Adult Ballerina Project: When did you start doing ballet as an adult?

B: I restarted ballet in September 2011 with one class a week to ease back into things, then properly started again in January 2012, so I’ve had just over a year of doing ballet as an adult. I turn 25 this year so it’s actually only been about a 5 year gap between stopping and starting.

B: I actually spent all of my teenage years dancing. I started at 10 with ballet and then added jazz the following year. I tried Irish for a couple of years, along with rhythmic gymnastics, but it wasn’t until I was at university that I discovered contemporary dancing and started to combine that with my ballet. I did ballet until I was 18 or 19 (my last year of uni), the only reason I stopped was in anticipation of moving to a new city and because my body wasn’t physically coping with dance on top of everything else I was doing.  I did my grades through to Intermediate Vocational Level in the British Ballet Organisation, which is equivalent to about grade 7 but with pointe.

B: I’m a middle school teacher, and in 2011 when I started teaching I started up a dance group for my students at school. Watching my students get excited about dance reminded me of how much I loved it and I decided it was high time I went back. I’m not so into the performance side, so I decided to go back and work towards my ballet teaching qualifications instead. Of course I still take regular classes to help refine and maintain my technique while I study for my exams.

B: I currently take three advanced level ballet classes at a studio in my home city Wellington, New Zealand, one of which is advanced pointe. It’s a pretty great little place, nothing fancy but with seriously awesome teachers. In New Zealand all ballet classes are taught within an exam-based syllabus – usually British. The one I take classes in (and always have) is BBO or British Ballet Organisation. They’re not as well known as say RAD but I really love the challenging nature of the choreography and the emphasis on developing dance quality and musicality.

B: I love everything we do at the barre. It’s absolutely my favourite part of class. I also love port de bra – it along with epaulment is probably the part of dance that comes most naturally to me. I’m a big fan of anything in ¾ time too, so waltz enchainments have always been a favourite of mine. I’m learning to really love turning en pointe too.

B: Batterie and petit allegro – I’m not a natural jumper and I find anything that beats requires so much concentration. Pirouettes from 5th is another thing I’m really not a fan of.

B: Hmmm… that’s a tricky one. I really love the Royal New Zealand Ballet and there are a couple of dancers in particular I enjoy watching. I guess my teacher also inspires me in terms of my teaching study since she is such a fantastic teacher.

B: The little successes and the ultimate goal of sitting my teaching exams. I had a whole term out this year on crutches and in a moonboot due to a misdiagnosis, and coming back in to dance in the last term of the year has been all about the little things. When I restarted ballet back in 2011 I launched back into advanced level classes and coped fine but also took my body for granted. When you’re coming back to dance after an injury and find you have to work hard just to releve, it changes your perspective and you appreciate the little successes even more.

B: As much as I love classical ballet, my biggest love is actually contemporary ballet – I love the fluidity of it. I also take an advanced contemporary class at the same studio – I really do think it is a great compliment to ballet as it teaches you so much about being grounded in your body. I also teach a lot of creative movement and intro jazz and contemporary classes at the middle school I teach at (though it’s not the main aspect of my job).

B: I love creating things, enjoy writing and love literature. My partner and I both have a strong interest in living a simpler, more sustainable and down to earth life.

B: Go for it. Yes it can be very frustrating I won’t lie, but it challenges you to think about yourself and experience  movement in such a profoundly different way.