A 26-year-old woman with no previous ballet experience embarked on four weeks of intensive training with Bennet Gartside, a principal character artist of The Royal Ballet, to mark the release of the Rudolf Nureyev biopic, The White Crow. The results, she reports, were remarkable.
Starting with basic arm and leg positions, she quickly discovered muscles she had not used in years. By the end of the first class, she had managed a plié and learned the importance of turnout. The training demanded both mental and physical strength, requiring 6.30am sessions before work.
Progress included mastering tendus and battements, and noticing improved posture. The back muscles were sore for a week, highlighting how poor her posture had been. Ballet also catered to an old knee injury, but revealed weakness in her left leg, with every muscle being engaged.
Later sessions involved jumps away from the barre, providing serious cardio, and pirouette preparation, which proved a cerebral workout. The author observed that mornings with ballet class were often the most productive, and she left feeling positive about her newfound posture, albeit aware of the vast skill gap compared to professional dancers.
