I Want Ballet Slippers

Yesterday I biked down to Austin Ballet's new downtown studio for the first ballet class I've taken in over 10 years. Not sure what to expect, I signed up for the beginner class (though it's all "open" in the summer and you can attend any class you choose) and bought $22 split-sole canvas ballet slippers at Movin' Easy.

Holy! Ballet is hard! I know I've lost a lot of flexibility, but I had heard that the beginner classes are very slow and primarily use the bar. Not true. The class moved fast, from one routine to the next. The first half of the class was on the bar, then out to the floor. The routines were done slowly, and reminded me of yoga with the focus on correct body position and balance, not just who can kick their leg up highest. More repetition would have been useful, but the breadth of steps we learn keeps the class interesting.

As for the people in the class, most everyone seemed to have my story ("I did ballet as a kid and thought it would be fun to try it again"), so we were all at about the same level. Most everyone was mid-20s, with a few older. I was more aerobically fit than most (many were panting at the end.. so I guess biking around everywhere does have its benefits), but then I was less graceful than most too. There was only one other tall woman in the class, and it's definitely harder to look graceful when you're tall! There was one brave man, and lots of smaller women.

So yeah, it was a lot of fun and my four-class card is going to run out fast. Many of the students are taking two classes a week.. I'll go broke quick doing that, so hopefully they don't leave me too much in the dust.. I'll have to practice in the living room to make up the time. Also, before next week I'll probably buy a cheap leotard because I think looking graceful will make me be more graceful. It's hard not to feel goofy when you're wearing a running tank top and biking spandex!