Ok, so, ballet class is over, we’ve done the reverénce and everything, and Smirnoff is like, ‘good work today, next week we need to focus on turns because [the Adult Beginner and a couple other girls he names off] are not strong on turns.’
And then he says to me, “Do one! We have a minute, go to the barre and do a pirouette en dedans.”
So I go over and do one,
Manage not to fall over,
Pretty good pirouette, actually. I am pumped!
Then he says, “ok, now do one on the other side,”
And I’m like, Yes! I am on Fire!
Step to the left and prepare and he says,
“No! You see? You didn’t do the turn. You didn’t turn from the right to the left, you just clomped around. It cannot be! But this is good, this shows me what we need to work on for you and for the others.”
And, omg Gentle Reader, in my head I was like, ‘Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! This doesn’t count! Class was over! I thought you wanted to see the pirouette! I didn’t know you meant the little assemblé turn! I know that turn! I Know That Turn!!!!’
But I didn’t say that.
Because the response, even in my own head, is Well, if you knew the turn, why didn’t you do it?
I mean, even though I’m embarrassed and I don’t want to disappoint him -I mean, the poor bastard knew Stravinsky and now he’s stuck with me- even though all of that, I can see that this is part of the lesson too, and the existentialist in me approves:
In ballet class, I am what I do.
Thoughts are meaningless! Actions are all that matter! Where is my black beret?!
And then he says, “good balance on that pirouette. But you went the wrong way”
And then later, driving home, I’m like, “Oh snap, he said ‘clomped’.”
- got a question? I might answer with a post! adultbeginner@gmail.com
✱ all this and twitter too‽
- @UKBalletGirl I dream of five hours of sleep. 5 days ago
- I love shopping for things in Ballet Pink. 1 week ago
- @CloudandVictory will totes look for Chacott! In the meantime, have ordered a pair of convertible Capezios. 1 week ago
- "You must spend x amount more dollars to qualify for free shipping". Perfect. Pink tights added to cart. 1 week ago
- Need new tights. GRUMPY FACE. 1 week ago
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mushroom mushroom
I realized that when I go home after ballet I always fret doing something wrong in class. An “Oh snap” moment. It seemed to me habit forming. So I try to be more self affirming instead of worrying so much. In the end it is in what one does. Fretting is just unnecessary stress. Good post. It made me laugh.
“In ballet class, I am what I do” May I quote you on my fb?
Like Delaland said up here, I also try not to worry too much during class (which in the beginning was impossible), but I realized that when I just go thinking “whatever, I’m here to learn not to compare myself to others or compete”, the lessons always goes waaaay better.
Also, to smile helps me a lot. I have danced latin and flamenco almost all my life now, and whenever I do that I got this smile on my face- it’s just natural. When I entered ballet class, everybody was SO serious, it was scary. I missed the smiling, so after a time I went and smiled despite all the other serious faces. It works, it makes “not worrying” a lot easier, and classes tend to go very well then.
Yes you may
I love what you’ve said here about smiling!