Thinking of Taking up Ballet

[summerdays]

I'm another who does pilates, I've been doing it for about 6 months now. There is a bloke who does it occasionally at the class I go to.

 

[Octet]

After staring at the email send button for a few minutes I've sent a message to a school where I am at the moment. Hopefully they can asses me and give me the very basics before I leave.

I'll also look around for Pilate classes, see what there is locally.

 

[Ganymede]

After staring at the email send button for a few minutes I've sent a message to a school where I am at the moment. Hopefully they can asses me and give me the very basics before I leave.

I'll also look around for Pilate classes, see what there is locally.

The thing that really jumps out at me from your original post is

"I find the concept of ballet something to be captivating"

This is a really strong statement and an unusually strong and specific word to use - I think this shows you should go for it unreservedly and find your inner Acosta. Dance is wonderful.

 

[annedonnelly]

I think that Pilates would probably help the ballet. Pilates is about building core strength and I'd imagine you'd need that for ballet.

You can get little reminder programs for the PC to tell you when to take a break from the computer. You could use one to remind yourself to sit properly. Obviously the problem isn't that you can't sit properly - you just get absorbed in what you are doing and forget. Sitting on the exercse ball is also a good idea. I had one for a few years when I was working from home.

 

[Joshua Plumtree]

A few weeks ago, some bloke on Radio 2 said that we should all work standing up and that offices etc should be adapted for this purpose.

Perhaps you should recommend this option to your boss. I'm sure it would make you Mr Popular!

 

[Globalti]

When I used to rock climb I always thought it would be good to see a dancer climbing - they should have natural poise and muscle tone, which should make them natural climbers.

Anything that exercises and tones the muscles as a whole has to be good - ballet, pilates, yoga, climbing, even cycling is good for back strength and overall tone.

 

[Octet]

A few weeks ago, some bloke on Radio 2 said that we should all work standing up and that offices etc should be adapted for this purpose.

Perhaps you should recommend this option to your boss. I'm sure it would make you Mr Popular!

Funnily enough we did have this discussion, we declared it to be more of a pain in the **** then sitting.
When I worked behind a till, after a couple of hours I was in very bad pain because of my back, so I don't think standing and working would be such a good idea for me.

 

[tyred]

Go for it. Taking dance lessons was the best thing I ever did.

Unlike the OP, I was never particularly captivated by dance in any form but got reluctantly dragged along to a Salsa lesson by a female friend with the attitude "well at least I'll have showed her I tried" but loved it from the very start and the benefits of improved fitness and flexibility, improved balance and in my case improved social confidence which was something I always struggled with. BIzarrely, it improved my cycling as I know have a much stronger core and it's easy-peasy to climb out of the saddle.

I'd image ballet is much more challenging physically than any of the Latin dances I am learning but you will start of with very easy stuff and progress. The one tip I would give anyone wanting to learn to dance no matter what discipline is to listen to lots and lots of music, absorb it and breathe it. It will pay off.

If you think cycling is bad, wait until you find yourself trying to justify the cost of a pair of good dance shoes

 

[Ganymede]

Go for it. Taking dance lessons was the best thing I ever did.

Unlike the OP, I was never particularly captivated by dance in any form but got reluctantly dragged along to a Salsa lesson by a female friend with the attitude "well at least I'll have showed her I tried" but loved it from the very start and the benefits of improved fitness and flexibility, improved balance and in my case improved social confidence which was something I always struggled with. BIzarrely, it improved my cycling as I know have a much stronger core and it's easy-peasy to climb out of the saddle.

I'd image ballet is much more challenging physically than any of the Latin dances I am learning but you will start of with very easy stuff and progress. The one tip I would give anyone wanting to learn to dance no matter what discipline is to listen to lots and lots of music, absorb it and breathe it. It will pay off.

If you think cycling is bad, wait until you find yourself trying to justify the cost of a pair of good dance shoes

Great post, @tyred!

 

[Globalti]

You won't need to buy the tights stuffing thingy, just use a pair of socks until you're sure you're committed.

 

[Over The Hill]

I find the problem with my chair at work is that I start off straight backed.... and as the day goes on I end up sliding down it without noticing, by the time lunch comes I think to myself... how the hell did I end up this slouched?

So what exactly are pilates? (Is it pronounced pie-lates), from a quick google image search it looks like some sort of yoga?

Chair
That is what I did and it tends to then curve your lower back.
You need to get away from the sloping back and legs out pose. Taking the arms off the chair helps too. I find that if I have the seat tipped a bit so it is slightly low at the front then a) you can't slouch as you just slide off and b) you sit with legs under the chair and you back upright. Like this it is a bit like sitting on a bar stool and back is self supporting. In a way it is like those funny chairs but you then can sit back as normal now and again. I also make sure I get up and move about often.

Pilates
Covered by others already. Yes a bit like Yoga. Yoga is mainly about bending but Pilates has some of this but also concentrates on your core strength. Lots of abs work, back work along with general toning work. This seems to help backs as it builds the muscles in your core all around the back and these muscles then support you better so help the back. If back issues are muscular then it builds them, if it is in your spine then the stronger muscles take over and support the spine. With a weak core we tend to flop about and damage our back but with strength there it is all more controlled.
There are (like yoga) lots of versions, some with gym equipment but mainly classes are just on mats.

Good luck with it all.

 

[Mark1978]

From personal experience, one thing to be extremely wary of is moving close to Wisbech.

 

[stephec]

From personal experience, one thing to be extremely wary of is moving close to Wisbech.

Having stayed in a few hotels, and tried to find a decent restaurant in the town centre, I'd have to agree.

 

[Crackle]

Go for it Octet. Anything that works your core will help. Climbing, yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, atchee, ballet etc....

Found you a nice little number on the internet too

 

[Octet]

From personal experience, one thing to be extremely wary of is moving close to Wisbech.

In what respect?