Class Guide

Welcome to Ballet-Based Fitness!  This class uses floor exercises, traditional basic ballet barre combinations and simple center (off the barre) work to help you tone muscles, increase flexibility, improve balance, promote coordination, and strengthen memory and concentration.

My goal is to challenge you enough that you are not bored, but not so much that you are frustrated and confused.  You are encouraged to work within your natural abilities and comfort level.  

Health & Safety Guidance

Physical & Mental Health and Safety:

  • MDAE follows the California Department of Public Health guidance on COVID-19 Isolation, which can be found at this link.

    Class attendees who feel ill or who are not yet fully-recovered from a respiratory infection are asked to stay home until they are well.  Thank you for helping to keep your fellow students healthy.

  • Class attendees will be asked to complete a liability waiver, on their first day of class.  Waivers are available in class, or you may download it here (WAIVER DOWNLOAD), complete it ahead of time, and bring it to class with you.

  • Ballet is a physically demanding art form.  Though this class is designed to minimize your risk of physical injury, there may be elements of the class that are not suited to your body or your current abilities.  You should always listen to what your body is telling you.  Skip or modify anything that you do not think you can safely or comfortably manage.

  • Ballet is a mentally engaging art form that will challenge your attention and concentration in a good way.  Always be kind to yourself; give yourself credit for trying, even if you botch something.  Do not beat yourself up over mistakes; we all make them.  Ballet requires a continual learning process, so be proud of what you can accomplish right now and look forward to improving gradually over time.

  • Dress in layers during cold seasons; keeping your muscles warm helps avoid injuries.  When the weather is cold outside, bundle up before leaving class.

  • In warm weather, feel free to bring a hand-fan to cool off during class.  Never push yourself too hard if you are feeling overheated.  Dress in looser, breathable clothing, to prevent overheating.

  • Bring hydration to class in a non-spillable container.  Please wipe up any condensation that forms on the floor.

  • If you’re running late, please feel free to come to class anyway.  I will strive to regularly start class on time, at 7:00 PM.  Late-comers may slip in, as they arrive; be sure to take a few minutes to gently stretch and warm up your joints, at the side of the room, before jumping into class.

  • During months when it is dark outside, walk to your car with a buddy.

  • Don’t leave items visible in your car, while you’re in class.

Gear Guidance

Clothing:

  • Wear whatever exercise clothing you have that is comfortable and easy to move in.  Your attire should give you freedom of movement and adequate coverage when bending and stretching.

  • Be conscious of the weather. For colder days, bring things to keep you warm, such as leggings, sweat-pants, leg-warmers, shrugs, sweaters, puffy vests, a thin scarf, etc. For hotter days, wear looser, breathable clothing.

Shoes:

  • In general, any form-fitting, flexible dance shoe, with a non-sticky sole, will work fine for this class.  Socks may be worn for the first few classes. (Please no bare feet, pointe shoes, or socks with sticky pads on the bottom.) Some shoe alternatives you may want to consider are: 

Traditional Ballet Slippers:  Upper is leather, non-stretch canvas or stretch-canvas.  Sole is leather and may be split-sole or full-sole.  The type you pick is according to your personal preference.  Colors are usually pink, white, black or tan.  Most come with elastics already sewn in. Cost ranges from $15 - $45, depending on brand and style.


Jazz Shoes:  Upper is leather, and may have elastic gussets (for slip-ons) or laces over the instep.  Sole is leather or neoprene and may be split-sole or full-sole.  These shoes have a small (~ ¼”) heel, which can help provide stability or heel-relief if you have tight achilles tendons or plantar fasciitis.  Colors are usually tan or black. Cost ranges from $25 - $50, depending on brand and style.

Dance Sneakers:  Upper is canvas.  Sole is smooth rubber and usually split-sole. These shoes provide less flexibility than a standard ballet slipper, but they have more overall cushioning and support, especially in the arch.  They can be good for those with more serious foot, ankle or knee problems.  Colors vary, but many come in solid black.  Cost ranges from $35 - $70, depending on brand and style.


Irish Ghillies:  Upper is leather.  Sole is leather and full-sole.  These shoes are not traditional for ballet, but if you happen to do Highland dancing and you already have a pair, they will do just fine for this class. Colors are usually black or tan.  Cost ranges from $50 - $100, depending on brand and style.

  • Until you know the brand and size you like, go to a dancewear store to purchase your shoes is (see the “Resources” section, below).  The shop associates will help you try on several pairs to find the correct size for your feet.  Dance shoe brands vary in sizing; the size that fits you will not match your street-shoe size.

  • Get shoes that are comfortable on your feet, and that stay on securely without slipping off or twisting as you move in them.  Your shoes should fit snugly, but not too tightly.  Your toes should not feel cramped, especially when you stand on the balls of your feet.

  • Ballet slippers do not come in left/right configurations; both slippers in the pair are identical.  You can either rotate the shoes to keep them uniform, or you can wear each shoe consistently on the same foot so they mold to your feet. Since the slippers don't come in left/right configurations, this also means that, if your feet are two different sizes (many people's are), you can buy two pair of slippers -- one in each of the different sizes -- giving you two pair with the appropriate size for each foot.

  • Leather shoes will have a little more grip on the floor; canvas shoes will be a little more “slidey.”  Leather shoes stretch somewhat over time.  Non-stretch canvas shoes will not stretch at all.  Stretch-canvas shoes will stretch while on your foot and “spring back” when you take them off, however they may lose their “spring back” over time.  Full-soles will give your foot more of a work-out; split-soles will conform more to your arch and give your foot a little more freedom of movement.

  • Canvas ballet slippers may be washed in the washer, and allowed to air dry.  Leather ballet slippers cannot be washed in the washer but they can be wiped down with a damp cloth and a little detergent.

  • Though it is not necessary, wearing tights, thin socks or nylon peds inside your shoes will help keep them drier and prevent the inside from becoming grubby or smelly.  (If you plan to wear thin socks with your shoes, take them with you for your shoe fitting.)  After class, set your shoes out to air dry.

  • If you have heel pain, it is possible to wear heel-inserts (e.g. Dr. Scholl's Comfort Heel Cushions) inside your ballet shoes.

Hair:

  • If you have long hair, plan to use a bun, pony-tail, braids, hair band or head-scarf to keep it from falling into your face during class.

Other Gear:

  • For more comfort during the floor exercises, bring an exercise mat, yoga mat or thick towel to lie on.

  • If you are not flexible, yoga blocks and yoga straps may be helpful in performing some of the floor exercises.  Feel free to bring any yoga accessories you typically use.

  • If your head is sensitive to hard surfaces, a small pillow, rolled up towel, or folded-up jacket may be helpful while performing some of the floor exercises.

  • Always feel free to bring hydration to class.  Please use non-spillable containers.

Resources

Class Website / Blog:

  • Ballet-Based Fitness Blog (https://balletbasedfitness.blogspot.com/)
    This blog contains information about the class, as well as a growing, curated collection of helpful, interesting online information and resources about adult ballet.

Facebook Group:

  • Ballet-Based Fitness (https://www.facebook.com/groups/369303044781879/)
    This is a private group for current and former class participants to share and connect with each other.  Only group members can see content.  I also mirror this blog's posts in the Facebook Group.  Please feel free to send me a member request if you’d like to join the group.  Please feel free to invite past class participants, with whom you are in touch.

Instagram:

YouTube Channels:

These are some YouTube Channels where I have found good follow-along videos (for at-home use) and ballet information.  These are also featured in this blog's posts. For any follow-along videos, remember to only do what you can safely manage.

Ballet Gear:

Dancewear stores in our area are listed below.  These are great locations to go try on dance shoes.

Local Ballet Studios:

In case you're interested in trying out ballet classes at other local dance studios, here is a list of nearby schools that may offer adult ballet classes (also called "open-division" classes). Be aware that such classes may include students in their late teens and twenties, and the curriculum, even if geared toward "beginners" may be considerably more difficult than our class. Never hesitate to skip anything that you feel isn't right for your body. Ask to take a free "test" class before you commit to pay for more.