Vanessa Martin has loved ballet ever since she was a little girl but her parents couldn’t afford to send her to lessons.
But, over four decades later, she realised her childhood dream when she joined an adult ballet class at the Mary Robson School of Ballet in North East Fife.
Now the 62-year-old, who lives in Wormit, is a member of a graceful group of Silver Swans who refuse to let age prevent them from doing an activity they really enjoy.
“I have been coming along to an adult ballet class for over 20 years now and I still really enjoy it!
“It is really nice to have something for older dancers,” she said.
And on October 1, the group of eight ladies are set to celebrate the Silver Swans in style by taking part in a national event in London – at the Royal Academy of Dance headquarters.
What are Silver Swans?
Silver Swans is the name given to beginners and older learners, aged 50 years of age and upwards, who want to do ballet.
The initiative was developed by the Royal Academy of Dance six years ago to encourage adults of all ages and abilities to take part in ballet classes.
In Wormit, North East Fife, a Silver Swans beginners ballet class is held on Thursday afternoon and for adults with ballet experience an adult class is held on Wednesday evening.
The classes are taught as part of a local ballet school run by teacher Mary Robson.
Why did Vanessa decide to learn ballet in her 40s?
I went along on a Wednesday night to meet the Fife ladies who were busy rehearsing their performance for the London trip at their regular venue – in a hall behind Wormit Parish Church in Riverside Road.
During a break in the session, I had a chat with Vanessa to find out more about why she joined the Silver Swans.
I was struck not only by how elegant she appeared in her blue costume, but by how young she looked too.
She beamed when she started talking about ballet and explained why she decided to take it up later in life.
“When I was around six or seven years old I would have loved to have gone to ballet lessons but there just wasn’t the money for that at home,” she said.
“My two daughters, Rhiannon, 27 and Alayna, 23, have done ballet from a young age and completed all their grades with Mary.
“And to their huge embarrassment, I joined in!
“I had never had the chance to do ballet and after seeing my daughters do it, I thought why not? It is something I have always wanted to do.
“In Mary’s adult classes there are around 30 or 40 women and it’s very relaxed.
“The classes are a safe, enjoyable space and you are made to feel very welcome.”
What health benefits has Vanessa gained from attending Silver Swans ballet?
Just by watching Vanessa, and the other ladies perfecting their art form, it was clear how classical dance agreed with them – they all looked younger than their years.
They moved with such ease as they glided across the hall floor.
And I was fascinated to find out what other health benefits they had gained from learning ballet.
“The ballet has helped a lot with my flexibility,” Vanessa explained.
“The other great thing about the ballet classes is that your are always working your brain.
“You are always using it to remember the little phrases and the steps.
“With everything you hear about dementia, it is so important to keep your mind and your body active.”
Ballet provides ‘escapism’
Vanessa said joining the Silver Swans has given her the chance to meet new people and create new friendships.
And I could tell just by watching how they interacted with one another, that they were clearly a close-knit group.
“It’s a bit of escapism,” Vanessa said.
“It’s nice to get dressed up for performances and we also go out as a group socially from time to time.
“We go to ballets and we go to the cinemas in Dundee to watch performances – quite often we are the biggest group in the cinema!
“We also like to go to coffee shops too so after our class on a Thursday afternoon we go and undo everything we have just done by eating cake!
How ballet helped Vanessa’s youngest daughter
In a poignant moment, Vanessa also revealed how attending ballet helped her youngest daughter Alayna, 23, when she became ill as a teenager.
“Not only did ballet help my daughters with their flexibility but my youngest daughter was quite ill when she was 16 years old. She had a stroke.
“But it was ballet which helped to re-establish the neural pathways in her brain.
“She had to learn to walk again and it took around three or four months.
“Mary came over quite a lot to our house to help her with her basic movements to help her brain learn them again.
“It was amazing.
“Now she is studying medicine in Edinburgh to become a doctor,” Vanessa said proudly.
Vanessa, who is semi-retired and is self-employed as a learning development consultant, added: “It’s been great to get a second chance to do something I love and just having the confidence to say, why not?”
‘I love coming to ballet classes’
Another Silver Swan is retired physics teacher Shona Macleod, 65, from Tayport. She has been coming to adult ballet classes for two decades.
She told me why she loves being part of the Silver Swans and impressively, Shona even showed me how she can touch her toes.
I was in awe of how flexible she was – probably even more so than me and she was 20 years older!
“I love coming to the classes and we all get on really well.
“It’s also good exercise for my feet as well as my brain and it keeps me supple.”
She added: “I am really excited about going to London.”
‘It’s never too late to learn’
Meanwhile, Anne Whittaker, 60, from Tayport has been attending for the past ten years.
The communications support worker for British Sign Language, who also teaches piano and clarinet, told me how much she loves the music, the dancing and the friendship the Silver Swans offer.
“And if you have any problems or any worries when you come to a class, you instantly forget about them and you just think about ballet,” Anne said.
“I think older ladies can sort of disappear when you get to a certain age.
“It’s a bit like you don’t exist anymore.
“But this show you can still do things and just because you get older, life doesn’t finish.
“I would recommend anyone do ballet – it’s never too late to learn.”
Dedicated Silver Swans in Fife
I could tell just by talking to Mary Robson that she is passionate about ballet.
And incredibly, it has been a passion she has enjoyed her whole life.
Mary explained that she started learning ballet at the age of three.
Yet what surprised me the most was her age – she is 67 – but to me, she seemed so much younger!
Perhaps it is because she has spent her life doing something she loves – and teaching it to others.
Mary has been running her ballet school in Wormit for children and adults for over 30 years.
Mary revealed she completed an online course during the first lockdown to become a Silver Swans licensee and later launched classes when Covid restrictions eased.
She said: “The Silver Swans are fantastic – they are just so enthusiastic and dedicated.
“They will give up anything else to come to ballet.
“And some of them will come two or three times a week to my classes.
“There are so many benefits to older people learning ballet – improved physicality, flexibility, stamina, co-ordination. There are also social benefits.
“I really think it is the number one thing to ward off dementia simply because you are using your brain so much.
“You are having to think fast as well as using your brain to listen, co-ordinate and to physically do the steps.”
Silver Swans celebration in London
Mary explained there are 24 Silver Swan groups from across the UK going to London.
And the ladies from Wormit were selected to be one of them after receiving an invite earlier in the summer.
The ladies will be going for three days and will have the chance to take part in workshops, a ballet class at the Royal Academy of Dance headquarters as well as the Silver Swans celebration itself on October 1.
For the celebration event, Mary said her Silver Swans have been rehearsing one of their favourite dance performances called Amelie.
Mary said: “It’s a great event to be part of and we are all just so excited to be going to London.
“I am so proud of them and it is just so wonderful to see what they can do.”
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