Since I had a lot of time to think today (9 hour flight. alone.) I thought I would make a summer intensive dress code kind of post.
Generally you could say if you wouldn't wear it in class - don't wear it in your intensive.
Some SI have a special dress code (pink tights, black leotard, sometimes a wrapping skirt) some don't. I love it when they don't have a dress code because it enables you to wear the combinations you like.
One special tip I would have is: If the SI has a placement class in the beginning, wear something that makes you pop out of the crowd. BUT with that I do not mean that you should wear a neon pink leotard and neon green tights. I am talking about something classy and appropriate. If colour is allowed this would be an example:
pink tights, lavender leotard and wrapping skirt (looks darker in the photo)
Other than the "special outfit" bring something you feel SUPER comfortable in, your favourite leotard.
For me it is this one:
Black leotard with cut out in the back
Also you might want to bring a short sleeved leotard in case the studio is a little chill:
Short sleeved leotard with velvet top
And obviously you should bring a plain black sleeveless leotard.
If wrapping skirts are allowed I would always wear one. Those skirts make the legs look longer and the shape of the body more slender.
In addition to a normal black or white one you could bring a fun one.
I brought a new one I really like. The skirt sits on the hips and has an elastic waist:
Starting late can be a hurdle you need to overcome before you can get better. And with starting late I don't mean 40 or 50. I am talking about girls starting at the age of 15, even 13 is pretty old to start since some other little ballerinas were 'molding' their bodies for ballet since they could talk or think.
Now you have to decide. Do you want to dance in a company some day? Or do you just want to do it for fun?
In case you really want to get serious taking about 5-6 ballet classes is necessary. In addition you also have to work as hard as you can in every single class.
When I first started at the age of 15 I had no clue how to move my legs, arms or head right. I didn't know which muscles to engage to achieve better turnout. I was forcing my legs in unnatural positions and risking injury at all times. Also I was only taking 2 hours of ballet a week in a small studio (because it was the only studio in my city teaching classical ballet) and - don't get me wrong, I loved my Madame and the girls at the studio, I gained some amazing friends there! - I wish it would have been more.
Unfortunately our Madame was a little too nice and gave us only very few corrections.
If you're have the same problem: I found a solution! Mostly you know how the exercises should look so I was working my butt off at home. While doing all those pliés and arabesques I was filming a ton of videos of myself and of course analysing them afterwards.
Ballet needs a lot of discipline and dedication. If you are lazy for one week only you will go back a step in your development as a classical ballerina. Have you ever seen the professionals training?
Here we go. That's the Royal ballet doing their warmup class, first at the barre, than in the centre. Every day. Six days a week. One ballerina in the video said that some even come to the studio on their one free day.
I've tried to do this full company class with them but I seriously could not concentrate anymore short after the beginning of the petite/medium allegro. SO EXHAUSTING! I was a little proud though because the barre was ok for me. Obviously I couldn't do the exercises as perfect as those long legged, lean, beautiful ballerinas and danseur nobles.
It really is super hard work to look effortless.
Those arabesque penchees that look like a magical invisible string is lifting their leg are unbelievably hard to hold. You need a lot more muscle strength than you would ever expect from ballet.
Your back, your core (abs. some ballerinas actually do have a six-pack), your legs.
You need a lot of muscle mass and little fat. Lean bodies dominate the ballet world.
But ballet class by itself won't be enough. It is a lot of anaerobic exercise so you also need to do some aerobic exercises. Treadmill, steppers and all of those crucial instruments of torture will be the little key you need in addition to succeed.
Besides leg lifts, sit-ups and pushups pilés are an amazing exercise. Slow, controlled plies. Making sure your legs are turned out from your hips, trying to feel the strength when you're pliè-ing and then push yourself up in a strong relevè.
A great exercise for pointe is on legged elevès which basically are one legged relevès without a pliè. Start with 8 on each side, holding onto the barre or a chair, and work on those until you can do 20 or more on each side.
