Broche Banter - Broche Ballet

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. This facet of ballet is where we work to master movements within the ballet paradigm, which involves turned out legs, pointed ankles, long toes, stretched knees, elongated posture, and arm movements to extend our lines from our back and create gestures. 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.

Let’s talk! LISTEN ON APPLE Listen on Spotify YouTube Before we get started, I just want to say the biggest thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing these podcast episodes with your adult ballet friends, for starting conversations on these topics, and for being here with me on the show. Since starting this season of the podcast, I’ve received so many messages from adult ballerinas like you telling me that they had been feeling so alone in their journey of navigating the wild west of adult open ballet programs, feeling stuck in their progress, or sometimes the only adult dancer in their small town, and that even just hearing the podcast episodes helped them feel less alone and more motivated than ever to keep going. Right now, it can feel lonely or frustrating and it can feel like you’re left to your own devices to navigate your ballet journey. You never know who is suffering silently in your ballet classes or in your circles of ballet friends, so sharing an episode with them can help them feel supported in their ballet dreams. You might just be a part of helping someone stick around for just a little bit longer with ballet. So truly, thank you for being a part of this movement, for encouraging your ballet friends, and for paving the way for adult ballet. We are dancers, and there are so many more with undiscovered or unfulfilled passions. Alright, let’s get to it. Today on the show, let’s dive into Facet #2 - The Breadth. Components of Breadth This facet is the breadth of vocabulary in ballet and how we move our bodies from foot to foot across the floor and throughout space. Within this facet, we have 4 components: Vocabulary - what the ballet steps are The grammar of how the steps fit together Picking combinations up quickly in class Memorizing an excerpt of choreography Let’s talk about what each of these are. First, ballet steps. There are about 300 ballet steps to learn, maybe more or less depending on how you count a “step” versus a variation of a step, but either way, it’s a finite number of steps. At a certain point, you’ve reached all the ways that you can possibly move your legs with external rotation (aka turnout). Within a given ballet step, for example a tendu or a pirouette, there are two types of things to learn. One is what a step is, which is what I’m talking about here, and the other is continuing to execute and perfect it. It’s one thing to know what the step is, and another to execute it with increasing levels of technique. We’ll talk about Facet #3 about Depth of Technique and how to execute the steps more and more correctly on the next episode, but on this episode, we’ll focus on knowing *what* the steps are. Second, ballet grammar. This is how the steps fit together. Just as English has a structure and certain words do or don’t go next to each other, so does ballet. For example, depending on where you’re standing, in B+, 5th position, on 1 leg, etc, there are certain steps that belong next to each other and others that don’t. Third, picking up combinations. This is a special skill for ballet class only, not for the stage, where you can listen to a teacher demonstrate (or sometimes only verbalize and do hand gestures), and then memorize the combination quickly to do it right then and there. This is a skill. Yes. This is a skill just like all the rest of the skills we’ll talk about here. In the same way that a sign language translator gets better and better at holding past words while translating the current words, this is a skill that gets better with practice. Much of this skill has to do with understanding the structure of how exercises are put together and created. Ballet choreography is not arbitrary, and once you figure out the rules, the memorization becomes easier (note I did not say “easy” -- just “easier”). Fourth, memorizing choreography. This is different than picking up combinations in class. Memorizing choreography is learning a set of combinations for an exam,...

When we are training our bodies, we must also train our minds. In the journey to advancing in ballet, our mind needs to adapt and grow as much as our bodies, if not more. Here’s the thing, without a positive and powerful mindset, we won’t be able to stick around long enough in our ballet journey to see real progress. Without an open mind, we won’t be able to experiment and try the new things that are needed to change habits and learn new patterns. And without a healthy relationship to our inner critic, we’ll just frustrate and torture ourselves until ballet isn’t fun anymore. Let’s dive into how to have fun working on the details of technique, how to enjoy ballet, and how to keep coming back for long enough to actually make meaningful progress in your dancing.

Today on the show, we're going to lay out all of the different facets of your ballet training: - Breadth, this is the dancing - The depth, this is the technique - The performing and storytelling - Personal and body strength Join Julie on this episode as we dig into the different facets of training an adult to learn ballet.

Today, let’s dive into how adults are currently taught ballet. We’ll talk about adult open programs, which are how many of us learn ballet, we’ll talk about what to even teach adults, and how to structure a program for busy adult lives.

The way I see it: if barre, yoga, and martial arts can be mainstream in every shopping mall, and people can get really good at those things as adults, why not ballet? So I’m here to say ballet can be mainstream. It will. We are making it so. You are making it so, with your passion, dedication, and every person you speak to about your ballet passion. You are on the cutting edge of the change and the movement.

Today, I’ll be giving you a sneak peek of season 2 of Broche Banter. Season 2 will be a little different format, and I’ll be directly addressing fears, anxieties, questions, and concerns that we heard from dancers in season 1. We’ll be focusing in on the question: How good can you really get when you started ballet late? Can you learn pointe? Pirouettes? Get more flexible? Get your extensions? Perform? Learn ballets? Partner? Is it too late for me to dance?

Today on the show, I chat with Julia, a ski instructor who recently began ballet as an adult. We talk a little bit about how she finally decided to pursue ballet, first getting started following along on YouTube and then joining my online studio soon after that. We also dive into the incredible similarities between skiing and ballet and how both need an incredible amount of control over rotating our legs. The day after we recorded the episode, she reported back that she had told her other ski instructor friends about how some adults have limiting beliefs that they can’t improve their turnout or that they’re stuck with what they had, and the other instructors were legitimately confused. That’s how sure the community of ski instructors is that you can improve your turnout! You’re sure to love Julia’s optimistic outlook and incredibly unique perspective. Enjoy!

Today on the show, I chat with India, who’s a professional ballerina and Floor Barre instructor living in France. We talk about what Floor Barre is, why we think adults should be taken seriously in their ballet education, and a little about the hierarchical system of professional ballet in France. It’s a fascinating conversation full of so many tidbits about ballet history, ballet itself, and inspiration. Enjoy!

Today on the show, I chat with Robin. She danced a little when she was young, and then returned to it as an adult, even getting en pointe for the first time as a grownup. We talk about the joy of the little wins in ballet, her experience on the board at her wonderful adult-only local ballet studio, and the interesting differences between home ballet and studio ballet. Robin has a wonderfully cerebral outlook on the ballet world that you’re sure to enjoy!

Today on the show, I chat with Hannah, the creator of the Wonder of Ballet blog for recreational dancers. We talk about so many topics, about how to feel like you belong in the ballet world, getting en pointe as an adult, and how we hope the world of adult and recreational ballet will continue to change and grow. Enjoy! Find Hannah on Instagram @myballetsteps & @wonderfoballet Or online at Wonder of Ballet

Today on the show, I chat with Marieke, who lives in the Netherlands and dances ballet. We talk about her winding journey as a ballet dancer, but also about mindfulness, ego, and how she has learned to quiet the judgemental mind and love to dance. I hope you love this episode as much as I do. Enjoy!

Today on the show, I chat with Veronica K, who runs an online ballet cross-training and injury prevention platform. We talk about a wide range of topics, including physical therapy, cyberbullying, and popular fake or unrealistic before/after photos. It’s an awesome conversation where we get a chance to compare notes on how we help ballet work for adult dancers and regular everyday human bodies. But, the best part is that you will get to hear Veronica’s unique perspective from her physical therapy and personal training background that she brings to the ballet world. Enjoy!

Today, I chat with Mic, a long-time piano teacher and professional musician who recently started ballet. 2020 was a really hard year for musicians, but Mic is so happy that it gave her the opportunity to pursue her love of ballet. We connect on so many topics including why art matters, the learning process of a technical artform like ballet and piano, and why we love ballet. Her kind and warm heart will surely leave you smiling. Enjoy!

Today, I chat with Mic, a long-time piano teacher and professional musician who recently started ballet. 2020 was a really hard year for musicians, but Mic is so happy that it gave her the opportunity to pursue her love of ballet. We connect on so many topics including why art matters, the learning process of a technical artform like ballet and piano, and why we love ballet. Her kind and warm heart will surely leave you smiling. Enjoy!

Today, I chat with Alyssa about her experiences finding her way back to ballet as an adult. She shares her love of dance and her winding journey to find a ballet studio to call home. She hopes that by sharing some of her struggles with different levels, teachers, and studio situations will help you feel less alone with challenges you might face, and help you keep pushing to find the right environment for you to blossom into the dancer of your dreams. Follow her story on Instagram @backtotheballetbarre! Enjoy!

Today on the show, I chat with Madame Olga, a celebrity teacher in New York City and online on Instagram and her streaming service Madame Olga Television. She is known for her true Russian style of teaching, but even more so for bringing humor to the ballet studio to help dancers find their perfect 5th position through love, light, and positivity. If you haven’t experienced a class with Madame Olga, I highly recommend that you hit pause, go to Instagram.com/madameolgav or search Madame Olga on YouTube and watch a few minutes of class with her before continuing. And then, after you listen to this podcast, you should definitely dance along with one of her classes! Enjoy!

Today, I chat with Harmony, who recently achieved her goal of her first pair of pointe shoes before her upcoming 50th birthday! We talk about her absolute undying love of ballet, what it was like for her to take her very first ballet class a little over a year ago, and why she thinks anyone with dreams of ballet should just get started and hop in with us! Follow Harmony’s story on instagram @ballet_harmony. Enjoy!

This podcast episode is a little different. Many of us are re-entering lockdowns, again feeling separated from our communities, and maybe even wondering what’s the point of it all. Looking ahead at a difficult winter, wondering how we’ll make it through. So, I wanted to take a moment, inspired by the season of giving thanks on Thanksgiving, to share my story. The last time I shared my own story on the podcast was episode 11 in June, right after I made the decision to close the studios. Since then, I’ve spent the summer healing, growing, and discovering. I have tried to write this story many times this summer. But now I am ready. The story is ready. And I think the time is right. This episode is not a glossy highlight reel of good things. It’s messy and sad at times, but with what I think is an ending of optimism. I hope my story will give you a sense of hope in this dark time. So come along for this ride with me. I am grateful for 2020 in all of its dumpster fire glory 🔥💩 For helping me discover what truly matters, for helping me find my confidence, and for seriously making me a stronger person. For helping me reach my goals: New ideas, new experiences, and confidence.

Today, I chat with Tom who lives across the pond in the UK. He’s always been fascinated with ballet, but only started dancing a few years ago. Before that, he began his journey with mindfulness practice, which helped pull him out of a dark time. That led him to yoga, and finally now to ballet. He now teaches both yoga and mindfulness, and enjoys ballet for the purity of the movement, and strives to enjoy every step of the journey without getting caught up into goals. The process and living in the moment is what brings the joy. Enjoy!