CriticalDance Forum

Hi there. I'm hoping someone can advise me as to whether taking a beginner ballet class would help me in my tango technique.

I've taken a few trial classes and enjoyed them. However, since time and money is limited, if the yoga and/pilates classes offered at my gym would be just as good then perhaps it would be better to give ballet a pass and spend that registration money on more tango lessons.

What I've got to work with, physically: low flexibility in the hips (poor turn out), Achilles tendons (shallow pliés), and quadriceps.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers

A good ballet class cannot help but improve your overall technique. In addition to ballet, I recommend stretching (safely) routinely and swimming, if you can.

After your tango class, I further suggest reviewing what you've learned and practiced -- so you continue to build, week after week, and are more readily able to advance levels and be more accomplished.

Ballet will give you more knowledge, an increased movement vocabulary, and if applied rightly, will help to improve your dancing.

That's encouraging, and sensible. Thanks, Dean!