Adults embrace the elegance of ballet
Tutus, leotards, lipstick and ballet slippers may make up the glitzy stage world of ballet, but an adult ballet class is taking ballet back to basics.
A new adult ballet class at Warragul Neighbourhood House is giving adults the chance to enjoy ballet for what it is – an elegant dance style that celebrates the movement of body.
And for some participants, it is a chance to cross something off their “to-do” list.
Neighbourhood House program co-ordinator Alice Robinson said she had always wanted to do ballet but never had the chance and thought there may be other adults who felt the same.
“For some people there just wasn’t the money to do ballet when they were young, or others were told they couldn’t do it for various reasons.
“Ballet is like the epitome of the little girl idea, it’s a romantic image of that ideal little girl…but it doesn’t have to be,” Alice said.
The classes will focus on classical ballet with many of the participants aged in their 40s, 50s and 60s.
Ballet teacher Jo Watt said she had wanted to start adult ballet classes for a long time so jumped at the opportunity.
She was teaching exercise for wellbeing at the Neighbourhood House when she and Alice discussed the potential for an adult ballet class.
“The first step to it is to be able to shape your body through your upper body with poise and posture.
“Too many women say they are too old or too fat but ballet is a dance style, it’s a fitness. This is ballet for the joy of moving.
“It is about enjoyment, body awareness, happiness, musicality, a sense of freedom and a sense of space.
“It is about learning to move and thinking about how the body gives you an appreciation of your own body. Ballet is a really good thing for the soul, it’s not boot camp,” she said.
Diane Bruniges-Gregory of Warragul was keen to sign up for the class.
Diane, 53, said someone gave her a book that sent home a very strong message of “stuff what people think of you, just do it.”
As an eight-year-old, Diane wanted desperately to do ballet and horse riding like her sisters.
“I was told I was `too big.’ So for that part of my life I was too big to do anything. I made up excuses not to play sport or not to put on my bathers,” she said.
After experiencing ongoing health issues since 2005, Diane said she had been “living behind closed doors and very lonely.”
“I saw this class and realised this was the last step of healing myself. I might fall over, people might laugh at me, but I don’t care.
“We are sometimes so scared of coming out - but you have to just do it, you can’t sit around,” Diane said.
Jo said too many people see ballet as being for the “young, slim and athletic – but it’s just another dance style.”
The adult ballet classes run at Warragul Neighbourhood House on Wednesday nights. The beginners’ class is 7pm to 8pm and another class runs from 8pm to 9pm for anyone with just the smallest amount of ballet experience.