By Duyen Cao
Mature ballet students have shown that you’re never too old to plié in their Silver Swans ballet classes.
Marilyn Culpitt, Principal at the Ascot School of Dance, said that she began teaching Silver Swan classes after the grandmother of one of her students asked for ballet lessons.
“I was busy teaching the children, so I hadn’t thought about starting adult lessons. But she asked me if I would, and that was five and a half years ago,” she said.
“She’s 87 now. And one of my other students is 91.
“We do warm-ups, work at the bar, and combinations… But it’s tailored to the individual. You don’t have to have any experience.”
Ms Culpitt said that the Silver Swans is an initiative by the Royal Dance Academy of Australia to provide ballet classes to learners over 55 and at various levels of mobility.
“There’s been very well documented benefits of doing ballet. It improves balance, strength, and increases cognitive ability,” she said.
“After classes the ladies will go have coffee. It’s not only the physical and mental, but there’s also that social interaction.”
The dance school is holding an open day at Hamilton Town Hall on September 27 to celebrate International Older Person’s Day, where prospective students can watch or join a Silver Swans class and ask questions.
Find out more at ascotschoolofdance.com/silver-swans
