54 THE QUEENS COURIER • DANCE • AUGUST 17, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
dance
How to fi nd the right ballet class your kids will love
BY TRESA ERICKSON
You’ve enjoyed watching ballet since
you were a kid, but you never had the
opportunity to try the dance form until
now. You’re a lot older, of course, so
learning ballet in the hopes of joining the
professional ranks someday is out. You’re
taking up ballet simply because you like it
and want to know more about it.
Ballet can be rigorous and requires
extensive fl exibility, which may explain
why many professional ballet dancers
retire in their 40s. Th ey can no longer perform
as they once did and choose to leave
the profession. In spite of their retirement,
many dancers continue to practice
ballet because of the health benefi ts
it provides. Ballet strengthens and tones
muscles and builds endurance. It also
improves coordination, enhances posture
and develops poise.
Anyone who can stand the exertion
involved can take up ballet at almost any
age and benefi t from it. If you are interested
in learning the dance form, you should
enroll in a class, preferably for adults. You
will feel less self-conscious in an adult
class and learn more.
You should check with the school for
a specifi c list of equipment you will need
for the class. In most cases, men will need
a T-shirt or leotard, a dance belt, tights
and ballet shoes, while women will need
a leotard, tights and ballet shoes. T-shirts
and tights are typical. However, you may
want to wear a unitard or a T-shirt, tights
and bicycle shorts if the school allows
them.
Th e color and type of apparel worn is
oft en a matter of personal preference.
Black tights are common. However, the
school or instructor may have their own
requirements regarding color. Many
dancers prefer lycra tights over all-nylon
tights because they fi t better and leather
ballet shoes over canvas shoes because
they stretch. Most ballet shoes come with
elastic bands, the ends of which you can
sew on top of the shoes just below the
anklebones to ensure the shoes stay on.
Ballet is not easy to master. Don’t arrive
at the class on the fi rst day, expecting to
emerge from it a pro. It takes time to learn
the combination of steps required and
get your body accustomed to performing
those steps and linking them together
upon command. Give yourself some
leeway and don’t worry if you don’t get
something the fi rst time and have to stand
aside and watch others perform the steps.
No matter what your age, you can learn
ballet and benefi t from it. Go ahead and
enroll in a class. As you become more
adept at ballet and your skills improve,
you may want to enroll in a few more
classes. Th is will accelerate the learning
process and keep you in shape.