Easing back into class

Infection rates in this county have dropped dramatically, and a friend and I decided to meet at a local pub for an early dinner. She had previous commitments later in the evening, and seeing as how the pub was just down the street from the ballet studio I decided it was time to go back to class.

I'd lost track of time, as often happens when you're enjoying a conversation, and barely made it to the desk by the time the class was scheduled to start. When I went to check in, the staffer seemed confused. "Did you just register?" she asked. "Yup, about 3 minutes ago" I replied. 

I rushed into the studio, dug my slippers, water bottle, and towel out of my bag, and changed out of my street clothes. Normally we have a live pianist, but he was late arriving. The delay getting recorded music started in his absence meant that I missed only a small part of the first barre exercise.

Unsurprisingly, after a month away from class my joints have stiffened up a bit but not too badly. I also tire more rapidly than I did a month ago, which mostly affects my ability to absorb the ever-changing sequence of steps. Even so, finding myself pushed to the front row for the centre exercises, I think I acquitted myself reasonably well. Perhaps I've advanced enough that I'm able to think less about the basics, leaving more mental bandwidth to deal with the sequence of actions.

In my last post I wondered how my new focus on keeping my standing leg fully extended would affect my turns. For better or worse, I think I'm still in the same state I was then. Even when tired my legs feel better supported (no feeling of collapsing), but the change is throwing my off balance. I'm sure that can be corrected, but it will take some time (and more than one class after a month away!).