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Thread: I want to be a ballerina!

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    God/dess Malibu's Avatar
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    Default I want to be a ballerina!

    Ballet - so who does it? No one on this site has ever talked about the benefits of ballet. Anyone here have experience in it?

    I am totally dying for a ballerina's body, I crave than lean, supple look and so desperately want to reduce the bulky muscle on my thighs that I have accumulated after over a year of kickboxing and heavy weights!

    I bought an instructional ballet workout DVD and looked at the moves and thought that standing around and pointing my legs and toes out wouldn't even break a sweat. I kid you not ladies, I could not even keep up with the workout, those ballerinas have nerves of steel to keep postures the way they do whilst maintaining elegance.

    I have been at it now for almost a week and am trying hard to get the basic positioning correct as well as keeping my tummy in. It is not easy and I do hope it will pay off!
    You are the envy
    of all parallel lines that
    dream of curves and convergence
    - Sara Bailey: Sieve of Words

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    Default Re: I want to be a ballerina!

    too bad you didn't ask this question a few months ago. I believe Tigerlilly was a professional ballet dancer.

    You're right it's very challenging and strenuous. I danced ballet as a child but quit because I could not handle the emotional abuse. (constantly being told I was fat and ugly. standard treatment in the old school)

    Pilates was created for dancers. Have you tried pilates too?


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    Banned Katrine's Avatar
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    Default Re: I want to be a ballerina!

    Why don't you take an adult ballet class at a local dance studio/company? One of our most popular dance companys here, Tapestry, teaches different levels for all ages. Most companies do this for extra revenue for their performances. Also, our universities offer informal classes in ballet.

    I can't stress enough how important it is to be VERY WELL stretches before any barre work. I still have horrid flashbacks of major muscle cramping when we were doing intensive work.

    Take a class, a professional teacher will show you the best technique!

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    Default Re: I want to be a ballerina!

    I was a ballet dancer for years and I am afraid to say it isn't the ballet that gives Ballerinas the ultra lean small but muscular thighs. Even the best ballet dancers can have a hard time becoming professional ballerinas if they do not have the right body type and it is a body type that you are born with (genes) and can't be changed dramatically enough by starvation or one type of exercise versus another. Starvation and ballet instead of weight lifting/cardio will definitely help a ballet dancer get closer to the "ballerina body" but honestly most professionals (or the one's we think of when we think ballerina) have the genes that give them the long legged, lean, petite bodies.

    But Ballet is great! What city do you live in? Perhaps I have a dancer friend who can recommend a good studio with drop in classes.

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    Default Re: I want to be a ballerina!

    I was in ballet for quite a while, as well. Had to quit early because of knee problems.

    If you want that long, lean look...LSM is right...Pilates is a great way to achieve the Ballerina body without the strenuous "abuse" of the actual dance.

    I always recommend that you pay for private instruction at a studio when you first begin Pilates (to learn form, etc). But, the best book ever written about Pilates and its movements is called The Pilates Body by Brooke Siler. To this day, I have about 10 Pilates books, and the Pilates Body is the only book I ever look at. It's my Pilates Bible. I cannot say enough good things about it.

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    God/dess Jenny's Avatar
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    God/dess Malibu's Avatar
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    Default Re: I want to be a ballerina!

    Thank you for those links Jenny and to everyone else for the advice! I do realise the limits as to how much leaner I can get and am aware of the strict regime of professional ballerinas. I don't want to be super-skinny though! I am already slim and toned, I just want to lessen some extra bulk. And this isn't the only reason I was keen to do ballet; I love the grace and elegance that accompanies it. Even when ballerinas are out of work, they have a lovely air in their movement which I would like to develop.

    As for Pilates, it just never struck me as something I'd get into. But if it does what it claims, I may look into it. How effective is in compared ballet? Do you really feel your muscles working with it?
    Last edited by Malibu; 05-02-2005 at 12:30 PM.
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    Veteran Member Celeste25's Avatar
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    Default Re: I want to be a ballerina!

    Ballet rocks!! The more you do it the more graceful you will become and you too will have that lovely air your movement after a while.

    I danced for years and I will take up ballet and pointe work again. I even have a stage show with ballet pointe shoes at the club!! It's pretty cool!!
    You know the saying? ... Celeste is the best!

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    Default Re: I want to be a ballerina!

    Celeste - Really? That is so awesome - I can't imagine a stage show with ballet shoes - sounds fantastic! I'd pay so much to see a strip ballet! Ha ha ha just what montreal needs an Exotic ballet show - this city is always looking for ways to incorporate art with sex.
    Actually... not a bad idea - I bet various government arts funds would give us grants!

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    Default Re: I want to be a ballerina!

    ok I was wrong. Pilates was not created for dancers but they did employ the technique. Here's a link that describes the history:

    Pilates sculpts the body in a form similar to ballet.


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    Veteran Member Lovespell's Avatar
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    Default Re: I want to be a ballerina!

    I've love to do ballet. It' always something I've been interested in. There's a girl at my club who is just beautiful. She used to do ballet, and she often dances on stage without her heels, and points her feet just beautifully.

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    Default Re: I want to be a ballerina!

    so do i!!!!!

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    Default Re: I want to be a ballerina!

    Malibu is it the NYC Ballet DVD ? If so I saw it the other day and almost bought it. The girls bodies on the back of the dvd looked amazing so muscular.

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    Default Re: I want to be a ballerina!

    I danced for years and I will take up ballet and pointe work again. I even have a stage show with ballet pointe shoes at the club!!


    Too cool! I always said I would do a ballet show, but I never did. I'm certainly not strong enough on pointe to incorporate that into a show though! I did however, choreograph some ballet moves into one of my shows - in that song "bring me to life" by evanescence, during the slow piano part, I used to have this little routine I did, it was fun.

    Celeste & Montreal_Dancer - any recommendations for a good studio here that does open classes? Do you know what Ballet Divertimento is like? That's the only one I've really found online that seems to offer a good selection of classes for adult dancers.

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    Default Re: I want to be a ballerina!

    Malibu,

    Im a trained Ballet dancer. We do pilates as a form of exersize that will not add bulk to our bodies but will help us gain strength. We also do weights but more repititions wil lighter wiehgt rather than heavy weights. I also do kickboxing and find that the muscles I get form it if I train too hard conflict with my dancers body. It changes the balance of the muscles somehow.

    No matter how many videos you wathc, Ballet is not like aerobics where you can watch a video and learn unless you have prior experince. It is a serious art form that needs to be taught under instruction.
    Find an adult ballet beginners class in your are and go to it. You have to have a teacher to tell you how to position yourself right and what muscles to use to be able to fully gain anything from it. A video will not teach you how to be graceful.
    New York City Ballets video is lame. Ive seen it and its basically a gimmick for them to make a quick buck. You see the amazing dancers bodies and you think that just what you see on the video gave them those bodies but its actually class and lots of hard training.
    Anyway hope this helped a bit.

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    Veteran Member charlygirl's Avatar
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    Default Re: I want to be a ballerina!

    Sorry about the spelling girl. I type like lightning!

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    Default Re: I want to be a ballerina!

    Quote Originally Posted by Malibu
    Ballet - so who does it? No one on this site has ever talked about the benefits of ballet. Anyone here have experience in it?

    I am totally dying for a ballerina's body, I crave than lean, supple look and so desperately want to reduce the bulky muscle on my thighs that I have accumulated after over a year of kickboxing and heavy weights!

    I bought an instructional ballet workout DVD and looked at the moves and thought that standing around and pointing my legs and toes out wouldn't even break a sweat. I kid you not ladies, I could not even keep up with the workout, those ballerinas have nerves of steel to keep postures the way they do whilst maintaining elegance.

    I have been at it now for almost a week and am trying hard to get the basic positioning correct as well as keeping my tummy in. It is not easy and I do hope it will pay off!
    When I was a kid, I always wanted to be a ballerina! My mom even bought me a ballet outfit for Christmas when I was 5 Anyway, I remember when I was about 12 my local boys and girls club offered this class for free. I went to the class, and my instructor (never 4get her, her name was Jenny) just looked at me in awe! She immediatly told me that I could apply for a scholarship for free instruction. Anyway...I get there, and the people who run it tell me, "oh hun, you're a little to good..we need a beginner" They didn't even wanna believe me. I was crushed.

    Anyways, back to the current. Malibu, I think that you should look into taking this at a local community college. It's usually only like 2cr hrs.







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    God/dess Malibu's Avatar
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    Default Re: I want to be a ballerina!

    Charlygirl and Babykitten, yes it is the NYCB DVD.

    I understand what you mean about learning the correct techniques from an instructor. That is something that I was actually thinking of doing, but the DVD, even as tame as it is from an experienced ballet dancer's point of view, for the timebeing is satisfactory for me. I just want to get a basic feel of what it's like and I'm enjoying it just now. It's not all that bad though, they do a lot of commentary which is helpful and I am getting better and feeling the muscles working that they indicate should. Like I said before, I am very aware that the dancer's bodies are achieved through a strict regime, but the DVD moves are still helpful in allowing me to do the type of stretches I need to reduce bulky muscle. At least it's a start

    Now, the whole gracefulness part, yeah, that is something I'd love to have! I feel like a frog when I try to imitate the moves! Maybe once my timetable is a lot less erratic I might book myself in for classes because I do feel you are right that I would develop it better with a teacher. I'm not the biggest fan of group classes so I may do a search and see if I can find a personal instructor over the summer.

    But thanks for your honest opinion, it helps a lot!
    You are the envy
    of all parallel lines that
    dream of curves and convergence
    - Sara Bailey: Sieve of Words

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    Veteran Member Jeanette's Avatar
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    Default Re: I want to be a ballerina!

    I personally like the NYC Ballet workout. I have noticed a change in my body, my posture, stability and flexibility. If you concentrate on doing the moves properly, I'm sure it can work for you!

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    God/dess Malibu's Avatar
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    Default Re: I want to be a ballerina!

    Hi Jeanette, do you have both the DVDs? Which workout are you using? I am using workout 2 and it's pretty good. How long have you been doing it for and how often do you do it?

    I'd just like to gauge my process!
    You are the envy
    of all parallel lines that
    dream of curves and convergence
    - Sara Bailey: Sieve of Words

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    Veteran Member charlygirl's Avatar
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    Default Re: I want to be a ballerina!

    I guess you just want to do it for the exersize. But girl Im telling you, go to a dance studio and take 2 classes just to FIND these muscles that you use in allet because I guarantee it will make you work better and more importantly CORRECTLY. As a dancer I have seen the ultimate amount of injuries from people who work thier muscles in what they think is the right way. Let a teacher show you once or twice and tell you your doing it right and then go on by yourself. I really dont know what NYC allet think thier doing bringing out a video like that raising peoples expectations that it will somehow make them look effortless and lean. Afte a weeks class in a studio with a teaacher ill guarantee you the next week your body will change like youve never seen before and you'll look more graceful becuase they will teach you proper placement. Go for it girl!!! Forget adult education colleges. Get your ass down to a studio where the good (ex allerinas and ballet company members)teachers are and dont be afraid ecuase everyone in the basics or beginners class is just that, a beginner.

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