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Here is the lovely @londonballetaddict sharing her questions and answers.
She also has an incredibly encouraging page @balletover40 that encourages even myself and I’m in my late 20’s!
I loved reading this and thank Maria so much for sharing such a wonderful part of her ballerina self.
Enjoy reading fellow dancers and dance lovers.
1. Please tell us briefly about yourself.
My name is Maria Antoinetta and I am of Italian descent. I was born in Glasgow and now live in London. I am an Arts graduate and work part time for Historic Royal Palaces.
2. What is it like doing ballet in your country?
In London we are very lucky to have a wide choice of adult ballet classes and courses for all levels. There are workshops, intensives, retreats and even amateur performance groups that you can join. So many adults of all ages are taking up ballet that it is now no longer viewed as particularly unusual.
3. How did you become interested in ballet?
I attended ballet classes as a child for about a year and a half before giving it up for horse riding lessons. As an adult I enjoyed going to the ballet and seeing Scottish Ballet perform in my home city before moving to London and having the opportunity to watch The Royal Ballet and many other companies perform. In my forties I stumbled across an adult ballet community on Twitter and became inspired to have a go myself! I browsed online and decided to book a class at The London Russian Ballet School as I quite fancied the idea of studying Russian ballet.
4. How do you feel you can use ballet to inspire people?
After joining Instagram last year I discovered that I really enjoyed posting and interacting with other adult ballet dancers especially older ones like myself. This gave me the idea to create the @balletover40 account with the intention of offering a platform for us to connect, interact, support and inspire each other. It’s early days but the site is slowly growing and I am trying to encourage more people to become actively involved. I have lots of exciting plans for the page so stay tuned!
5. How do you keep yourself motivated when situations or people get you down?
When things go badly I try to reflect on how much I have learned and how far I have come. Ballet is a very difficult art to master and when I moved into the intermediate class I struggled to keep up with the more experienced dancers. I look back and remember teaching myself the difference between en dehors and en dedans pirouettes in my kitchen and I still feel amazed that I am now turning en pointe!
6. What tips can you give to people doing ballet or wanting to start ballet/dancing?
I would say to anyone doing or taking up ballet...concentrate and focus on yourself. Do not get caught up in what everyone else is doing. We all learn in different ways and at a different pace. Everyone in the class will be too busy working out the combinations to notice what you are doing. Also don’t make excuses for not getting to class. Everyone deserves time for themselves so be a little selfish with your ballet time!
7. Who do you look up to and why?
I look up to my former Russian ballet master. He recently returned home after teaching me since I moved up from the beginners’ class. He’s an Honoured Artist of Russia, a Vaganova graduate & pas de deux repetiteur. Dancing from the age of six and now in his seventies he has been my ballet inspiration, my motivation and the most wonderful teacher any student could hope to have.
8. What do you wish you were given as advice when you started dancing?
When I started dancing I wish someone had told me to be less self conscious in class and to not be afraid of expressing myself. Dance is a creative process in which we must utilise our emotions & experiences and share them with others.
Edit * @balletover40 is currently on a summer break but hopes to be up & running again soon! *
Let us know what you think and how this has inspired you by blog comment or by email on: dancegrace2@gmail.com. Get in touch as well if you would like to be featured or know of someone you would like to see featured.
Love to all xx
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