05/02/2023
"Who here has had first hand experience of coming back to ballet after an injury or taking time away?
And who here can agree that it is possibly one of the most intense emotional rollercoasters a dancer can experience in their lifetime?
Here are some of our tips, for coming back to ballet after time away, that we hope will help make the process just a little bit easier.
Tip 1: Stop trying to get ""back"" to where you were. By using your past self as a benchmark for how you want to be again either physically or technically, you rule out all the other factors that came into play which allowed you to be at that level back then in the first place.
You are an entirely different human being now, compared to where you were before taking time away. Therefore, you are going to be an entirely different dancer this time round, and isn't that exciting?
The thought of never being able to return back to the version of yourself that you once were may feel disheartening and scary... but the reality is, there were probably many things about yourself back then, that you didn't like and wanted to change about yourself.
But now, as a blank canvas, you have the huge opportunity to be able to reinvent yourself as a dancer, by intentionally starting the process of returning to dance, with a fresh perspective, new inspiration and a transformed understanding of your body and the dancer you want to be. Try your best to find the empowerment in starting over, rather than fearing it. Who knows, after all that time away, and with so much new awareness, you might even end up surpassing your previous level and reaching heights your old self would've never thought possible before!
Tip 2: Start SMALL, and build up gradually from there. A huge mistake dancers often make when trying to come back to ballet after time away, is jumping straight into it and expecting themselves to be at the same level as where they left off. Not only is this physically dangerous, and can lead to new injuries, but this can also sabotage your mental state.
By going all in too soon, you will feel the extreme contrast of how difficult everything suddenly feels, after so much time away... which will then leave you feeling discouraged and disheartened about the possibility of ever reaching a high level of dancing again.
Start with small, measurable, goals. 10 minutes of stretching and conditioning exercises at the start or end of each day. Then slowly build up to 30 minutes or more. Then build your way up to doing a broken down, very slow and basic, home barre. Which will then give you the strength and confidence to eventually make your way towards a full ballet barre and so on.
You will find that this gradual progression towards being able to complete a full ballet class again, let alone pointe/rehearsals/performances, is a much more sustainable option, for your body and your mind.
Let us know your personal tips on what helped you persevere through the journey of returning to ballet in the comments below!"