Posts filed under: Ask Colin

Hi Colin,
I am 33 and I have never danced ballet before. But I would like to start learning it. Can you give some advice for adults starting to learn this wonderful art?
Best regards,
Martina

Dear Martina,
You will be surprised at the number of Adult Ballet Schools in our major cities. I know of about 6 schools here in Melbourne that only teach adults. To find them in your area, Google ‘adult ballet class’.

Learning to dance is a lot of fun. Because of parental objections to the then common misconception of dance being only for girls, I started at twenty years of age. Incidentally, I was already a ballroom dancer (which was acceptable to them) and you should consider this as an option if you would also like to have a fun social life.

Here at The Australian Ballet studios in Southbank I am giving a beginner’s ballet class on Sunday 17 June, which allows people like you to experience the joys of dance in a non-threatening atmosphere.  To find out more about the ‘Chance to Dance’ class visit our website at australianballet.com.au/education (more…)

Dear Colin,
I am a sixteen year old dancer, who has spend last 11 years of her life dancing, and in the future I want to be dancing with a ballet company, but unfortunately I’m 5’10″ on flat feet which makes a gigantic ballerina.

Would you say that my dreams of being in a ballet company are crushed and I should just forget about it? If there’s a chance, could you tell me what would be necessary to be part of a company?
Thanks,
Kat

Dear Kat,
In 1962, when I first started dancing in a classical ballet company our tallest female dancer was around 5’5” and I think the tallest male dancer was 5’11” – our ballerinas Kathleen Gorham and Lucette Aldous barely reached 5’0”! But times have changed. Nutrition has improved and our lifestyles are much healthier. So these days our smallest female dancer is 5’2” and our tallest is 5’9½”! Incidentally our tallest male dancer is 6’5” tall and quite a few male students in the graduating class at The Australian Ballet School already equal him in height. (more…)

Hi Colin,
I was just wondering if you have to learn modern dance or hip hop when you join The Australian Ballet.
Thanks,
Kira

Dear Kira,
The dance subjects covered by The Australian Ballet School should give you an idea of what The Australian Ballet believes are important to the development of a professional dancer. During the final years ( levels 6, 7 and 8 ) students take the following subjects. In brackets are the average weekly hours for each subject:

• classical ballet (9 hours)
• pointework/variations (5 hours)
• pas de deux (3 to 5+ hours)
• character dance (1 hour)
• contemporary dance (3 hours)

Other dance-based subjects included in the course are: repertoire, dance mime, and body conditioning/male strength training. (more…)

Hi Colin,
How are the off-the-shoulder mini-sleeves designed on the ballerinas’ ballgowns – there must be lots of extra fabric hidden so the arms can move freely? And how do the dresses stay up with the wide ‘boat’ neckline? I assume that the dresses are quite heavy and don’t have boning.
Thanks,
Marianne

Dear Marianne,
The costumes for Romeo and Juliet are some of the most beautiful and the most complicated that the Production Department of The Australian Ballet have ever made. They are the work of the famous fashion designer, Akira Isogawa who uses material sourced from all over the world for his creations. (more…)

Hi Colin,
I’ve always dreamed of being a professional ballet dancer. I was going to start ballet as a little kid but my kindergarten changed days and I couldn’t begin. We haven’t really live in a place long enough where there is a ballet school for me to start at. We have been living in the same area for now 7 years and we aren’t planning on moving so that’s great. I started ballet about 5 weeks ago and I’m totally in love with it. I’m 14 years old, I’m not very flexible in my legs but my back is pretty flexible. My family tell me it is impossible to be a professional ballerina because I started at such an old age and I’m not flexible. I stretch every day and work on my core muscles and ankle strength everyday but I’m not getting any more flexible.

Do you have any tips you can give me? And do you believe I have any chance of being a ballerina? I believe ballet and dance in general speaks the words the mouth cannot.

Any advice would be truly grateful.
Thanks, Olivia

Dear Olivia,
Congratulations for finally being able to follow your dream! I can understand that after such a wait you are eager to master the art, but ballet cannot be rushed. Every dance student has to re-learn simple things like correct alignment and how to move efficiently. This takes time. The Australian Ballet School believes it takes eight years. So Olivia, after only five weeks you still have quite a way to go. (more…)