Amanda has been taking class with us since 2019 and always brightens up the studio with her beautiful smile and positive energy. Returning to ballet as an adult can be daunting, and she lets us in on how she managed it with such grace and aplomb.
Q: How long has it been since you started your ballet journey?
A: After training in Ballet for about three years until I was six, my mum said I’d make a fuss about going for class after my ballet teacher left, so I quit. That’s been a big regret.
You’ll never guess that my teacher was also called Alison and I recently also found out that Alison (Carroll) is my dance senior from school! What a pleasant coincidence.
My first class at BalletBody was actually with Lisha in 2019 and I remember thinking it would be a quick refresher since I’ve had some basic training before, but I left humbled (with a lot of aches) and knew I had a lot to work on. It’s been 4 years and I think I can see some improvement. I’m really glad that BalletBody exists and I look forward to every class.
Q: What made you want to restart ballet as an adult?
A: Since I quit Ballet I’ve trained in Chinese and Contemporary dance in school, and didn’t return to ballet feeling it was too late because of the perception I had that you have to be “that good” by a certain age. That’s when I found BalletBody and realised that everyone’s progress can and will be different and I shouldn’t practice ballet for someone else. Right now I’m committed to ballet on my own terms (also because I’m the one paying for lessons now haha) and, ironically, I fuss over missing a class.
Q: Any ballet goals for the rest of the year?
A: To find the confidence and build on my technique to progress to the Advanced (Classical Ballet) class one day.
I want to work on holding my arms properly and overall coordination to fully enjoy the choreography. The tips from every instructor each session have been helpful and I constantly try to work on them at home. My husband would often enter the room to me practicing and try to mimic me. My other goal is to bring him along for class one day!
Thank you for dancing with us Amanda!
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