I'm back at it!
How I survived my first class back in almost six years!!
I haven't taken class since 2019, ballet friend.
I tried barre about six months after my bike accident, and went a wee bit overboard...the penché didn't look too shabby, but my unprepared muscles and joints had a different opinion! A few health complications later, and suddenly it’d been more than five years since I'd danced a class just for me.
Teaching online has been more more accessible for life with a fainting disorder, and seeing my students' hard work on body awareness and movement skills blossom into freer dancing is wonderful, but I've been missing my own self expression of moving to music. So, when an opportunity to try out two wheelchair dance classes came up, I jumped (or rolled?) right on it.
I used to train and dance 30 hours a week. I'd spend hours in my pointe shoes, and sometimes felt like I lived backstage. I had plenty of tricks up my sleeve to support myself in all that dancing, and you'd better believe I used every one of them to have a great first (and second!) class back.
Here’s how I made a safe and fun return to ballet:
1. Relative rest -- despite missing out on class for YEARS due to illness and injury, I've been working hard in the areas my body can tolerate. I actually surprised myself with the improvements I've made in my core strength! The practice I'd done, even if it was only five minutes some days, meant my brain was ready to talk to my muscles, and my body awareness helped me stay within my limits and maintain good technique.
When I coach injured dancers through relative rest and modified class, they always come back stronger than before they were injured, but it was super cool and fun to feel it in my own body after a longer time away!
2. I used my warmup as me time -- That old gremlin of comparison was ready to jump in at a moment's notice. How would I measure up to the other dancers? Would I be able to access the technique I had so lovingly honed years before? How ridiculous would I look if I had to adapt the class significantly so I could still participate?
Warming up mindfully helped me focus on my needs and dialled up my body awareness, so that whenever I drifted toward self judgement in class, it was easy to switch right back to the physical sensations of movement, and how I wanted to fine tune them to keep expanding my technique and artistry.
3. I took my efforts seriously -- If you're passionate about your dancing, you should honour your hard work, and support yourself to get the full benefits from your training. For me, that meant making intentional choices about the volume and type of dance conditioning I did, prioritizing sleep, and eating and hydrating really well.
Yes, I did get up at 6:40 am for the sole purpose of downing a homemade electrolyte smoothie before my Zoom class in a different time zone. ⏰ 🍹 💪
4. I got personalized advice -- A few years ago, I got some customized advice on how to train and nourish my unique body. It was life changing, and for dancers who are looking to perform their very best at whatever level they're at, I'd highly recommend seeking one-on-one advice with any experts you have access to.
That could include nutrition guidance from a regulated health professional, seeing a ballet-aware physio, or booking some time with a dance teacher who has specific education in the areas you'd like to focus on (That might be me! Book a free Zoom call if you’d like a hand).
5. I let go of where I thought I should be -- Instead, I focused on a meaningful and achievable goal for each class, and got instant enjoyment from my work. You get to pick what’s meaningful on your dance journey. That’s what matters most 😊
I had so much fun dancing and learning repertoire again. It really drove home the power of being prepared, respecting your limits, and working wisely.
It also gave me some fantastic inspiration for teaching challenging dancing with an artistic focus. Stay tuned for a pop-up ballet class on Saturday, August 2!
Take extra good care and have fun out there,
Natasha