🩰 30 year old ballet beginner is violently humbled by FIRST POINTE CLASS ✨ *EMOTIONAL*

Congratulations on beginning your pointe journey! It is a huge right of passage and testament to all your hard work and determination. Beginning as an adult has its challenges in balancing real life responsibilities while balancing training, but it is that resilience, work ethic and passion that will give you longevity in your life in this art form. I am a ballet teacher who teaches pointe and wanted to share an exercise that may be helpful for practice rolling through the shoe when coming down from pointe! You can start in sixth position/parallel and progress by trying from first position, once proper foot alignment is maintained in sixth position: Plie on count 8 1- Releve over the box 2- Release the toes through 3/4 pointe to Demi pointe 3- Let Heels Touch the floor flat 4- Plie Repeat for counts 5-8 and repeat the entire exercise for 4-8 repetitions If you feel like you are slipping out of the box, that may mean that the shoe is still super hard/not broken in and your intrinsic muscles are trying to break down the material in the shoe but can’t yet. So the only two options right now are to feel like your sliding/slipping against the floor or your feet are sliding away from the box from inside of the shoe. Adding theraband exercises focusing on articulating through your Demi pointe might be helpful as you continue to break in your new pointe shoes and your feet get even stronger (you have beautiful flexibility which is half the battle!) Also, there is a great exercise I sometimes use from Lynne Charles (creator of 4Pointe) called “jogging” which helps for building those intrinsic muscles and isolating the Demi pointe to help with a smooth roll down through the shoe :) You can find her on YouTube, but Basically, the exercise goes like this: 7-8: Step up onto pointe or you can plie releve in sixth position +: release the right toes to Demi pointe, keeping both heels high and pressing through your ribbons 1: press the right toes back over the box onto pointe +: release left toes to Demi pointe 2: press left toes over the box Keep repeating 8-16 repetitions. You can progress by doing the exercise one first position, focusing on maintaining foot alignment and turnout :) You are doing amazing. Keep going! The journey is worth it ❤

I used to teach adult beginner violinists. People do not realize how much guts it takes just to attempt something so difficult for the dust time as an adult

Hey! 15 yo dancer here, just wanted to say theres no “right” sewing method for your shoes, because everyone’s feet are different. the way you sewed the 2nd shoe (the one where you could not see the stitch marks on the satin) is the one I personally use. Please don’t get in your head about sewing methods, because everyone is truly so different lol. I got my first pair of pointe shoes at 14 and I already thought I was too late, but seeing you live out you’re dreams despite what other peolle may think is really refreshing. Good luck on your ballet journey en pointe 🩰💖

I went back to ballet recently at age 66. I danced most of my life and a total of about 10 years of ballet between 12-60. I have found that now I am a MUCH better student and, while I haven't gotten my strength back yet, I am confident that it will come because as an older student I know how to work harder and better. ENJOY IT AND KEEP DANCING!!!

Why would anyone discourage any one for trying a form of dance. We don't discourage people from swimming, the gym, taking self defense or creating art... As dance is the number one thing people have said that brings them joy...why aren't more of us doing it? Good Luck and enjoy with all your heart.

dont let anyone say its to late to start. your alive so no reason to not enjoy life and do what you love

Oh, dar’lin never ever give up. I’m a 66 year old former dancer getting back to the barre. If i can do this YOU can do it. There is a world of ballet Moms who would gladly sit with you as you stitch your shoes.

Hey Veronica, you are NOT making a mistake, I promise. I began ballet at 21 and pointe at 23-ish. At 28, I dance in a school and a small contemporary ballet company, performing at least 2 bigger shows a year and several small ones. Eventually pointe kinda clicks; it just starts to feel more normal the stronger you get. At this age I can feel some of the strain on my body, but it's been 100% worth it. Even now though, your struggles are SO RELATABLE. There are days when I ask, "what am I doing?" ..... but you just gotta move on through that. (Btw one of my classmates started pointe in her 50s. Another started in late 20s, and she is legally blind. Both have done their 1st pointe performances within the last year.) Based on your clips of dance in this video, you are clearly a natural at ballet. You absolutely have what it takes. The same passion that has taken you this far in your technique will take you to where you want to go. Ballet is for believers. Keep believing!

You’re gonna look back on this video once you are a pointe-pro and be so happy at how far you have gone. One wonderful determined day at a time! Thank you for sharing the first steps of your journey, it is an inspiration!

I also want to add that your dance journey is yours and that therefore you can‘t disappoint anyone else. For me, your journey and passion are the inspiration I‘m looking for when I‘m watching your videos. I don‘t need you to arrive at a certain place. That said, congratulations to the beginning of your pointe journey! That‘s an amazing milestone!

Okay technique compliments.. Girlll you’re right over your box, and your balance?! So incredible!! And those shoes are breaking in just the right spot for you. I love the euro stretch. Ah. I’m so excited lol

"Bad Ballet Days" are the absolute WORST. I think everyone gets them too - from young and old beginners all the way up to us professionals. All it takes is a day where maybe you didn't get enough sleep, or enough good food, or maybe your body decides that your period is gonna be extra painful, or to just stop doing what felt great yesterday for no discernable reason at all. Our bodies are not machines that can perform at 100% all the time, and I've found that ballet takes a bigger physical toll the more advanced you become. I hope you keep fighting through all the difficulties on this path you've chosen, because you're such an inspiration to me; you remind me why I dance and why its been worth all the trials.

I am also a beginner ballerina at 30, and it's hard for me to not compare myself to you flexibility wise! In your footage, you are usually the most obviously flexible person in the shot, getting your leg significantly higher and straighter than others. I wish I was starting with this skill already brought to the table, as you have. I feel like not only am I starting as a new dancer but I ALSO have this other massive hurdle to overcome - the flexibility issue. And it really, really has an effect on the aesthetics of dancing and the poses. You are a beautiful dancer and I would never clock you as a beginner. You really seem like a natural.

I'm 57 and I'm thinking about starting ballet again. I don't care what people think and neither should you. Do what you want. It's your life, not their's!❤

I am not at all a ballet dancer, but rather, a classical singer. As someone who has taught skills to older people (though the muscles and physicality involved are very different), that imposter syndrome hits everyone hard. You are Doing The Thing, and that is awesome. And being gentle on yourself is going to serve you so much more than you (or anyone on the internet) giving you a hard time. You've got this.

I am not a dancer, but I am a middle aged woman who started playing roller derby at 50. I can relate to the "struggle" ... I wish you greatness, and I believe in you. <3 Congratulations for having the courage to follow your dreams.

People who are sending all of those hate messages are insane, my God! 🙄

You are absolutely right about one thing, you’re not the person or dancer we all think you are.. you’re much more! 🩰🫶

As a former ballet teacher, I want to offer you a little bit of advise and encouragement. First of all, you did so well in your first class! And don’t be so hard on yourself! Everyone grips onto the bar at first, but give it a consistent month and you’ll be surprised at the difference! As for the difficulty of rolling through your feet, maybe check with your teacher about how/if your shoes need to be broken in. Just keep up with ankle exercises, rolling out your muscles and icing your feet! As for the toll on your body and mind, I recommend looking into some vitamin options? Definitely collagen can help with muscle stability and ginkgo can help with your mind or magnesium to help with sleep? Obviously do your own research on all that to decide what will work best for you 😊

In my 70s and very happy for you. You are a dancer and can only grow better each day. You don’t have to become professional, just dance your heart out because you want to.