I had my first lesson!
I hurt my lower back/right hip last week , so I did alot of cat stretches & spinal twists before class. I was 30% sore going into the class (skated competition yesterday, making me a little sore afterwards). I was the chunkiest person in the room! There was a dance instructor, an elderly lady taking her 2nd class ever, two gifted ballet adults (20s, I'd say), a lady probably in her 60s with alot of ballet, and me.
We did about 20 minutes on the bar. Plies, grand plies, routoundants, arabesques, bending backwards, bending around in all directions, attitudes, kicking at 12, 3, and 6 o'clock, sideways, standing on my tippie toes and then letting go of the bar, the whole eclair (pardon my bad ballet spellings). I made it through that part. I could do the leg pull (holding leg up to side with hand, and even stretching it straight) which some of the others couldn't do as high! (So, I was a little proud). But, spirals are different then arabesques. I had to use the lower bar for those.
Then, we left the comfort of the bar to do stretching. We each did our own thing. The great thing is that I wasn't sore anymore.
Next, we did "floor work". This was doing alot of the same things, but without the bar. That was hard on grand plie, I almost fell over! Skating boots help alot with balance. Then, we did across floor work (diagonal footwork). Footwork across the floor, with jumps at the end. There was a ballet jump, a version of falling leaf, and split jump (not Russian split). I made it through, though no where near as graceful as the other dancers. We did it as a group, so it felt like we were in ballet chorus. I didn't follow my hands with the eyes, etc. Plus, It take more strength to jump in ballet because you don't have momentum. And split jumps are not assisted with the toe pick to catapult you. We did Jete and Pas de Chat, which I did alot better in one direction then the next.
Then, we did diagonal footwork with turns at the end. I don't know what it was called in ballet, but we did a forward spin with our leg coming to Yoga tree position, in both directions. At first, I was doing it like a scratch spin, with 3+ revolutios. So, I had to learn to open to the side and then come to the knee. Arms are to a side, but in an open position, and then come to center open. Similar principles, but you stop the spin in third position (feet crossed in front of you). I want to either exit the spin or do a show stop (i.e. just pick it with the toe pick). So, ending the turn was very different. By putting our foot out to the side to step out of a spin, we are greatly altering our axis center. But, maybe balet will help me from popping out of my jumps or "two footing" them as I get more used to a true one-sided axis. The instructor also wanted me really over my turning leg axis. All skaters sit a little on our inside edge to do a forward spin.
Overall, I was never out of breath. In skating my program, I am at my upper limit. I was never in any pain or doing anything uncomfortable. I am not sore (we'll see tomorrow). So, I am proud that I appear fit enough to do that "beginner" ballet clss.
I can't wait until the next class. For me, that will be Tuesday because I have another appointment on Thursday. I recommend ballet, even for adults.
The instructor used to teach in Sun Valley and get skaters from there, of course. So, she knew what to do with me! LOL. She told me that I might feel like I am "stuck" in a dance class as alot of the time is spent in one place, whereas ice skating is like flying. She tried skating one time, but was afraid of the speeds. She said her one leg almost went out from under her in a split.
Oh, this is South Florida. The room was hot, 85 degrees outside. (Aren't you jealous if you are getting cold & snow this weekend/) I sweated like a pig. But, I even sweat on the ice. Always been a heavy sweater. Now, at 45 and with hot flashes . . . . the heat is on!