After 15 years of teaching ballet to adults, I've seen the same three mistakes hold people back over and over.

1. Forcing turnout too early.

Your hips need months of conditioning before you can safely work toward full turnout. Most new students try to force it on day one and end up with knee pain. Start with what your body gives you naturally, then build from there.

2. Skipping relevé work.

Rising to the balls of your feet seems basic, but it builds the ankle strength that everything else depends on. I have my students do relevé drills before anything else — it's the single fastest way to improve balance and stability.

3. Treating flexibility as the goal instead of control.

Ballet isn't yoga. A high leg extension means nothing without the muscle control to hold it. Focus on slow, controlled movements first. The flexibility will follow.

I built Dance Ballet specifically for adults who want to learn properly — structured curriculum, professional technique, no shortcuts. If that sounds like you, come join us.