Ballet in adulthood?

Ballet in adulthood can help keep you supple, your joints in good condition, is a great cardio workout and also combines stretching and toning exercises.
'Many people associate ballet with something you briefly engage in when you’re around five, and believe it just involves lots of spinning around and acting like a fairy. However, when taken on as a serious activity, ballet is a sport that requires strength, stamina and core stability, improving posture, flexibility and helping to achieve that toned flat stomach.

So what fitness benefits will you get from going back to ballet as an adult?

• Strength: Ballet works all the muscle groups from your feet upwards. While strengthening your muscles, it also tones your legs, tummy, back and arms.
• Stamina: Use ballet to increase your cardio stamina. Exercises involving jumps, leaps and runs at a fast pace will get your heart pumping and increase your fitness.
• Core Stability: This is essential for maintaining balance in ballet. Working these core muscles will also help you on your way to a flat tummy.
• Posture: Performing ballet moves requires a pulled-up core, long back, and shoulders held with the lateral muscles engaged: a great foundation for good posture.
• Flexibility: Stretches including pliés, arabesques and grand battements will all help increase your flexibility in a safe environment.

In addition to these physical benefits, ballet also helps stimulate your brain. You'll be learning new techniques, new dances or exercises, testing your memory and concentration to help keep your brain active, and healthy.

More than anything, returning to ballet is fun - a real endorphin-booster to boost your self-confidence and happiness levels to give you a glow of health.

Taking the plunge

So I've gone for it, I've finally had the guts to hand in my notice in my nice safe little job to just teach full time. 

I'm excited. And terrified. But really, it had to be done. I've spend the past 2/3 years working full time as an Account Manager in one county, and rushing over to the other side of another county most evenings and every weekend to teach dance. It's fair to say I'm pretty knackered and the opportunity has arisen for me to give up the guaranteed (but very boring and dull) income and job, and take the plunge into the world of full time dance teaching.

I can't wait, it's all I've ever wanted to do and dance really is my life - it's very rare that a day goes by that I am not either teaching dance classes, attending dance classes or rehearsals so why not make it my primary occupation?

I've spent the last few months building up to this, arranging new classes, speaking with schools, care homes, theatres and gyms to put in place an exciting variety of classes to keep me on my toes and trust me....things are going to be very interesting!

I have 12 and 1/2 working days left in the office, and BOY AM I COUNTING THOSE DOWN! It seems the closer I get the more excited I get. 

The best bit? I've arranged things so I get a huge lie in on Monday mornings. Bliss.

Wish me luck!!

Why should kids dance?

Why should kids dance?

Dance offers many more benefits than you might realise, both when you’re an adult and when you’re a child. As a toddler, dance can begin to introduce you to all sorts of important parts of your development, from your motor skills, co-ordination and balance, to learning to communicate, use your imagination and react to music and rhythms. Learning to move different parts of the body independently in a dance class is hugely beneficial to a child’s physical development and will help their concentration. The most fun part of a dance class as a young child is developing their use of imagination; where else do you have the opportunity to chase butterflies, be a princess, march like a soldier and stomp around like a Gruffalo other than in a dance class? Teaching children to use their imagination and own creativity as a source of inspiration for their activities is precious in a world where technology and video games prevail! 

As Children get a bit older, the classes become a little more structured and energetic. It’s great for them to continue developing the skills they learnt in their ‘baby’ classes and also to increase their physical fitness and learning to listen to the teacher, take instructions and work with other children. They will continue to use their imagination, with even more exciting scenarios and work with props and in larger groups.

The availability of dance classes is abundant and there are all sorts of different types of classes. So the important question is –which class do I chose for my child? It’s a tough call, but consider their other interests and activities. I’d recommend speaking to the teacher to see what these classes entail, get a feel for the person who will be teaching them and find out what kind of learning outcomes the teacher is focussing on to ensure you and your son or daughter are getting the most out of having fun and dancing!

I teach Baby Ballet, Ballet, Disco Babies and Street Dance for a great variety of classes, if you’re interested in finding out more about my classes in Northamptonshire visit www.amieballet.co.uk