Ballet Dancers - Should I feel embarrassed?

by Alejandra RL
(West Chester, PA, USA)

Ballet Dancers - Should I feel embarrassed?

Hi! my name is Alejandra and I am from Mexico.

When I was 3 years old my mom didn't have much time to take care of me because she was working all the time and my sister was in school, so she sent me to a ballet school even if I was really young. It was the best thing that could ever happen to me.

I danced ballet until I was 15 because my mom saw how much I liked it and she didn't want me to choose ballet as a career so she made me quit I even started working and told her that I would pay for my classes but she just didn't let me do it. I always wanted to go back but never had the chance because of my moms opinion.

I moved to the US a few months ago and now I am 20 years old and in college studying marketing which is fine I don't hate it but now that my mom doesn't live here with me I want to go back to ballet but I feel embarassed because it has being so long. I know that I can't pick dancing as a career now because it is too late but I still love it so I would love to do it just because of that, because I love ballet. The thing is I am so scare to go to a dance studio and be like hi I would like to do ballet again and they are going to laugh because I am 20 years old.

What do you recommend me to do??

Is there any way I can get the same flexibility and talent I had?

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Reply by Odette
To: - Ballet Dancers - Should I feel embarrassed?

Hello Alejandra RL,
Thank you so much for taking the time to message me, it is really great to hear a little bit about yourself. You absolutely have no need to feel embarrassed about getting back into ballet, in fact I encourage you so much to follow your instincts and go for it. There is no reason to hold back and not do what you are burning to have a go at, so what's stopping you?

I know, it is mind over matter. You are smart enough to realise that as a career, it wouldn't prove so easy to get back into ballet now. BUT it is still worth getting back into those classes, finding your dancing groove again and bringing back your passion for ballet. You really never know who it will enable you to meet and what opportunities it could bring, not to mention how it will make you feel!!

I say, stop listening to those hardening thoughts that are holding you back. Don't get worried into all the little things that could happen, because in the big picture they won't even matter. If you want to do this, then trust yourself.

You are old enough now to follow what YOU want. Take charge. I suggest researching a selection of ballet schools online/ by ringing/ visiting and see which one you get the best feel from.

You have studied ballet for a decent amount if time when you were younger, so give the school a taster of your background too and an idea of what you want from the classes.

With a matter of time, and you have to be very patient here, you can get ballet back into your body and relive how happy it made you feel like when you were younger.

Any thoughts now? Keep in touch! Mainly, have confidence in yourself and only follow those thoughts in your mind that are encouraging and positive!

I like to say, take one step at a time - but keep on stepping!

Best wishes,
Odette