Polly, previously a figure skater as a kid and then a serious runner, first started taking ballet after taking her daughter to classes. She decided ballet ballet would be a way to add grace and beauty to her life.
Here’s Polly’s ballet story:
I took the first ballet class of my life in Sept. 2013 — at age 47. I take my daughter to Opus Dance Studio in Ashland, Ohio. She is 10 and is in a low-intermediate class. This past summer I drank in every single moment of her classes – it was all I could do to stay in my seat. It’s just something that I’ve always wanted to do and I decided I wasn’t getting any younger. The director let me join the low-intermediates too. Walking in on the first day took immense courage.
As a younger person, I figure skated throughout my elementary school years, and then became a serious runner. I was always sort of a sturdy, muscular, competitive type – nothing ethereal about me. I decided that ballet would be a way to add grace and beauty to my life and help me get a grip on my core. I have five children and haven’t felt completely at home in this body for some time.
I”ve been going to class 3 x a week. Some days are better than others. I’ve cried tears of frustration and tears of joy. Several things are difficult for me, including jetes. I am flexible in the hamstrings but not so much in the hip. Stretching an arabesque at the barre is nearly impossible. Grand plies in 4th are also hard for me. And memorizing combos! My middle aged brain works a lot slower than those of the teenagers around me. I’ve been told that I “muscle my way through everything” so am trying to work on being more languid. There is no way I can compare myself to the young people around me, but it’s hard, because I still feel 12 yrs old in my head. Where did the time go?
I love ronde de jambs because they make me feel tall and pretty ( I am 5’4 and size 12-14), and also balance’s, because they are so much fun. Every once in a while I will just forget myself and dance like there’s nobody watching, and that is when it’s the most joyful — that as chubby and clumsy as I am, I have this healthy body that still works. There is one other mother in her 40’s at the studio. She is advanced but sometimes will come to our class and together we make up the “peri-menopausal corner” of the room. That makes me laugh.
I’m not sure what my dance plans are. There is so much to learn, and I”m only a brand new beginner. I’ll keep taking classes as long as the money holds out. Would love to add tap at some point. I’m inspired by other older beginners that I see on the internet. I also love to watch all the girls at the studio. So many body types and yet they all dance beautifully. There is no time like the present. If you have a dream, it’s time to go for it.
I do not have a blog. Once upon a time I was a newspaper reporter, but I’ve been home taking care of my children for years. I love old books, strong coffee, knitting with wool, and hiking with my family.
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