Morning, Noon, and Night: When To Go To Ballet Class

When do you go to class? Perhaps your flexible schedule has allowed you to try different class times. If not, consider the pros and cons of going to ballet class at key times of the day.

Morning

Pros: If you’re a morning person and you don’t have to jet off to work immediately, you can take advantage of your high energy levels by attending a morning class. You want to enjoy class when you’re most alert, rather than drag through it. Also, if you’re looking for opportunities to meet new people and socialize, morning classes have surprisingly high enrollment; parents have a window of time to themselves after dropping their kids off at school, and college students will often take class before they have to be back on campus.

Cons: If you struggle to get going in the morning, the rigors of class may be too much on your nerves. Some students have learned the hard way that their digestion and blood sugar levels are tenuous this early in the day, leaving them feeling nauseous and excessively fatigued. If you find this to be the case, consider going later in the day after you’ve eaten a balanced meal and given your body a chance to warm up sufficiently.

Afternoon

Pros: Teachers appreciate interest in afternoon classes. These tend to be sparse due to school letting out and the fact that most adults are still at work. If your schedule permits, support your local afternoon adult class. You may even receive more personalized attention and corrections.

Cons: If the idea of a small class makes you uneasy, this time slot may not be the best fit for you. Some students prefer to blend in with the crowd and go unnoticed, while others crave the hustle and bustle of a large group. Low attendance can be a bummer if you’re looking for a thriving class. Teachers and staff will often request that you spread the word to try to generate more interest. While this has been known to work, you won’t typically see results very fast. It can take months, even years, for a class to gain momentum and popularity. In the meantime, do you crash in the afternoon? Do you need caffeine to get through the rest of the day? While it may seem like a good idea to toss back a double shot before class, this temporary solution can actually mess with your performance level and leave you feeling even more drained after class.

Night

Pros: Do you come alive in the evening? Students who reach their optimum at night do well to slip into their leotard after the sun goes down. Night classes are by far the most popular option among adult students. Night owls, exhausted office workers, and hardcore advanced students have the opportunity to put the responsibilities of the day aside and do what they love. A busy night class can be very inspiring to the student who longs for a stimulating learning experience.

Cons: Dance schools can get pretty hectic after 5 p.m. If your goal is to relax after a hard day at work, you may want to hit the spa instead of the studio. Parking is a beast during rush hour, the lobby is abuzz with grade school students, and night teachers can be surprisingly just as perky as morning staff, if not more so. Also, the temperature tends to drop at night. Students who suffer from arthritis or other aches may struggle to adapt to the nighttime atmosphere. Wearing extra layers like sweaters and leg warmers would be wise.

What time do you go to class?

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