This week’s profile is Jenn, aka Barefoot Bodhi. Make sure you check out her blog, Bare Feet and Tea Leaves, about meditation, a little about dancing, and random other topics.
When did you start doing ballet as an adult?
March, 2013, just after my 30th birthday.
Did you ever take lessons as a kid?
I took lessons when I was 5. I actually met my best friend there. I was pretty awful. My teacher was this very stern lady who would tell me I sounded “like a herd of stampeding elephants” when I danced. According to my mom, I danced until I was 7.
Why did you decide to take ballet as an adult?
When I reconnected with my old friend who I’d met at ballet as a child, we talked about taking a yoga or dance class together. We found out that the old studio where we used to dance has adult classes, so we decided to try it out.
Where do you take classes?
Maryland Youth Ballet, the same studio I went to as a kid.
What is your favorite part about ballet?
I love how graceful I feel when I get something right because feeling graceful is not something I do on a regular basis. Seriously, I walk into walls. I also love sauté arabesques because they feel so free.
What is your least favorite part?
I still think too much to do allegro floor combinations. My feet get all tripped up by my brain. If I can take a deep breath and just wing it, I often do better than when I try to actually nail the combination.
Who/What is your ballet inspiration?
I recently discovered some very old videos of Maria Tallchief dancing Ballanchine’s Firebird choreography. Her fluidity is amazing. She was such a striking-looking woman, it’s inspiring for someone who doesn’t fit the delicate fairy princess mold when it comes to facial features.
What motivates you to keep dancing?
I actually took a several-month break from ballet this summer after I totaled my car (no injuries, just a lack of transportation) and had to motivate myself to get back into it. Honestly, adult ballet blogs were probably the main thing that reminded me how much I missed it. The teachers I’ve had are another of my biggest motivators. They’re all so nice, and yet not so nice they don’t help you improve. So far no one’s called me a herd of elephants yet. I also have to give a shout-out to my classmates. I’m a fairly introverted person, so I haven’t really bonded all that much with my classmates, but I’ve seen a couple of them outside of class and they’re always so friendly. In fact, I just went up a level partially on the recommendation of one of my classmates, who I ran into at a dance performance.
Do you take any other dance classes?
I used to do a lot of social dance, but my boyfriend and I have been slackers. So none right now, but we keep meaning to go back to swing and tango. We also contra dance occasionally. I still do the odd belly dancing video at home.
What are your hobbies outside of ballet?
I actually run, too, although I’m on a bit of a hiatus while it’s dark and cold. I’ve done 2 half marathons and a full marathon. My most recent race was a 10k at the beginning of November. Unfortunately, I’ve found that dancing has brought back some of my nagging knee problems when I also run, so I’m choosing ballet for now. I’ve been trying to stretch everyday, and I’ve started doing some Pilates with YouTube videos, so maybe the extra strength and flexibility will help. I also practice Zen meditation, which is invaluable for switching off my pesky, overthinking mind, and I crochet. I just whipped up a pair of chunky legwarmers for the cold weather. Actually, crochet is almost another form of meditation for me since I kind of get in a groove and relax when I’m really into it. I’m also a lapsed yogini, a foodie, and a pretty decent amateur cook.
What advice would you like to give to those who want to start ballet or have just started?
You are on the steepest part of the learning curve! Seriously, from my first ballet class to my second, I felt like I improved by 75%. Also, talk to everyone in your class. No one feels like a beautiful graceful butterfly in beginning adult ballet. Heck, I seem like one of the “cool kids” since I’ve been at it for a few months, but I actually fell on my bum in one of my first classes. I rolled my ankle during a sauté arabesque and almost took out the two people on either side of me. The following week a bunch of people asked if my ankle was okay, which was sweet but mortifying.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Live pianists are the best. Recently, the guy who accompanies my Sunday class threw in this deep, dark, dramatic piece during barre, and it was awesome. It’s also infuriating because I know I know the piece and for the life of me I can’t put my finger on which one it was. Should have asked. But seriously, thank your accompanist if you’re lucky enough to have one.
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