Ballet - One year later...

Ballet has been good. I am taking three classes a week, and enjoying every class. Best of all - I know most of the steps because I've been taking it longer than the rest of the Grade 5 girls. It feels good to know stuff - to be ahead =)

The only thing that I really have to work on is my flexibility.

This is what I can do:
- I can touch my toes (when doing the curl down, or sitting down and touching toes)
- I can do my splits (right left) (it's not perfect as I am still bending my legs slightly)
- I can do my bridges! (when i started ballet, i couldn't do this at all. I attribute this to stronger arm muscles
- I can take my leg in front of me and extend it sideways (need to not bend the supporting leg though)
- I can do my centre split (but need to widen more)
- pirouttes ( i can do it, when i focus on my arm, and spot head) (if i don't ahaha...i just fall!) (but certainly still a WIP)

What I can't do yet:
- I can't do my arabesque with higher legs, and straigther back
- I can't go all the way down, and do my splits as in, it's perfect, no peek holes
- i can't arch as well (i'm still building on this)

Here are more photos of inspiration to me:



(1st left) : this is a real nice pose.. i can't do it 90, but i can do it...45! =)
(2nd photo, middle): I believe this is called ponche? u need tons of poise, strength and control...
(3rd photo, right): This is arabesque with attitude on pointe (you see her, so composed - you have to have a very strong back, strong arches, metatuscle, and flexibility....=) so pretty!)

Meanwhile,
I am still training in soft leather ballet shoes, I prefer this much more than pointe. Somehow, pointe is so painful! It's like your toes are stuck in a mouse trap - and I blister super easily.

My goals:
I aim to be more flexible, train my arches till it's this good!
And I aim to take my Grade 5 exams next year (2007).
I was told that I could go for Intermediate Foundation, but I believe you got to get the basics right before anything else!

Ballet is a beautiful art which encourages you to keep your poise and keep healthy - for those who are adults, and think that it's way to late to do so - try it! It's really really very rewarding...

-jade-