Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Tough to go back . . .

I went to ballet today, only the second time since our trip to Cleveland and the 4th of July break (2 weeks off). I almost didn't go.

You know how it is when you haven't done something in a while. You think you're not going to be able to manage it, and somehow a sedentary day seems kind of appealing. . .

But I dragged myself over there, and it was good.

There's something very . . . good about doing ballet. Of course it's also exhausting and difficult. But the stretches are gentle and progressive, the combination exercises flow (even the allegros and jumps), and it's great to move to music.

This is very much different from TKD, where sometimes I feel like we stretch too hard, too fast. And those punches and kicks--such violent movements are hard on the joints. Sometimes when we do our kim ja sae jong dan kong keok (horse stance middle punch), which is the first movement of class, I can just feel my shoulder and elbow joints slamming out as I throw that punch. Ouch!

So ballet was good. It was warm in the studio, and I was able to do a passable right-leg-forward splits. Actually I did it Monday at TKD, well enough that Kevin, next to me, said "show off." I was just glad Master Hughes also saw!

(I must say that I was the only one able to manage it in the back 2 rows. I couldn't see the front row with the black belts.) (I sound like a show-off, don't I?)

In ballet, Suki, my usual teacher is back, and we did all the familiar stuff. Though I certainly wasn't in peak form, I could manage OK. And I was glad I got myself over there.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't you love that feeling . . .
On a day when you're at your most couch-potato-iest, but by sheer will or guilt or routine, you make yourself go workout . . . it makes you feel so good (mentally more than physically) afterward.
Kicker Chick

Miss Chris said...

That's great, and I say brag all you want! I haven't been that flexible since I was a kid.

cim said...

As much as I enjoy tae kwan do, there are things that dance class offers which I really miss. Two you mentioned . . the flow and the union of movement and music. Another thing I miss is the use of metaphors to convey the essence of the movement. My favorite modern dance teachers have been so adept at that while my tae kwan instructors are much more literal. As a result, I don't feel as creative or mindful after a tae kwan do class as I do after a good dance class.