Ballet4Lifer of the Month- May

We warmly welcome Serenella to our Ballet4Life group of friends and dancers. She is relatively new to B4l and I only just got to meet her last week. I was so impressed by her dedication, focus, level of effort and energy exhibited, her tirelessness, and her ability to jump right in, so to speak, at class and at the Repertory part of class! Well done!

provaci! fallo!

Photos: Serenella, 3rd from the left,  with her B4L dancing friends, in classes and rehearsing "The Little Swans"

When did you start dancing?

I started taking Jazz lessons at the age of 8 and then started ballet at 9. However, if creating choreography with your best friend and performing in front of your family counts, I have been doing that since I was 4!

What makes dancing so special to you? 

Dancing allows me to express myself, forget all of the problems and stress of life and fills me with calmness and joy.

When did you start with Ballet4Life? 

Around 6 months ago

X marks the spot

What makes B4l so special for you? 

B4l has given me the opportunity to go back to what I love the most, without the stress of thinking I am not good enough or too old, and completely free of judgement. I feel free and encouraged to dance with the body I have today, without feeling less of a dancer because my splits are not as good as they used to be, or my jumps are not as high. And everyone, from teacher to student, is super nice and friendly!

Do you get to see dance performances regularly? 

If yes, any favourite companies, dancers, performances you have seen recently? I try to see a couple of shows per year. My favourite is “Swan Lake,” but I also have a special place in my heart for “The Nutcracker,” as I performed it for a showcase when I was a teenager with my dance school in Italy. 

What do your ballet classes do for you? 

On top of helping with my overall fitness level, they are just the best anti -stress and always put a huge smile on my face.

Do you have a favourite Ballet4Life class? 

I like them all. If I feel the need to destress and relax, Chris is the right teacher. He has a calming power and his classes always make me forget about a bad day. While Jo has a contagious energy and it's impossible not to feel energised by her and her classes!

After Jo's Wednesday class 

Is there any dance style you wish to study but we do not offer presently? 

Jazz

What do/did you do for your “day job?” and/or what were you educated/trained to do as a profession?

I am a National Account Manager  however I studied Classics at Uni and will be doing a Master in classics in September. 

Do you have any tips for someone wishing to start dance training as an adult? 

Just go for it, you won't regret it!

Do you have a favourite part of class/ ballet step you love?

I love barre and wish it lasted a full hour! I really connect with myself during barre and plies are my favourite thing. However  if I had to choose one favourite step, it would be assemblè a la second

If you do our Pointe Work classes, do you have anything to share about your experience? 

I recently started pointe with Jo, and I absolutely love it. It has filled me with confidence, as I have tried pointe work in the past, but was never able to actually do it. 

Anything else you would like to add, please feel free to do so.

Starting to dance again at the age of 29  after more than 10 years break, has made me feel invincible. We should all learn to work with our bodies and thank them for what they allow us to do, rather than be upset at what we can't do as well as we would like.

Beautifully stated Serenella, and many thanks for participating. We look forward to seeing you dance with us all on 29 May at 2pm at Watermans Theatre!

https://www.watermans.org.uk/events/charity-benefit-performance-in-aid-of-move-into-wellbeing/