21 year old Ben Gambles from Wigan was a pretty fit guy. He ate well, trained at the gym three times a week and was a keen runner to boot. So when his friend Katherine suggested they join an adult ballet class together, he wasn’t quite sure what to make of it.

Ben thought his existing workout regime meant all his fitness bases were already covered

“With my gym regime and long runs, I felt pretty sure I was covering all the fitness bases already” said Ben.  “I’d never even considered a dance class before. I was worried I’d be no good and to be honest, I’d always thought ballet classes were mainly for girls.”  But despite his apprehension, Ben decided to give it a shot.  “I’ve always been one to try new things and I didn’t want to appear narrow-minded, so I just thought – why not?”

Ben and Katherine went along to the adult ballet class at SK Dance Studio in Appley Bridge, Wigan, taught by the dance school’s principal Susan Kielb.

“I was really nervous about my first class, but I needn’t have been” said Ben.  “Everyone was really welcoming and friendly. Although there were people with different levels of experience in the group, Susan made time to break the steps down. This really helped me to understand the technical aspects of the exercises and what I was aiming to achieve.”

After a couple of classes, Ben was hooked and keen to learn.

Ben found ballet uses lots of muscles he'd previously neglected

“Although professional dancers make ballet look easy, it’s actually one of the most physically and mentally demanding things I’ve ever done. But that also makes it one of the most rewarding” continued Ben.

“Ballet class offers a really thorough all-over workout and uses muscles that my usual fitness regime hardly touches. It’s helped me to build incredible core strength, has made me more flexible than ever before and has massively improved my stamina. All these things have positively impacted both my gym work and my runs. I generally feel healthier and more energised.”

As well as the physical benefits, Ben’s also noticed the positive effect of ballet classes on his mental wellbeing.

“Conquering new steps gives a real sense of achievement, but it’s not just about the technical aspect of the class” said Ben.  “Ballet is about bringing everything together to create something special – the steps; the way your body moves; your breathing; the music; how you feel; and your sense of timing. It’s great for the body, the mind and the soul.”

Ballet demands real power and strength - it's as demanding as any serious sport

Asked if he’d recommend ballet classes to his mates at the gym, Ben has no hesitation. “Absolutely yes – in fact I already have” said Ben.

“Don’t let the untrue stereotypical view of male dancers affect your decision to join a class. The power and strength required for ballet makes it more mentally and physically demanding than a lot of serious sports – it’s tough. Ballet needs more men and boys to get involved and since I joined SK Dance Studio’s adult class about a year ago, a couple of other guys have joined too. It’s been great to see.”

Ben has progressed into SK Dance Studio’s advanced adult ballet class and is now tackling much harder steps and enchainment.  “Susan is a fantastic ballet teacher. She encourages you to push yourself, because she knows what you’re capable of achieving and wants you to be the best dancer you can be. I think Susan enjoys the class as much as we all do.”

As well as the support of his teacher, Ben also values the camaraderie and team spirit within the group.  “If someone’s struggling, we’ll work together to go over things, or give each other big clap when we’ve conquered a step. It’s a really fun class – we laugh a lot.”

“I can’t recommend adult ballet classes at SK Dance Studio highly enough” he continued.  “If you’re thinking about it, then just go for it. You never know until you try and it might just be your talent.”

Why not try an adult ballet class for yourself? Come along to SK Dance Studio and give it a go!

If you’d like to try an adult ballet class at SK Dance Studio, then come along to either our class designed for beginners and improvers, or our separate class for more advanced adult ballet dancers. Click here for more information about our adult ballet classes and class times.