Ballet
About Adult Ballet
Ballet? For Adults? What’s that?
Remember those long ago days when you wore your tights and tutus on Saturday mornings, pirouetting around your local ballet studio, and dreaming of center stage? The years of sweat and practice and starvation, only to be told sorry, but you’re never going to have the correct body type for ballet?
This isn’t that class.
This is a class for real women of any age or body type, who want the strength and grace and balance that ballet gives you without the stress of impossible expectations. It is designed for the absolute beginner, and aims to improve posture and carriage and flexibility while progressing at the speed dictated by the needs of the group. You will learn the basic positions and movements of ballet and have a traditionally structured dance class, while not being held to a strict classical syllabus.
Ballet has serious benefits for youth and adults, including muscle toning, posture improvements, flexing brain power, music studies and creativity. Balletomanehk writes an interesting article outlining these benefits here on HubPages. Go on, read it.
What to Expect
Each class will begin with a customized warm up to get the body ready for ballet movement. Barre work will start the core of the class and will progress into center work focusing on the basics such as posture, arm and feet positions and balance. There will not be a choreography taught for the beginner level classes, however if time permits short combinations may be taught to ingrain the vocabulary of the class in the body.
What to Wear & Bring
Students will need close fitting, comfortable exercise wear that will not restrict movement – leggings and a tank top will work well. Traditional Ballet class attire (bodysuit and tights) are not required, though if students prefer to wear this, it is fine. Hair needs to be off the neck, either in a pony tail or a bun.
Students will need ballet slippers. If you do not have a pair already do not purchase them ahead of time as proper sizing and styles will be discussed during the first day – - socks will suffice for this first class. Students should be prepared to have a pair for class 2. Color of attire and slippers is unimportant.
Please see our list of classes below to read class descriptions and class offerings. Please note that not all of these classes are offered each semester.
Ballet Classes
Ballet: Beginner Term 1
An Introduction to Adult Ballet - for Beginners!Beginner is the first level in the curriculum, and it is recommended for adults new to this style of dance. Students in this class will remain together and progress each term as a group. Ballet is recommended to take with other styles of dance to gain posture and fundamental dance technique. Based in the Cecchetti Method, this customized class is adapted for learners who are beyond the average age of ballet - adults. Students will progress through the foot positions, arm postures (portes de bras), and basic dance movements and traveling patterns, through a classical dance class format. Each class will begin with a light warm up to loosen muscles and joints, followed by barre work to engage muscles and increase posture and stance for ballet, and progress through to center work. The cost of this course will be $416.00, payable in four installments on September 17, November 12, February 4 and April 1. Classes will run from September 10, 2012 to May 12, 2013.
Class Length: Varies each term. Typically 60 minutes weekly. Skill Level: Beginner. No previous experience necessary. Please Wear: Form-fitting pants and top that will not restrict movement (ie; leggings/tights and a tank top). Hair up off the neck (ponytail/bun). Ballet slippers (canvas or leather, full or split sole, any color). Please Bring: A water bottle & notebook is advised.
Ballet: Beginner Term 2
An Introduction to Adult Ballet - Year 1, Part 2 Beginner Term 2 is the continuation of exercises learned in Term 1. This class is not for new students; if you would like to take Adult Ballet for the first time, please register for the Beginners Term 1 class instead. For a full class description, please see Beginners Ballet - Term 1.Ballet: Beginner Term 3
An Introduction to Adult Ballet - Year 1, Part 3 Beginner Term 3 is the continuation of exercises learned in Term 2. If you have taken Beginner Term 2 in the last year you may join in Beginner Term 3 now. If you have taken more than a years time off, we suggest that you re-take Beginner Term 2 prior to taking this course. This class is not for new students; if you would like to take Adult Ballet for the first time, please register for the Beginner Term 1 class instead. For a full class description, please see Beginner Ballet - Term 1.Ballet: Intermediate
A Continuation of Adult Ballet - Year 2Intermediates is the second level in the curriculum, and it is recommended for adults who have some experience in this style of dance. Any student who has finished Beginners Term 2 or Beginners Term 3 in the previous calendar year, as well as instructor permission, may join. Students in this class will remain together and progress each term as a group. Ballet is recommended to take with other styles of dance to gain posture and fundamental dance technique. Intermediates is a continuation of the movements and techniques learned in Beginners. Each class will begin with a light warm up to loosen muscles and joints, followed by barre work to engage muscles and increase posture and stance for ballet, and progress through to center work and enchainements. The cost of this course will be $416.00, payable in four installments on September 24, November 19, January 14 and March 11. Classes will run from September 10, 2012 to May 12, 2013.
Class Length: Varies each term. Typically 60 minutes weekly. Skill Level: Intermediate. You must have taken Beginners Term 2 or Beginners Term 3 with Wild Lily in the the previous calendar year. Please Wear: Form-fitting pants and top that will not restrict movement (ie; leggings/tights and a tank top). Hair up off the neck (ponytail/bun). Ballet slippers (canvas or leather, full or split sole, any color). Please Bring: A water bottle & notebook is advised.
Ballet Experienced
A Continuation of Adult Ballet - Year 3Experienced is the third level in the curriculum, and it is recommended for adults who have some experience to this style of dance. Any student who has finished Intermediates Term 2 or Term 3 in the previous calendar year, and permission of the instructor, may join. Students in this class will remain together and progress each term as a group. Ballet is recommended to take with other styles of dance to gain posture and fundamental dance technique. Experienced is a continuation of the movements and techniques learned in Intermediates. This is an 8 week class for Spring/Summer 2013 (continuation of Spring 2013 class)
Class Length: Varies each term. Typically 60 minutes weekly. Skill Level: Experienced. You must have taken Intermediate classes with Wild Lily in the the previous calendar year. Please Wear: Form-fitting pants and top that will not restrict movement (ie; leggings/tights and a tank top). Hair up off the neck (ponytail/bun). Ballet slippers (canvas or leather, full or split sole, any color). Please Bring: A water bottle & notebook is advised.