Breakthroughs

Hello everyone!

It's been a while since I've posted, but I'm back in full force with at least two posts coming in the next week! Hurrah! I've attended two classes since my last post on this blog- I decided to combine both classes into one post as a little test- tell me which layout you like best. I'll still be posting once a week, but I'm considering making one week a 'tips and techniques' post and the next a 'class roundup'. What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!

Ballet has been going exceptionally well the past few weeks. There have been a few hitches and bumps along the way, but the road goes ever on, as Gandalf said! In the last two classes I have taken in ballet, I have noticed a massive improvement in myself. I'm more confident in my dancing, I don't spend the class looking at my feet, I'm learning where to put my arms... It's a miracle! I think muscle memory has started to kick in- I know where my arms need to go based on what position my feet are in, and I don't need to think so hard about things like that. I can really focus on technique more than trying to learn choreography, place my feet, place my hands and adjust my head at the same time!

Sadly, there are a few FTM specific things I'm really noticing lately. I'm starting to see how wide my hips are and how big my chest looks in comparison to other male dancers. I'm not sure if I want to go on hormones so for now I have to deal with it, but it's affecting the way I see myself as a dancer- when I see myself in the mirror I'm not scrutinising my technique but instead comparing myself to 'real boys' who dance. I suppose I just need to get used to the fact that I am not the same as them- I'm something different, maybe a breath of fresh air in the dance world. We'll see!

Moving on, we've done a lot of allegro the past two classes. I'm starting to discover my strengths, and I think allegro could be one of them. I'm doing quite well in that particular section, while in parts such as centre practice I'm always a beat behind everybody else! Allegro is definitely the part of the class I find the most fun, although it's a bit sore on the knees due to the tile floors we dance on- probably not the best surface, but we have to work with it!

Dancing is stressful, but I love it. It's mostly stressful because I'm constantly travelling and buying things for ballet, and I also have to deal with personal things- I have to visit family and things and sometimes it can be a choice between ballet and family. That's something I'll be touching on in a later post however.

Hopefully you guys liked this post and if you have any tips, comments or questions, feel free to ask!

~Sam