Studio Architanz is a large ballet studio in Tokyo offering a range of classes from beginner ballet, to advanced pointe, to contemporary classes. During my short trip to Tokyo, I had the pleasure of attending a Sunday free level ballet class. I went in expecting a chill 1.5 hour class and came out too stunned to speak.
Coming in around ten minutes early, I realized I was already late. Most people had already arrived and were warming up when I peeked through the window. At the same time, I was immediately impressed by the size of the classroom: it could have been the same size as a professional stage! A full grand Yamaha piano also casually sat in the corner which was surprising as the class was only a humble 150 RMB for 1.5 hours.
When I first entered the room, I smiled awkwardly trying to find a spot in the room. I eventually settled on a side barre in the corner of the room thinking it would be less stressful there.
Ohhh how wrong I was…
Not long after, our teacher started the class. She had the brightest beaming smile that could be felt intensely even from my little corner. Her eyes and voice were full of passion and excitement which made sense as she used to work in a Balanchine (a style of ballet known for it’s fast and upbeat choreography) company.
During the first combination of pliés, meaning “bend” in English, I felt extremely connected to the music as a person who loves dance and piano. I distinctly remember the pianist playing the first Goldberg variation by Bach. There was nothing to say about it other than it was beautiful. The music blended with the teacher’s soothing voice, reminding us to express ourselves. At that point, my self-esteem had not been utterly crushed. Not yet…
As we transitioned into faster combinations, my brain began entering confusion territory. The combinations became long and fast. Even though they weren’t hard, they were easy to mess up. This was surprising as it was a “free level” class, meaning that it was a class designed for all levels.
Hence, the music slowly slipped away from my mind as I constantly thought about holding on to my core and supporting leg to get through the millions of fast jetes (a movement where the foot brushes off the floor) that we did. Remember when I mentioned how I thought the corner would be less stressful? Well, at that point, I realized that I may have surrounded myself with 4 professional dancers. Each of them barely made any mistakes. Despite the stress though, the work ethic and professionalism of the Japanese dancers around me were a source of motivation and inspiration.
When we finished with barre and moved into combinations in the center, that was when the real magic happened. I was absolutely floored by the passion and dedication that filled the room. Even if he or she did not know the combination, even if he or she didn’t know how to do a move, even if he or she was standing on the edge of the 5th row, everyone in that room tried their best and danced with confidence.
I remember distinctly that there was a girl around the age of 12 with short hair. She wore a headband, t-shirt and no ballet attire. In terms of technique, she was definitely a beginner. Yet, she was an amazing dancer. She stood near the front, dancing each combination with a sweet smile filled with excitement. It was as if confidence shot out of her fingertips when she jumped. It almost made me forget that she was wearing a t-shirt and a headband rather than a tutu and a tiara.
On the other hand, what was equally impressive was the amount of senior dancers. There were at least 3 or 4 dancers aged 60 and above attempting some of the most challenging turns and jumps in ballet, such as fouettés and brisés. My jaws may have unconsciously dropped a couple of times.
Yet, in addition to excellent technique, you could also see personality and vitality through their movements and their eyes. Their movements weren’t just movements, they told stories and conveyed emotions. It shows that they truly understand the beauty of ballet and the purpose of dance.
Overall, I can say this was a truly eye-opening experience. I think that no matter who you are, dancer or not, it’s important to step out of your everyday routine and meet new people. Life in today’s society can be complex and busy, sucking you into your own bubble. It’s experiences like this that allow you to take a step back and marvel at the vastness and the wonders of this world.