A Regret, A Comeback and An Escapism

Strict teachers, a feeling of clumsiness and an inability to keep up are all common reasons for children giving up ballet. The most common age to give up is around 12, with many children realising that dance is difficult and deciding its not for them anymore. But today there is this amazing come back, where dancers are trying ballet at a later age. A popular phrase that I hear time and time again is ‘I regret giving up ballet when I was younger’.

It is true that older dancers have excellent commitment and a greater tendency to pick things up correctly. They recognise the physical and mental health benefits that ballet brings and enjoy the escapism that they experience in class. Ballet provides a creative workout which is especially interesting to adults who have spent years not enjoying the gym. Others find it a great complimentary workout to their usual fitness regime. More and more adult classes are popping up and I only see this as a good thing- I love teaching my adult dancers!!

So as the sunset sets on another week let us look to the bright future of ballet. A future where ballet continues to welcome all keen dancers to an inclusive, creative and magical art form.