2008
I have several aims for 2008- less work, more fun, see friends more, make contact with people again, create beautiful things. I'd also like this year to see lots of improvement in my dancing- I have a certain timespan before age catches up with me and I start going backwards, so i want to get as good as possible before that happens!
Last year I was enrolled in 3 classes per week, and typically made it to 2. This year I'd like to start with getting to 3 classes per week in first term, then increase to 4 in second term, and we'll see where it goes from there. I need to build up strength gradually, because if I increase the class load too quickly I am more likely to get injured, and I am a wuss for pain.
I'm also considering dancing en pointe again. I stopped a few years ago because I wasn't getting to enough classes to maintain the strength for it. I'll ask Miss P what she thinks about it, but it would be fun to do again, but I won't be heartbroken if my feet aren't up to it.
As discussed with mishymoocow the other day, I also have a lot of problems judging my progress compared to other people. I can see when I improve, and I am proud of those improvements. But it is very hard for me to measure my ability because I have no peer group to measure myself against. I am always the worst dancer in the class, because I dance with teenagers who are extremely good! Students from my school have been accepted into several highly prestigious ballet schools overseas, and two have recently got contracts as professional ballet dancers. So being the worst in the class doesn't necessarily mean that I am a bad dancer, but it is hard to see my overall progress when compared to these talented kiddies! I am the only adult in the majors classes, and I don't know if my progress is good for somebody who started late (I didn't start ballet until i was 28) or if I should work harder or on different areas.