I have a bit of a "fixer" personality: when I see something wrong I get an urge to fix it. This seemed like something that needed to be fixed so I tried to find an instructor who wanted to teach an adult pointe class and a ballet school to host it. At one point I thought I was close to making it happen, but after six months I gave up. You can follow that saga by reading my postings labeled "adult pointe class".
Yesterday morning I learned that The School of The Washington Ballet is hosting an adult pointe class Saturdays, January 25-February 15, 2020 | 2:00-3:15PM at "The Joe" in Northwest Washington DC.
Here's their write-up:
Our new pointe class series, with Amanda Melrose-Smith, is perfect for adults at an advanced beginner/intermediate level of ballet with some experience dancing en pointe. This pointe class will guide students through exercises to continue and progress their pointe work. The majority of each class will be spent at the barre before moving to center work for the last 15-30 minutes of class. Any level student is welcome to take this class. Those without or minimal pointe experience are welcome to join this class in ballet flat shoes to work on strengthening the feet and ankles.
If pointe shoes are to be worn, they must be fully sewn with ribbons and elastic prior to the start of class. For the safety of our adult students, the use of pointe shoes is at the instructor’s discretion.To find the class description and the link to enroll, go to their Adult Programs page, click on "Special Programming" and scroll down to the "Series Classes" section at the bottom.
I have no idea whether this will be repeated, so don't wait. If you're in the DC area and are interested in pointe work, sign up for this class!
I wish I could take credit for this class. I did talk to their director of adult classes about hosting such a class, but after more than two years I suspect it's more a matter of interested students asking for one.
If anyone who reads my blog goes to this class, please let me know what you think and any details you'd like to share.
Man, I wish I was in that area. My area has tons of dance studios (one of which I teach at) but none of them have adult pointe. I have to take Intermediate Ballet at our junior college and do it en pointe, which is okay but not what I would prefer.
ReplyDelete(Oh, uh, I always read your blog but I don't think I've ever commented. Love the content!)
Honestly, I was quite surprised by the availability of these classes. I tried for six months to arrange something like this and most instructors were against it on principle, or didn't want to have to tell an adult that they couldn't take the class if it was unsafe for them.
DeleteBut to your point about the availability of a variety of options in this area, I've been told that by others as well. There seem to be a few places where there are lots of options (NYC, SF, SJ, DC) and many places where you're lucky if you can find one adult class above the basic beginner level. I consider myself fortunate.
That's why I teach pointe classes (pending approval/experience). It's so hard to find one as an adult! I just wish there was one *I* could take myself! *cries in adult dancer*
ReplyDeleteThat's definitely awesome that your area has so many adult levels. I live in Southern California in the desert area and usually if places have adult classes, they're one or two levels. But usually one level. My classes are pretty much a level based on the students, so if I have advanced students, I teach it more advanced but if I only have beginners (like right now), it's more beginner. I teach four classes (junior ballet [ages 8-12], junior lyrical [same], adult ballet, and adult lyrical) and I run them all this way. If I had full classes, I would open up more. There aren't really that many adult dancers in the area besides at the junior college and they just take dance classes there. But I'd love full classes and varied levels!