Classical dance exercises refine your reflexes, and build neural pathways.
Whether you are a child or are an adult ballet beginner, ballet work will challenge your brain. Its unusual approach to movement will sharpen and hone those neurological functions, which will enhance your balance and response time to unexpected day-to-day moments.
Over forty, over fifty or over sixty? Go ahead! Choose ballet!
The exertion it offers will increase your bone density and relieve your heart muscle's work as it strengthens your leg/hip/back muscle groups. In other words, you will be able to run for the bus!
I may seem to be wandering from the point here, but no... ballet class exercises are for the many (anyone who loves it) AND the few (those whom ballet calls - to entrance the rest of us).
Ballet syllabus exercises, be they R.A.D., Cecchetti, or Vaganova, are configured for the ideal ballet body type. Yet, an experienced teacher can take various body types and show you - "this is how YOU will do this, to get the same visual result".
Is this cheating? No! It's called technique.
With a little of the art of illusion thrown in.
Every dance student will have their own problem with ballet. Whether it is ballet turnout, getting higher leg extensions, getting more flexibility in the ankle joint - whatever - everyone has a problem with ballet - that can be resolved!
So When Can I Start In Pointe Shoes?
Your years in dancing, age, natural ability, foot strength and talent will determine this. Every ballet exercise you do contributes to you eventually dancing in ballet toe shoes.
Every single battement tendu is a pre-pointe exercise.
Every rise, releve or saute done with correct posture (nothing different than the normal) is a pre-pointe exercise.
You want to dance in pointe shoes?
Every exercise you do in every ballet class is a pre-pointe exercise. Every single class will prepare you to dance en pointe.
If you want to know more about pointe shoes exercises, buy yourself THE POINTE BOOK.
