Friday, January 25, 2013

First Ballet Class Back

So my first class went really well. It is a small class, just 3 other dancers and they are all pretty much at the level I am. I think I am the oldest one in the class, but only by about 5 years.  One of the girls is a college student, the other two work at the University like I do.  Two are super in shape skinny minnies, the other is about the same size as me, so it is a really comfortable class to be in.  I don't think anyone stands out in anyway- which is really perfect.  Everyone in the class wore a leotard and pink tights, though everyone had some sort of coverup on the bottom half (shorts, a skirt, and I wore capris, but don't plan to once my skirt comes in.)  There is no dress code and the teacher told us we could even dance in socks if we wanted, so it was nice to see everyone dressed for a ballet class (honestly, I was the worst- but these thighs no longer belong in pink tights!)

I think the teacher was just feeling out the ability of the class, she had only had one of the students previously, so there weren't many corrections. We did a few combinations at the barre that were difficult for us all to remember, but not necessarily to execute if we remembered them- for example tendu/degage was 3 front, 3 side, en croix, 3 back, inside leg. Not quite as simple as front, side, back. I don't even remember what the frappe combination was- but I was an awful mess at it. I got a correction about extending my neck, and also to tilt my pinky in when I hold my arm to engage my shoulder muscles.

Center was a long adage combination, but broken down into two parts. It sounds like this is a combination we will do throughout the year, adding a pirouette where we now have a balance. Hopefully we will do some other stuff too, but the extensions in this are definetly something to work towards!

Across the floor we did balance, waltz-turn (but turning under rather than in the normal direction), pirouette, then a pique turn (again, turning against the normal direction, as it walked back from where the first turn was), and detourne.

Jumps we did just normal jumps in center two sets of 32 and grand allegro we did a simple tombe pas de bourre glissade sout de chat.

Then we stretched.
I did better than I thought I would, I was really worried...  My extension is TERRIBLE- I can't believe how inflexible I am now.  My left ankle is also really weak.  I was hurting by like the 3rd thing we did at the barre from taking one foot releves on it.  I just can't support my weight anymore.  My turnout is terrible, but really always has been.  My knee was also hurting enough that I chose not to grande plie, but it started hurting 3 days before the class and hopefully will go away before the next one.
 

It was a really nice class. It sounds like there will be an opportunity to perform in the spring recital at the end of the year, so that could be fun. Yesterday when asked I said I'd do it if anyone else wanted to, and the college student said she would.  One of the other girls said no way, and the final said "ask me in a few weeks?'  I hope she decides to do it.  I like performing.  I don't care that it will be in a recital filled with kindergarteners.  Their parents can suffer through watching us dance for a few minutes! 

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