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Balance, strength, camaraderie - the benefits of adult ballet

Meet the devotees of adult gentle ballet that utilizes the classic moves of dance.
Adults of any age come together to dance, exercise and share with ballet.

When we think of ballet, we probably think of children dancing like sugar plum fairies in the Nutcracker, but that's a narrow view. Just ask the ladies who are devotees of adult, gentle ballet.

Students range in age from 46 to 88, but when class begins, they are ageless, focused on the steps, the rhythm, the grace of the movements. It's a whole-body workout.

Add in a healthy dose of camaraderie, and you've got a unique program.

"What I do is take out a lot of the jumps and turns," explained dance instructor Gail Tassarotti.

Tassarotti says she crafted the class for people with all levels of dance experience.

It's perfect for Marilyn Valentini. She studied jazz and tap as a kid but now finds gentle ballet the antidote to arthritis wracking her back with pain.

"My balance was terrible when I came back here. The pain of my arthritis was terrible. I've almost stopped taking the medications for arthritis with the stretching here. And the balance has improved," she said.

It's well-documented that our balance falters as we reach middle age and continues to decline. Balance problems can lead to falls with catastrophic results.

So every "releve" strengthens the calves, each "plie" challenges thigh muscles. Core muscles are engaged and together improves balance, keeping participants on their feet.

That's why 88-year-old Leah Taub signed up. She laughs, recounting her experience buying her first pair of ballet shoes four years ago.

“When I went to buy them, the lady in the story said, 'What do you want them for? After I explained they were for me and I bought them and I wore them, and I’ve got holes in them," said Taub.

At 46, Heidi Arnaud is the kid in the class. An assignment in her master’s program got her to enroll, and now she's hooked.

"The mind, body connection. You've got to think about your steps and the pointing and the steps, and there are so many things to put together. And I suppose there's a purpose. A nice little presentation at the end and it feels good. It feels like you've completed something," said Arnaud.

Everyone dances to the best of their ability, but one thing they're all on point with is the sense of community they've developed as they grow stronger.

Adult ballet is offered at most dance studios around the Puget Sound and sometimes can be found at your local health club or YMCA.

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