I think what you’re proposing about doing the workshops and restructuring your training is going to in the long run work out better for you even if it means scaling back for a bit to get a solid foundation. I’m cheering you on regardless what you decide to do though and I hope you do feel proud of how far you have come thus far
Thank you for sharing this constructive feedback with kindness. I really appreciate that.
@@VeronicaViccora that makes perfect sense. And yeah I did ballet for a long time I can’t imagine how it be as an adult trying to get everything and how confusing it can be too sometimes. The thing I love about your channel though is you aren’t afraid to try and you never give up. You’re going to do great. And kindness is what the adult ballet community is (should) be about. We all come from different paths of life and experiences but we all love the same thing!
Thank you so much for all your support! I couldn’t agree more, the dance world needs kind souls like yourself! ❤
I didn't know you had a Yoga background... So cool.. I just started yoga last month to get help for my flexibility and stress about dance. And It suddenly become my best friend and feels like the only friend I need to support my ballet journey. Planning to stay close to yoga for my entire life
Yoga is SUCH a game changer! I'm so glad you've discovered it for yourself. It really does become like a best friend!
@@VeronicaViccora maybe (if it appeals you) you can do a video about yoga and its benefits on ballet
I’ve actually been dying to! So that’s coming at some point for sure! Thanks for always being such a ray of light ❤
I loved your talk about being flaky and how you've made the effort to change that. Seems like nowadays canceling on people or not showing up has become socially accepted and it can be very hurtful and unfair to those that are counting on people showing up.
I really enjoyed that part of your video :)
Love the chatty vlogs as I like to play them in the background whilst I work since I'm a virtual worker. It makes me feel less 'alone' and I enjoy people sharing their world/thoughts with me.
Love your videos! Your energy and openness is really wonderful. I'm not learning ballet myself, but I started learning figure skating last year (at age 24) so I'm really interested in adults picking up new skills, especially quite specialist ones like these :)
Thank you for your kind words! And That’s amazing! Good for you! Ice skating is something I wish I could do more of too! I hope some of the technical things I’m learning will help your ice skating too!
I love how this video begins with a visit to the botanic garden. The pitter-patter of the rain drops amd drawings of the flowers created such a calming ambiance. Your experience with ballet is so inspiring. I admire your flexibility and extension. I started ballet when i was 12 but I had to stop at 15 for financial reasons. I'm 26 now, and I'd like to try ballet again. I always dreamed of going on pointe one day. I'm so happy for you that you're experiencing pointe 😊. Please post more videos (only if your schedule allows and if you want to of course). Also, where did you get your pants at ( 5:32 )? Be well🌸.
I like the way you explain things without sounding condescending… Also, I like the long videos😊 Hope your knee is feeling better soon❤
Thank you! That's such a huge compliment! And I'm really glad to hear that, I enjoy making longer videos
Hi Veronica, I admire how you’re going after something that you love and sharing all with us , it’s so inspiring, and gives me hope as I’m just starting this chapter myself and sometimes it’s hard and very lonely too but your videos are fun and inspiring please keep making them, you give me strength to go forward thank you so much 🩰🏆
Thank you so much for sharing this! You're a kind soul and I'm so grateful you're here
So sorry you hurt your knee, but yay for surprise private deep dive! And YES discipline is so important. Ballet is literally the embodiment of discipline 💪🏾🩰
I definitely share your frustrations with open classes. Taking open class is obviously a great place to start, but your teacher was right on the money. A workshop where there's consistent progression will help you sooooo much to fill in the gaps! My technique really skyrocketed when I started to do 2 things:
1) taking workshops. In addition to trying out in person ones, I would 10/10 recc checking out some of the ones by Kathryn Morgan, Broche Ballet - actually doing their 16 week beginner pointe cohort rn and it's been AWESOME - and Ballet with Isabella as they all have amazing programs that dig into all those foundational details. I still go to open classes, but now that I've started doing this "homework" I mostly use my open class as an opportunity to practice what I've studied. (Side note: they all also offer intensives which is a very cool way to learn that's also often not available to adults!)
and 2) weight lifting. I'm the complete opposite of you flexibility-wise. I couldn't even touch my toes when I started ballet. Most stretches were painful and I didn't even know what I was supposed to feel. I ended up getting a coach, and between that and ballet training I've improved a ton. The most interesting thing I've learned is I'm very slightly hyperextended in certain joints. It makes it soooooo much easier to get injured. The only way I can keep it in check is weight lifting. And it really makes a difference in my jumps and balances when I get a good leg day in. ESPECIALLY now that I've thrown pointework into the mix.
Hope my experience can help you out a bit! This is what the adult ballet community is all about 💞
This is EXCELLENT advice, thank you so much for taking the time to share all of this!
hi! im an adult beginner of about 1-2 years. can you explain a little more about the workshops by kathryn morgan and broche ballet? is it a recorded class you follow from home? or something more? thanks :)
You’re very inspirational, all of your hard work and dedication will pay off. You have improved so much, keep going! Wish you all the best thank you for your videos.
Thank you so much, I really appreciate your kindess
i love watching your growth, ballet seems to be such a positive thing for you and im so happy that you are following your heart
Thank you so much for saying that, it's definitely a happy place for sure
Highly recommend checking out the Intro classes at Ballet Academy East to get lots of hands on corrections and helpful explanations of the foundational steps and movements. They take beginning adults seriously, particularly at the smaller daytime classes.
maybe you know her since you're both youtubers, but have you ever taken any courses by "ballet with isabella"? i really respect her because she seems to know a lot about how muscle groups work and the mechanics of how and why you're supposed to do things. she has a lot of courses and online classes. idk if they would be useful to you, but it's worth a shot, and it might be an affordable way to add more classes into your routine.
Absolutely! You’re not the first person to recommend her and I’ve been exploring her offerings more. Definitely interested in learning more from her. Thanks for the great tip!
I feel like the biggest part of the issue is in not knowing ourselves because I either see the "I don't feel like it so I'm not doing it today" kid of people or the "I'm so tired but I'm gonna do it anyway, no matter what" kind of people and me being the second one I have no idea how to recognize which "I'm tired" means I just need a kick, and which "I'm tired" means I will probably have a horrible time, possibly injure myself, and I should just stay at home and take a nap. So for the people who know themselves good enough to understand when it's time for a push, and when it's time for a break - tell me your secrets please.
I gotta tell you, I recently found your channel and I've been binge watching your videos. Thanks to you now I am on a journey to get in shape so that I can start taking ballet lessons again :) This is a huge deal to me, and it means changing my entire life in the best possible way. Regarding this particular video, it made me so sad to know about the people who bailed on you on your bday :( But I did love the message about being accountable and reliable, for others and yourself. Please keep creating content! Sending you much love 💗
I remember this feeling when ballet was my main form of dance I was pursuing for 7-ish years. (I'm a house dancer now). I started when I was 23. These plateus and feelings come a lot with the art form. One thing that helped me (im hyper mobile and my hips turn inwards and are incredibly weak) was going to lagree megaformer classes. but any strength and conditioning class will do. You just need to work the supporting muscles and strengthen them. it will improve your turnout and will make your core stronger to help with the lower back issue (I also struggled with this for the first couple years I started ballet). keep it up!
That umbrella flipping over, I felt that lol 😂
Thank you so much for your videos. They are so sweet, raw and inspiring. I started dancing because of your channel! You continue to share your story and give us all insight into the lessons you’re learning in life through dance.
May God bless you and continue to guide you on your path and silence those thoughts that try to make you doubt yourself. This is your calling.
🩰♥️
P.S. 16:40 to 39 minutes is the absolute truth. I have these same thoughts and it weighs on me. Including recognizing my own shortcomings and how I never want to repeat certain behaviors or dishonor my word. Our society does highlight focusing on ourselves sometimes to a fault. Taking care of ourselves and listening to how we are feeling is important but often times we forget that others do count on us and appreciate the efforts we make to show up for them. I believe this is why so many of us struggle making and SUSTAINING adult friendships or personal goals.
We have to show up and mean what we say.
Thank you for discussing that topic.
I love hearing you talk about the corrections/tips you've had and how it also invites others to share their experience and bits they've learned along the way too! 💗
Thank you so much! The sun teacher was such a gem and I was hoping someone else could benefit from everything I learned too! ❤
Hey Victoria, I’m a late start dancer currently finishing my first year at college for dance. I wanted to recommend a few things to help you improve faster that worked for me. If anyone else wants to use these feel free.
1. I recommend watching reliable ballet TH-cam channels to help improve technique and strengthening. Some that I recommend are…
- dancing with Mackenzie
-Kathryn Morgan
-Claudia dean/ Claudia dean world
2. Pilates if able to incorporate it. The reason is the breathing and posture in Pilates is the same in ballet.
3. Look up where your pubic simphisis is. That’s what teachers mean when they say pull up. This was a game changer for me.
4. Researching kinesiology and anatomy
I hope these tips help 😊you
"Reliable ballet TH-cam channels" aka the ones with the most subscribers.
Honestly with the expectation of adult students understanding cues. Just let the teacher know that you're not sure what they mean. It's hard teaching when you don't know the understanding level of adults. Either in the moment or after class just let them know you're not sure. You'll learn so much faster and most teachers will welcome them. Especially if you keep it to something that just happened in class.
Absolutely! This is such great advice. I know the struggles of teaching as well from my days as a yoga instructor, so I definitely don't fault the teachers! There's no possible way to explain every little detail of ballet in just one class. It definitely feels so good to have finally had a chance to fill in all those knowledge gaps!
I love your channel! It's such a vibe.
Hi Veronica! I have a similar posture situation (hyperlordosis, anterior tilt, pronation) that sometimes makes it hard to access my core correctly. I’m a contemporary dancer and teachers and choreographers were always telling me to be more grounded here (pelvis) to have more freedom here (upper body!) Pilates has really helped me with this and I bring a Pilates perspective into a lot of my ballet and contemporary classes now. You have the Kane school right there in NYC too which could be a great resource for learning more about biomechanics! Lots of dancers and ex dancers in the Pilates world. Anyway I love your videos and perspective! I relate a lot and you’ve inspired me to find my love for ballet technique again. Would love to connect if / when I find myself in NYC 😊 keep dancing !!
I just rewatched the 1995 Pride & Prejudice & now can feel that I need to see the 2005 one. I’ve found the book in my bookcase when tidying away some books so that will be a next read! ❤
Glad you got many questions answered- I have spent my professional life - kinesiology and PT helping folks with the issues you mention- would love to connect to support you. Would also help me with one of my intentions
Such a lovely vlog. I appreciate your honesty and find it helpful xx
Thank you so much for sharing that
Suggest to watch video from salty sugar plum. She has explained turn out quite well. Every teacher has their own way to explain the muscle to use for turnout, and I think that pointe shoe teacher explained it quite well. For the muscle beside your abs for doing turnout, you can quite easily feel you need these muscles when you do tendu (doesn't matter it's front, side, or back). If you don't feel it, you probably "sit" on your supporting leg and also not turning out, and it can easily to tell from the side when you do tendu. And for the beginner class, it's time for me to practice all the basic techniques for all the higher level movements. You may feel quite easy, but it's time to play around your muscle, thinking about the body and the muscle when you do all the "easy" movements (Even it's pile, it's a good practice to focus on the turnout and activate your inner thigh muscle). I even sweat more in the beginner class because it's time for me to catch all the details. Good luck on your ballet journey. Spend more time to listen the feedback from your body. ❤
this is one of the reasons why joffrey got awarded for their excellence in ballet education at the prix de lausanne. their teachers are so knowledgeable and know so many ways to break down a step
100% it’s a fantastic space!
If you want to feel like you're going to ballet school and you want corrections based on what your body can actually do, go to ballet academy east. Julie is my favorite. If you want to feel like you're in company class go to Alvin Ailey and take Robert's class on Fridays or Benjamin's class on Wednesday. (Ben is more about accuracy and making sure your turn out is always present so will push it a little bit.)
Oh, when I work towards my splits I have lower back pain. But, I do strengthening exercises just for that & it helps so much! It's called the opposite arm/leg reach. Do 10-15 on each side 👍
Thank you for sharing this!! You're a gem!
I love your channel and am learning so much from you! (I'm actually living vicariously through you ;)) Thank you for sharing your insights and experiences. Thank you for being fearless! Or, acknowledging the feeling of fear but doing it all anyway.
You are doing so well! Don't be discouraged by the foundational ups and downs. Even seasoned dancers have to keep going over the basics, it never stops. You are such an example of consistency and determination, keep going💪🏾💖💖💖💖💖
Thank you so much for this, it's so encouraging and it's always good to see you in the comments!
Ok now I’m feeling extra guilty for skipping class this morning 😂 I’ve been trying to get into a routine of attending all 3 classes every week but it seems like something always comes up! Today it was that allergies have been keeping me up at night and haven’t gotten much sleep all week so I decided to sleep in lol. Anyways, if you find a 6 week program please share! I didn’t know that even existed for adults!
Don’t feel guilty! It happens to the best of us, and of course you know your body best! If something isn’t right, it isn’t right. I’ve cancelled classes because I knew it wasn’t right for me too ❤ and yes I’ll definitely share some resources as I’m discovering them!
If you are able to have a private 1 hour lesson a week (two would be better if you can afford it) and take the same classes each week with good teachers who give corrections and you notice that you learn and improve instantly when with them, then you will improve so much faster! You are doing great! I am so amazed you have great port de bras for an adult beginner, and you have strong pointe technique for having started so recently!
‼️Also super important! A lot of dancers have this issue and don’t know‼️I think you very likely have a muscle tightness in your psoas! It is the muscle that runs from your low back and wraps over and around the hips. It causes all the issues you mention. This muscle is tight will cause arching and pain at times in the lower back, it makes you feel like you can’t turn out as much (knees not tracking is a sign because you likely have potential for more turnout but your Psoas is tight and it’s holding you back . You need to work on relaxing, massaging it (it is a long muscle so there are a lot of spots you would have to roll separately) stretching gently and strengthening it
Visualizing lengthening it, taking a look at the anatomy and seeing where it is is actually super helpful. It is used in turnout and it stabilizes the back and pelvis. You want to visualize lengthening that muscle and relaxing it. Like it is stretching longer and longer and you are able to feel you’re getting taller.
Also rolling it out and stretching gently. Don’t over stretch it . Roll using a good roller and also a ball sorta a harder one around the size of a tennis ball will work wonders.
It also helps to remember to lengthen and engage every muscle from the first move at barre (arms need to be so engaged that you are using the muscles in between your shoulder blades, shoulders down of course, feet,ankles, toes, legs,back, core etc etc.
But really I am certain if you get regular private lessons with teacher who is skilled at corrections and not just saying what is wrong you will become so strong!
A bad teacher is worse than no teacher however!
You want to learn properly or the muscle memory is ingrained and takes so much effort to unlearn. In some people they struggle always with bad muscle memory so it’s super important to learn each movement from when and how to allonge, where to place your head, how to hold the hands, the feet, what muscles are being used in each moment 100% correctly.
I have a private coach I work with once a week as well as classes I take each week. I had not seen a fellow dance friend in 5 months or so and she was absolutely floored and shocked at the improvement I had made. Also the teacher of the class I hadn’t been to in 5 months was shocked. She teachers private lessons but just to be honest she is not a good teacher. She has 3 ladies who take private lessons and have not learned anything or improved at all from it. They are wasting their money and it shows how important the teacher is!
More proof is how one lady started taking classes with me at the only decent studio in town and she takes a private lesson with her once a week and has finally started improving so much!
So the teacher and a few students were asking how I improved so so much in 5 months. They were stunned when I said weekly private lessons from a former principal dancer and zoom group classes by the same teacher (I was taking maybe 5-6 classes a week). The teacher of the class I thought I had gone to adult intensives (the kind where you dance 5-8 hours a day for 2 weeks) she was convinced I went to at least two.
When I started training I told my private teacher I wanted to learn everything that a child who is training to be a professional would learn and to learn all the stuff that is skipped over in adult classes. Exactly where my head and eyes go, proper carriage of my body and coordination of arms and feet/legs, to improve my memory for hard combinations, lines, etc.
When I think about it I’m shocked too. I went from being very sloppy had awful arms (you don’t have bad arms at all, but I definitely did lol) to having other teachers say they never would have guessed it was once a weakness for me! I still have lots of improvements to make but I’m excited to see what the next 5-8 months can bring!
I have been training with my personal coach/mentor on foundations of ballet and targeting my weaknesses for 8 months. I also started pointe with an in person private teacher for 4 months after training with my mentor a few months. I take what few in person group classes I can when it is available (sadly not many options here, 3 classes a week max so I take lots of zoom only classes.
So after all that I can now do pirouettes en pointe! I can actually finally get over my box too. It’s great that you have not had issues with that. I was fitted so poorly and it took a long time to find the right pair. Also I had to keep taking Pointe class I am certain it actually gently and gradually improved and increased my flexibility in my feet and ankles.
I am amazed I can do a single turn en pointe en dehour en dedan and pique turns too!
I am certain I would not be anywhere near this strong if not for my private coach I see every week and the pointe coach I had at the start who worked to make sure I was safe and not developing bad habits.
Hi Veronica, I absolutely love your videos, you inspire me. I took ballet as a child, then briefly in my teens. I took a beginner ballet class for a few years in my early 50’s. Then I stopped because I couldn’t make the classes due to my demanding work schedule which spilled over into evenings. (12 h shifts). I recently retired and I so want to take ballet again (68y/o). I love dancing, moving, I need to keep up my flexibility, balance, strength etc. I wish I could find a ballet class for older adults as I would feel more comfortable in that type of setting rather than taking an adult class with young adult, sort of like a “silver slippers” instead of “silver sneakers”. . I live in Queens and can’t find any such type of class in the Queens or Nassau area, which would be most accessible to me. Thought maybe you had some suggestions. 🤗
Hi beautiful human! thank you for all the kind words, it means so so much
I’ve heard about silver swans, but I don’t think there are any of these programs in the New York area. I might just have to get brave and take classes with young adults. It’s a shame, because there’s very limited opportunities for us older adults. I know that the Y near me has “chair yoga”. But I’m not the bingo playing Chair yoga type. L O L
@@iriskaufman5048 haha I understand! I think if you took some classes in the right space, you'd feel comfortable no matter what the age demographic was! I actually find it extremely inspiring when I see more mature folks in my classes, they're really guiding lights that show us it's never too late!
😊 thank you Veronica !
hello :) there is a studio in nassau, called american theater dance workshop, the adult ballet classes have many senior ladies that attend, and there is even a senior ballet teacher that teaches there :) hope that helps!
Have you read "Inside Ballet Technique: Separating Anatomical Fact from Fiction in the Ballet Class
Inside Ballet Technique: Separating Anatomical Fact from Fiction in the Ballet Class"
by Valerie Grieg and Naomi Rosenblatt it has a lot of really good visuals and explanations if you are into to knowing all the body mechanics.
Your amazing!!!💚💚
Thank you for making my day 🥰
If you are new to ballet, drop in classes are not ideal. You need continuity.
Yes, I agree.
I loved this video thxxxx u so much
That's so wonderful to hear! Thank you for this
the six week workshops would definitely do you good. it’s scary that you haven’t actually been sat down and told how to do things is scary
Yes I agree! I took one basic workshop a while ago that was incredibly helpful but when they end, they start from the beginning again, so I've had trouble finding a new one. But I'm working on it!
Just because something is foundational, it doesn’t make it easy. Everything is ballet is hard and a foundation for other movements later.
Damn girl 27:39 you are spittin FACTS 👏🏼
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoy my ramblings lol
Where is your oversized sweatshirt from?
It’s from Aerie! I’ve had it for years but there might be similar options on posh mark or depop!
How do you get your developpe so high?
If you ever come to Ireland I would love to photograph you ❣️
I'm so honored! And LOVE Ireland, I hope to go back one day!
@@VeronicaViccoraYou’re such a positive light 🌷
You mentioned that most adult ballet classes don’t teach the basics. I’ve been very fortunate that my teacher in my adult ballet class taught all of the basics from step one. I feel you’ve been failed by your teachers not teaching the basics and the how’s and whys. It baffles me that your teachers have t been teaching you all of these things and that you finally had one tell you. Most of what we learn in ballet is for our safety so we don’t injure ourselves. Especially when it comes to putting on your pointe shoes. Why weren’t you taught to properly put them on? Makes me very thankful for my teacher I’ve had.
Same. I'm lucky that I go to a really small studio and my teacher went through all the basics, even though all of us at the first class had experience. And throughout the year, we've had some complete beginners come in and out so we get to retouch on the basics constantly. Even though I had eight years of experience, I didn't take ballet very seriously as a kid, so now that I am much more in tune with my body and more appreciative of the art, it's very nice. But unfortunately I've heard that many adult classes are similar to Veronica's. Many studios think that the adult classes are just for recreational, alternative to going to the gym, instead of seriously being interested in the art, so that's reflected in the way they teach the adults. I'm glad that more and more studios are starting to teach adults like the rest of their students because we're honestly such amazing beginner students.
@@selalorin I figured all studios taught it seriously. People don’t realize how technically it is and how dangerous it can be if not taught correctly. I’ve been fortunate to have a teacher that didn’t just see it as recreational. Everyone in class wanted to learn the art. When everyone in class got their pointe shoes the next class was nothing but learning how to sew the shoes and how to wear them correctly. I am happy that adult ballet is becoming more accepted and taken serious.
Ok I have kind of a weird question! You have WAY more hair than I do but I find my hair and head getting so sweaty during class. I’m doing 4 classes a week and prior to that I could do every other day or two day hair washes but because of ballet I have to wash after every class (which translates to almost every day!). How do you manage?
oooof I feel this, basically I feel like my hair is just constantly greasy to be honest haha. I'm in the process of trying to figure this issue out myself, but I have heard some people talk about the power of dry shampoo (though I don't currently use it myself)
I just saw discount dance is doing a 2024 ambassador search for a year long sponsorship...thought you’d be good for it. I think apps end the 12th of April
You are SO kind to think of me like this! thanks a million, I'll definitely be checking it out!
Have you looked in elhers danlos? I have it and it sounds like you have similar symptoms with the hyperextension and susceptibility to injury. There are supplements that help support your connective tissue if so😊
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Not trying to be super critical but I used to teach pre-pointe and pointe and I cringe at the idea of anyone going on pointe before mastering beginner and honestly intermediate…it’s dangerous and really technique is everything.
Yes, your several comments on this video have made it abundantly clear that you're very knowledgable about ballet. I do appreciate your concern and even have some of those concerns myself. I'm currently working with teachers who have my best interest at heart. I'll continue to be guided by their expertise as they're able to get a much clearer and closer view of my capabilities. And if THEY decide pointe is not right for me, I'll gladly listen to them.
Hii
hi kind soul!
you should start a podcast
One of many things I wish I had more time and bandwidth for haha, maybe one day! Thanks for your support though❤
well just know if you do, (whenever you do) i will be one of the first to listen! 💕🎀
You’re such a gem, thank you ❤
❤🩰❤
You should not be anywhere near a pointe shoe until you have mastered beginner at least.
Not stomach…abdomen
Oh come on, are you for real?? Give her a break.
I have been watching your videos these past couple days after following you on Instagram for a while (fellow late ballet bloomer here) and even though I live on the other side of the world your calmness and the way you talk and live your everyday life is very inspiring and soothing like a hug.🤍
That’s the sweetest thing you could say! Thank you for making my day!
needed this push 🩰🫀🤟🏻 thank you
Thank you so much for watching!