Dancing On: Ballet and Geographic Atrophy

Laughter is always the first response. "I’m taking ballet lessons." People laugh. "Seriously," I reply, "I’m taking ballet lessons every Saturday morning."

I’m 81, have geographic atrophy (GA), am overweight and moderately out of shape. I know all of this and understand that is why they are laughing. For almost everyone reading this, ballet is associated with 4-year-olds and their Dance Moms or tall, thin, incredibly flexible women in pink tights and pointe shoes.

One thing ballet does not require is 20/20 vision. That’s likely true for any form of dance and most forms of exercise.

When my inner athlete came out

My adventure in dance is happening because I grew up seeing myself as a clumsy kid. My single-parent mom couldn’t afford dance lessons and probably would not have known where to find them. The result was that I spent too much of my life planted in front of a television screen or reading a book.

The inner athlete came out when I was nearly 50. A community rowing program put me in one of those skinny boats, and I discovered that I could be balanced and coordinated. Still, the bad body image continued.

I could learn to enjoy movement

Why ballet? About 8 weeks ago, we went to a performance by a small, new ballet company in southwest Florida. Azara Ballet says it is about the transformative power of dance within a positive environment. They "strive to elevate lives .. whether you actively participate, or simply enjoy our performances, we aim to touch your heart with the liberating and joyful spirit of dance."

In the program, they announced "Beginner Ballet Lessons for Adults."

I took the bait.

"Why not?" I asked my husband. Perhaps with the help of a good teacher, I could free my body and mind from all those decades of negative thoughts. I could learn to enjoy movement. Eyeglasses not required.

I go to the barre and enter a new world

To be honest, dealing with low vision can sometimes make me feel like I’m too damaged to be part of the "regular" world. Exercise in a place where vision doesn’t matter is great.

I am 6 weeks into this adventure. Bought ballet slippers. Not expensive. I wear black leggings and a long-sleeved black top. And I go to the barre and enter a new world.

I’m learning new ways to move my body. My posture is already improving. And, since French is the language of ballet, my French comprehension is improving.

The goal is enjoying and growing

Our teacher, also a choreographer, is really great. To improve my progress, I have invested in a weekly half-hour private lesson to go along with the longer Saturday session.

We’re starting at the beginning assuming I know nothing, which is true. He understands the goal is enjoying and growing — not wearing a tutu, pointe shoes, or dancing in a recital.

Last Saturday morning, after class, I started chatting with one of the other adults in the class. Yes, they are all in their 20s or 30s, thin, fit, flexible. A few have taken ballet lessons before.

I gave her a short explanation of why I was taking the class and felt a bit like the grandma mascot. She told me, "Don’t worry, I love your attitude.”

Taking it slow and listening to my body

Beyond the barre, I’ve gotten back into the gym. I’m hitting the treadmill or the recumbent bike, doing exercises to strengthen my legs, and stretching for flexibility.

My doctor said to take it slow and listen to my body. Yes, you may have aches and pains in places you didn’t know you had. That’s part of taking on this kind of challenge.

There are other ballet programs for aging adults. I found a few on the Internet. Maybe there’s one in your town where you can jeté (zhuh-TEY), (French for "throw") yourself into it, or even do a pirouette.