There are three ballet-related items on my bucket list: (1) Learn how to Pirouette; (2) Learn how to Fouette; (3) Dance En Pointe (with pointe shoes).
Last September I used my employee health and education benefits to enroll in my local ballet studio's adult ballet class. I thought it would be great to get some exercise and work towards knocking those items off my bucket list (I have learned how to pirouette! But I'm starting to doubt those pointe shoes are ever going to happen).
I walked into my first ballet class as a complete beginner with a certain mindset of what I thought my body could and couldn't do.
Since then, ballet has taught me these surprising truths that has completely changed my body image:
My body is never too old to learn something new.
My classmates range in age from early teens to late sixties! Some are beginners, some are serious students taking extra classes, and some have been dancing all their lives. I find it rather inspiring. After all, if grandma can do the splits maybe I can too (someday...)!
My build does not determine my ability ...
My classmates also range in body types that don't adhere to stereotypes. Being naturally skinny doesn't mean I am more flexible or agile than my classmates who aren't! (Quite the opposite actually...) Sometimes wider hips can turnout better than narrow hips.
... my education and technique does.
When I first learned how to do battements at the barre, I couldn't lift my leg higher than a few inches. I thought my body simply wasn't flexible enough. Then my teacher adjusted my turnout, squared my hips, and magically lifted my leg so that it almost rested against my shoulder! Now that I know how to position my body, as my legs get stronger my battements get higher.
Limits are more mental than physical.
To steer a helicopter, a pilot thinks about the direction he wants to fly and the machine follows; if he jerks the controls, spins in circles. Ballet is also very mental. Focusing on the wrong muscles during a movement can keep me from executing it correctly. (Kathryne Morgan, former dancer at NYCB, makes amazing youtube videos with focusing tips).
If I think my body can't do something, it probably won't. Changing that mindset opens both the mental and physical doors to new opportunities.
You're probably not as acquainted with your body as you think.
Ballet has taught me things about my body that I never knew before, like how many muscles are in my feet, or that my legs are hyper-extended. I'm more in-tune with my body's moans and groans (joints popping, muscles pulling, knuckles cracking), and am starting to learn the difference between good pain (stretching muscles) and bad pain (pulling muscles).
Your body is capable of more than you think possible.
Overall, ballet has taught me that my body is capable of more than I ever thought possible. It has also taught me to focus on the positive things about body image rather than the negatives and perceived flaws. It has also helped me to not be afraid of my body anymore, and challenged me to keep pushing and being amazed by what it is capable of achieving!
(Interested in starting ballet as an adult? Check online to see if your local ballet studio offers adult or open beginner classes! They sometimes even offer a student discount!)
