Broche Banter Facet #3 - Technique | Can you learn technique in adulthood?

If you’ve been dancing for a while and wonder why your pirouettes aren’t working yet, or why your petite allegro isn’t getting quicker, or why your legs won’t stay turned out in the center or lift any higher, or why your port de bras still doesn’t look quite how you want, then this is the facet for you.
We build the mechanisms that make ballet look and work correctly. The depth of technique enables us to create the look of effortless elegance while secretly and invisibly working really hard to control the body. It enables us to use gravity & physics to our advantage to turn, leap, lift our legs up high, and more.
And it is what gives ballet the “look” of gracefulness, and the “je ne sais quoi” of floating across the stage.
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[@whoahdudeman]

I really like your channel. I really like this video. I started ballet a few months ago as a 50 year old male. I felt intuitively that the teacher of our beginners class was overlooking nearly all of the points you mentioned here. Hence, I've started taking private lessons as well. I want to learn to execute the rudimentary moves correctly. I don't like watching adults "perform" with poor technique. I enjoy the physical challenge of learning proper technique in a rigorous and disciplined way. You're right that lots of people just want to "dance". In my experience, it's the overwhelming majority of both students and teachers. I just find it more embarrassing to dance with bad technique (or depth, as you name it) than to have lots of breadth while like a total yutz when dancing. I wish there were more adults who see it like I do, and the way you expounded on in this video.

[@tammygant4216]

9:30 . . .now picturing my training montage with upbeat inspirational song in the background :-D

[@BrocheBallet]

Ha!! Yes!!!! Doesn't it make it that much more fun?! ;)

[@kristieroberts3578]

Even though you may not know this if you saw me dance today, I'm lucky that I don't remember life before ballet. I started taking lessons so young, and continued through my mid-teens. I totally get the "ballet-mode," and I can remember what it feels like, but I'm not often able to maintain it. I think one thing I know now that I didn't know then, is that (for me, anyway), taking time outside of class to strengthen and "feel" those tiny muscle groups in real life seems to help. I've always been smug about technique even though I often lacked the physical ability to achieve it. But probably the most important thing about returning to ballet now, after 40 years, is that I learn something NEW about technique in every single class I take! And I hope I always do. I think maybe it's not how good you are or how much you know, but how good you want to be and how much you want to learn. And I'm SO grateful for the online classes where I have a chance to learn and grow and fail and fall in such a joyful and supportive place. I'm not "there' yet, and truly, I never will be. But I AM here, learning, trying, pushing my limits... and it's a great place to be. Thanks Julie!

[@BrocheBallet]

I believe it, and there are so many absolutely beautiful things you've said here! This is the most important phrase for all of ballet and all of life! "I think maybe it's not how good you are or how much you know, but how good you want to be and how much you want to learn" That's the key! You'll learn exactly how much you want to! :)

[@keirenapplebaum5629]

Kristie Roberts, your words gave me hope that I am not alone in pushing my limits.

[@BrocheBallet]

@@keirenapplebaum5629 You're not alone! Adults can definitely keep working, pushing the limits, and see how far they can go with ballet! We can go as far as we put our minds to :)

[@meaghanrenecoval]

This is great information! I am excited about this and am already training my brain to master the precise movements in Ballet. I want to get the technique down. I am obsessed 😍

[@BrocheBallet]

You will get it!! Keep practicing and the pieces will come together. You've already learned so much!

[@natalie8457]

Thank you so much for this much needed and fantastic series Julie! You should be proud of all you have accomplished for the adult ballet community. My dream is to take part in an adult corps on pointe, so I hope to join you in Miami in the future!

[@BrocheBallet]

Thank you so much for the kind words!! I'd love to have you join for a show sometime, too! :)

[@farahhats]

Thank you for another great reference! As an absolute beginner in my early 30’s in ballet (I’ve been taking classes a few times per week for the past nine months), do you have any light to shed on what can be realistically achievable in the long term if one keeps taking classes on a weekly basis? It seems that those who start very young pick it up at a very advanced rate by the time they are in high school, and I just don’t believe that’s possible for my situation (similar to learning a new language at the age of five versus adulthood). No matter how much I stretch and train, I don’t think I will ever be able to developé my leg parallel to my torso. I guess my question is, if I commit to doing adult ballet regularly for the next 10+ years, what level can I expect to achieve in regards to improving technique? I’m trying not to compare myself to kids/teens, but it is quite impressive how advanced they can become from taking ballet for 10 or less years! Thanks again for the great content!

[@Lizzybeth1973]

On returning to ballet after many years away….my mind remembers the steps and what to do. However, my old carcass just doesn’t seem to want to move like it used to! 🤪🩰

[@BrocheBallet]

Totally, I think mentally that's one of the hardest things -- to remember what it feels like to do everything, but for your body to need to take some more time to do it! And to not compare yourself to your teenage self, but to your new adult journey with ballet! You're definitely not alone in the journey! :)

[@kristieroberts3578]

I feel the same way!!! lol!