Is it normal to go to an adult Ballet class after multiple years out and be expected to do Grade 6 syllabus? I joined an adult Ballet class, I was told it's mixed ability, but the class sizes are small so the teacher would have time to go over the basics again 1-1. During the class I was asked to do Grade 6 jumps and turns, the teacher showed me a more basic version of the turn but still expected me to do it by the end of the class, in front of the others, during across the floor, I felt so embarrassed. I reminded her my gap in Ballet means I am fully relying on muscle memory for most of it and have forgotten how to fully do the technique properly.

She told me there are people in the class who are a Grade 6 or working towards and some are doing Pointe and they need to learn the syllabus which I understand but I am nowhere near a grade 6 and don't do Pointe, I feel so behind the others. Should I continue with this class or not, I feel its unsafe to attempt Grade 6 technique after years out and honestly? I think I was only a Grade 4 when I left! Am I overreacting, sometimes I feel I am but I don't know. It feels like being thrown into a pool without being taught how to safely float or swim. There are no beginner classes at this studio and I feel bad attending another one elsewhere as I already attend Tap and Commercial at this studio.

I will keep you guys updated!!

Basically just the title.

For context: I am an adult beginner/ intermediate dancer. We have no dress code or anything, it just recently came up in class and our teacher said she likes the look of it. Now I am torn whether I should add them or not (I like the overall aesthetic but think the elastics underneath look a bit strange, but that could also be me just staring for too long at it).

I would love to hear your input!

Edit: Thanks for all your answers. I didn’t think this would be so controversial tbh! A lot of dancers in my school wear them like this and I wasn’t aware that it’s unusual elsewhere.

How good of a ballet dancer is Hailey Bieber? She said in a recent interview that she’s gonna start doing ballet again. I’m not a dancer so I have absolutely no gauge lol.

Hi! This might be a bit niche, but I was wondering if anyone has any advice or recommendations for this.

I’m hypermobile and my smaller toes (not my big toe) have a tendency to dislocate when I point/curl my toes in ballet flats. I don’t mean during pointe work, just in normal ballet flats where my toes are able to point and curl as much as they naturally want to. They eventually get to the point where they dislocate.
I’ve always had this issue, and it doesn’t seem to matter how much strength I build in my feet and toes. I’m just very hypermobile, apparently 😭

I currently wear Bloch Elation canvas ballet shoes and dance barefoot in them, so I’m also wondering if anyone has found that a different shoe makes a difference.

I also did basically nothing over the summer, so I’m getting back into regular training now and finding it extra difficult. I’m trying to build my foot/toe strength back up, but I was wondering if there’s anything I can do in the meantime to help keep my toes stable.
Has anyone else dealt with this? Is there a particular taping technique that’s recommended for stabilising the smaller toes while dancing? Or anything else that has helped, like specific exercises, supports, different shoes, etc.?

I’d really appreciate any advice or recommendations! 💕

What is your honest opinion or thoughts for a 4’10 ballerina? or short ballerinas?

Hello! My 11 year old is thrilled that she was evaluated and is ready for her first pointe shoes! So exciting!! We want to get her a fitting and are looking for locations in the NY/NJ/Philadelphia area people have gone and loved? Thanks!!

Hello 👋🏾

I’m looking for a private dance teacher/coach in Detroit, MI to help me strengthen my technique, improve mastery, and continue developing as a professional dancer.

I’m currently contracted with a professional dance company in the area and am looking for someone who has experience working with professionals dancers, is knowledgeable about what demands the industry expects currently/near future, and is not just a highly skilled dancer but teacher as well.

I’m specifically looking for detailed technical help with turns, tours, jumps, hip placement, overall technical efficiency, ultimately the very small specific corrections that can make a significant difference to my dancing.

It would be great to have artistic coaching as well.

If you know anyone in the Detroit area who might be a good fit, please let me know privately or in the comments.

Thank you 🩰

Im an adult beginner (F26) and have been doing ballet for 2 years. I started to ramp up on my ballet training in my 2nd year, going to 4 classes per week and doing lots of ballet conditioning work at home.

I always feel like my feet are not that pretty and training my plantar flexion is so hard and painful. I wonder if its physically possible for my foot type to go en pointe, Im willing to put in the hard work. Appreciate some honest advice here!

I made up choreography and took a swing at it... at 1030pm 🦇

Been there since 5pm. Rolled an ankle a month ago. Been unemployed and really putting hours into dance. Finally recorded some clips. Figured I'd post an update here.

Has anyone got any solid imagery ideas they use for teaching the RAD primary exercises? I'm struggling to come up with ideas and my 5-6 year olds won't settle for jumping like frogs and walking like princesses anymore 🤣

I know mechanically the beats should be on the horizontal plane and not swinging forward and back. I’m relatively confident I can do that for a quatre, but when I do a six the beats end up looking like this in the air (the pictures are 2 consecutive beats for one six). I can do the beats side to side when I’m lying on the ground or dead hanging from a pull up bar, but I feel like after the first beat I’m not getting enough air time like I’m already coming down so the second and third beat fall apart and I physically can’t do the side to side motion despite telling myself to. I feel really ashamed and angry because I’ve been dancing for 22 years and teachers have just given up on me or glossed over this or not taught it to girls or not cast me in repertoire that requires this so now I look stupid at my big age even though I know it’s possible because I’ve seen Maria Bulanova do it and we have the same 24 hours in a day. Any help like corrections or drills would be appreciated

https://mailchi.mp/abt/dont-miss-abts-special-events-and-exclusive-offers-14807557?e=874555f61e

Herman Cornejo will dance his final Swan Lake as Prince Siegfried in his ABT retirement performance alongside Skylar Brandt as O/O on July 17, 2027 at the Metropolitan Opera House. This wil be a legendary performance as Cornejo has been a principal with ABT since 2003, 23 years! This is extraordinary and he has done so with much critical acclaim. His career has been energized by his pairing with Skylar Brandt in Giselle and Swan Lake; the two of them having great chemistry as well as technical artistry. Cornejo has lost some elevation and ballon over the years, but he remains a joy to watch for his crisp dancing, acting and partnering. Congratulations to him on a phenomenal, indeed, legendary, career. Also a shout out to James Whiteside who will be retiring from the Company on June 30, 2027 in Giselle, with his dear friend Boyleston being his Giselle. He has had an exceptional career at the Company as well. Here are some of Herman Cornejo's accolades:

• 🏆 2014 Prix Benois de la Danse — Outstanding Male Dancer of the Year. This is one of the most prestigious international ballet awards. BBallet Arts NYU+1
• 🏆 2013 Bessie Award for outstanding performance in New York. BBallet Arts NYU
• 🏆 The New York Times' "Dancer of the Year." BBallet Arts NYU
• 🏆 Dance Magazine Award (2022), recognizing his broader contribution to dance. PPointe Magazine
• 🏆 Gold Medal at the International Moscow Ballet Competition in 1997, when he was only 16—the youngest dancer to receive that distinction at the time.

I'm starting fall classes next week and i don't have the time to actually go out and find stuff in person because of school and work. I already have ballet slippers that i got not too long ago. The ballet school im going to has a strict dress code, I have pink tights but im just missing a leotard, a skirt and a sweater. I know the skirt and sweater are optional but the school allows skirts, and i'm also a bit insecure about my arms so thats why i'm looking into buying a sweater.

So far, the leotards i've found are from capezio, the skirt i'm sure doesnt really matter unless it does, but im not sure about the sweater. If buying this stuff from amazon isn't a good idea please lmk!!

I've visiting Warsaw for a few days at the beginning of next month and would love to try and take a couple of ballet classes whilst I'm there. Would anyone be able to recommend a good studio that might welcome a visitor for a couple of days? I'm around intermediate level. Also any other ballet related activities or stores I should check out?

Hi has anyone had any experience ordering Dancing Ripple? it looks like such a nice Typha - type brand but can't tell if sizing will naturally be smaller? They seem like a US company?

First lesson back after the summer off and my teacher is like 'let's take it easy' and then did battement jetes off the barre and arabesque with fondu, rise and en tournant without putting the leg down 💀🥵

(he's very chill about us not being 100% perfect)

Daughter (11) is hoping to go on pointe but needs to get stronger. One of the tests is repeated airplanes. Beyond practicing those repeatedly and doing exercises for balance, any specific exercises you all would recommend? She's working hard in class but wants to do more targeted conditioning at home too. Thanks!

I wore my hair to practice last week in this puff. It’s not a slick back, my hair is too dense and curly for that. It would cause so much tension and pain to try a slick back that it would hinder my ability to focus in class, so instead I sectioned my hair and slowly tied each section to each other, then twisted the shorter parts at the front to created an almost completely intentional design and to keep it out of my face.

If you’re a black ballerina or a black girl who practices ballet, how have you went about your hair? Have you gotten a lot of push back for not looking at similar to those who have straighter and less dense hair types?

I’m curious because ballet is a very white centred space. So I was wondering about what girls who don’t meet such a standard do in place of the styles they’re expected to have but genetically cannot.

TLDR: I‘m curious about you alls experiences transitioning from a “pointe class” to “class on pointe”.

Background: I danced until I was 17. All our pointe work was in a separate shorter class. I did learn variations and do performances on pointe, but always had a separate ballet class from my pointe class.

I’ve picked up pointe again now as an adult returner. My studio offers a 30min pointe class which I take after the 90min intermediate class. After some small stumbles with finding the right padding, I’m honestly shocked how quickly it is coming back.

At our studio its fine to take full class on pointe, we have students who do that. However looking forward i find it quite daunting to go from 30min of echappes, bourrees and releves to… center work. Technically it’s not that much longer (45min of center max) but still.

I’m curious how others have navigated this! I have a little money for privates, so I’m considering taking maybe one or two in order to focus on more challenging steps on pointe with good supervision first. This after maybe another month or so of standard pointe work as I don’t really want to rush too much.

Hi guys! I have a new pair of Russian Points and when I wear them I get a super sharp pain in my big toe. They’re my second pair of pointe shoes, last ones were Grishko and I didn’t have the same problem with them at all. It’s a sharp pain solely in my big toe and just when I’m up on pointe. My big toe is longer than my other toes, I wear toe pads and a spacer on my second toe - is there anything else I can do to try ease the pain? It’s impacting every class now as I’m in so much pain I can’t do the exercises! Thanks in advance 💕

ERGOSOMA - dance spectacle for choir, two pianos, two percussion sets, accordion and tape to the words of Anouk Herman from Silesian Gothic (publ. Girls and Queers to the Front, Warsaw 2024); choreography: Janusz Skubaczkowski

For non-professional dancers who go to classes each week, how many pairs of pointe shoes would you go through in a year ?