Principal dancer at the Teatro Municipal do Rio, Ana Botafogo, who is now 65, continues to dance, but now as a form of well-being
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Lucilene Lopes de Lorenzo Fernandez, from Goiás, who likes to be called Lu, has never considered herself an active person to practice. She has had a passion for learning since childhood ballet and he only had the courage and the opportunity to make that dream come true when he turned 60. And not only her, but many adults over 50 have invested dancewhich help in both biopsychic development and socialization skills.
Prima ballerina of the Municipal Theater of Rio, Ana Botafogo, who is now 65, continues to dance on a daily basis, but now as a form of well-being and offstage. According to her, the practice of ballet for adults It only brings benefits, by stretching and strengthening the muscles of the body. He also points out that the use of music makes the experience more enjoyable and that it is necessary to stimulate memory and motor coordination to learn the sequence of steps taught by the teacher.
“Adult students are very happy to take the lessons and don’t have much time to encourage each other,” says she, who created the Maison Botafogo academy in 2007, where, today, Lu gives her lessons. “It’s a beautiful spell to behold and my message to this audience is that you don’t give up and make your dreams come true. Dance has always guided my life and I continue to benefit from it, both physically and psychologically.”
Since attending her first ballet class on January 1, 2022, Lu has been feeling ballet dancer. The routine includes exercises three times a week, for an hour, and a lot of dedication to learning and performing the dance steps, which usually require discipline and require a lot of body awareness. In eight months she has felt an evolution to the point of losing the fear of taking lessons with Ana Botafogo, who guided her in some sessions, and the actor and musician Leo Jaimeone of the male ballet enthusiasts.
“I feel that my body has gained a lot, to have more elasticity. In addition to the satisfaction and pleasure of dancing, the ballet has benefited me such as body awareness, muscle strengthening and balance. “
What are the benefits of ballet for adults?
The director of the Faculty of Physiotherapy of the Federal University of Rio (UFRJ), Fernando Zikan, agrees that the ballet is a great tool for the population aged 50 and over and helps stop muscle loss as we age, sarcopenia.
According to Zikan, who has danced and worked with dancers at the Municipal for 17 years, ballet helps with weight maintenance and fat gain. “Dancing causes a greater production of synovial fluid within the joints. The more you move, the greater the amount of fluid that forms in them and this prevents the onset of joint pain and diseases such as arthritis and osteoarthritis “.
It also indicates venous return within the body, helping blood and oxygen circulation in the veins, as well as preventing the development of varicose veins and edema. “Ballet is great for stimulating memory, brain functioning and social interaction of students, as well as the development of bodily and emotional awareness. It is a powerful dance style to experiment with your body, “she says.” Many women have not been able to show their bodies as they would like, due to repression, shame, and today they have more chances to do so and should. . “
Psychologist Ana Carolina del Nero, who has been dancing ballet for ten years, emphasizes that the school environment is light and welcoming, which facilitates the construction of new social circles beyond family and work, and guided by common interests.
“For me ballet is a great source of pleasure and helps a lot in socio-emotional development, especially for older people, as there is a natural decline in cognitive and motor skills. Because it is a coded dance, with a combination of music and sequences of steps, the activity enhances brain stimulation and helps the student to have a relationship of self-knowledge of his own body. “
There is no right age to make dreams come true
Lu says the desire to do ballet returned strong when he turned 45 and retired from civil service. He thought about looking for a place to take lessons, but, at the time, he couldn’t find any academy that taught adults with no dance experience in Rio de Janeiro, where he lives.
In this way, he maintained that desire until he began to have contact with people over the age of 50 who were practicing. “Even so, I didn’t have the courage and thought about the judgment others would make of me,” she recalls.
Lu only realized his dream when he turned 60, when, as he says, “he had a shot”. “I’m going to do two things I want: a tattoo and learning ballet. I haven’t told my husband or my daughters. I created an Instagram profile, the @ balletaos60I felt empowered and started receiving so many messages of encouragement that I disarmed, ”she reveals.
Another point Lucilene works on is not to let hearing loss affect her understanding of teachers’ instructions. She also uses an auxiliary mini-bar to help her with movements that require lifting and keeping her legs straight.
He says he follows his own pace and advises anyone who has a dream not to be afraid to make it come true. “Have courage and don’t wait. I spent too much time worrying about people’s opinions and pulled back. I should have started much longer,” she says.
At 62, Leo Jaime says he doesn’t care about the criticism he gets for not fitting into the body of a seemingly standard dancer – and for being a man who likes ballet. “I don’t spend time on it and I worry about pleasing myself. Everyone should enjoy it in their own way and choose what makes you feel good, regardless of what the other thinks.”
How to dance healthily
Teacher Esmeralda Gazal, who has been teaching ballet for adults for ten years, brings some tips on how to practice dance in a healthy way and how it helps create better body awareness for daily activities. At 69 – 53 of them dedicated to dance and a decade as a dancer in the Corpo de Baile of the Municipal Theater of São Paulo -, she stresses that the start of classes should be done gradually, so that each student can organize their body and notice what that day is like. “We always start with natural positions, so that there is a warm-up and that allows you to perform the movements of the ballet.
Neuroradiologist Leonardo Stellati Garcia, who discovered ballet just over a year ago, explains that, being a physical activity, there is the risk of injuries and falls, but that they are minimized when dancing underneath. the supervision of a teacher or teacher who leads the student body within the limits of each. “The risks of ballet are low compared to the mental, social, emotional and fitness-enhancing benefits it brings.”
Esmeralda points out that the practice of ballet is also an excellent ally to keep the bone alignment updated. “We live in a period with a lot of time on the cell phone, on the computer, and this changes the organization of our body and spine. Dancing helps to keep our joints preserved so that we can perform daily movements with greater autonomy, without limitations. or pain. “
PRECAUTIONS FOR STARTING TO DANCE
- Always listen to the teacher’s guidelines and do a good stretch.
- Breathe carefully and steadily.
- Do not force yourself in the movements and use the support of your feet, legs and core to preserve the natural curves of the spine.
- Check the descents of the dance sequences and go at your own pace.
- Hydrate before, during and after class. Maintain a healthy diet and eat every three hours.
- Sleep well and at least eight hours a night.
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Source: Terra
Benjamin Smith is a fashion journalist and author at Gossipify, known for his coverage of the latest fashion trends and industry insights. He writes about clothing, shoes, accessories, and runway shows, providing in-depth analysis and unique perspectives. He’s respected for his ability to spot emerging designers and trends, and for providing practical fashion advice to readers.
