t the first glimpse of lithe young bodies crowding the elevators and gambolling through the hallways – a flurry of pink leotards, ballet slippers and the occasional pair of hot pink crocs – there’s a true feeling of delight, of having tumbled down the rabbit hole to some enchanted otherworld, of time and place suspended. It’s this sense of safe haven, of being far removed from reality – the traffic, deadlines, BlackBerrys and pressure of their everyday lives, the adult students say, that draws them in. The energy is contagious. And once they start dancing, there are so many rewards on so many levels, there’s no turning back. Stepping up to the barre Some come to ballet just for the fun of it. Others, for ballet’s aesthetic appeal; its discipline, refinement and pure beauty. Many are attracted by the promise of good health, stronger bodies, better posture and less stress. For those who danced as children, it may be sheer nostalgia for the pink tights and tutus and easier times of childhood. One woman in her 50s, after a few classes and persistent flashbacks of stand-up pianos, girls in tights and hair in bobby pins, was so elated she tracked down a long lost childhood friend. “I’m taking ballet again!” she announced gleefully. “I had to call you. You’re the only one who’d understand.” At the National Ballet School (NBS) in Toronto, Canada’s internationally acclaimed school for professional dancers, and at other dance schools across the country, would-be ballerinas are lining up to take their positions at the barre. Since the popular NBS adult program launched in 1996, created, in part, to make dance accessible to the community, enrollment has surged from 60 to more than 700 students (there’s a waiting list to get in.) Primarily women, 18 to 70-plus, they come from all walks of life – bankers, brokers, lawyers, designers, teachers, students and health care workers – and share an eagerness to learn a new skill and a growing passion for dance. Beginners start with the basics at the barre and build at their own pace. “I truly believe dance enhances quality of life,” says Mavis Staines, Artistic Director and Co-Ceo, NBS. “The sense of well-being students experience is a result of connecting with every part of themselves – mind, body, heart, and soul – in ways that allow them the greatest sense of inner harmony and leave them feeling at home in themselves.” Not ‘old school’ ballet Known affectionately as ‘Ballet Bob’ to his legions of devoted students, Robert McCollum, 54, coordinator of the NBS adult ballet program and one of its 7 teachers, was trained in New York and danced professionally in both Canada and the U.S. At the heart of McCollum's approach is his belief in the ‘inner dancer’. “If you’re a good teacher, you know there’s a dancer inside everyone – and a lot of lovely movement potential. It’s our job to bring this out in a positive way,” he says thoughtfully. He coaches students on their own terms and delivers praise and correction with the same upbeat energy. “I don’t believe in the old ballet teaching style of torment and negativity. This is about empowerment.” His students respond with unabashed enthusiasm. One woman, ‘happily 60’, in a high-powered position, calls her Monday night ballet class ‘her saving grace’. “It’s the combination of Bob’s outrageous sense of humour, his attention and encouragement. He finds our strengths and builds on them,” she explains. “We have such hectic lives, combining intense professions with family and community commitments, that this is an hour where we have almost a perfect refuge, setting us up on a positive note for the rest of the week.

I feel marvellous, euphoric and graceful after every class. I literally float out the door at the end of it.” McCollum educates his students with theatrical flair. “Bob uses wonderful imagery to get the posture from us that he knows we have,” says Angela Pereira, 38, ballet student and president of First Line Kinesiologists Inc. in Toronto. “He gives us tips about the position of our heads, arms and shoulders, our pelvic stability and weight distribution between our feet when we’re doing different exercises. He helps create the good posture that carries over into everyday life.” “Ballet is about fine-tuning your brain and your body. Everything works in one orchestrated piece,” says McCollum. As they learn, students become more attuned to their bodies. “We tend to be a society of couch potatoes. With ballet, students find wonderful surprises, such as inner grace and more length. All of a sudden, students realize they’re walking down the street with a little more length in their bodies. They feel like they’re taller inside.” “The great thing about ballet, if it’s taught properly, is that you wake up from the tips of your toes to the top of your head,” says McCollum. Muscles get what he calls a ‘rich workout’, improving strength and tone without adding bulk. Mental stretches Ballet also gives the mind and memory a good workout. A study conducted in 2003 by Dr. Joseph Verghese at The Albert Einstein College of Medicine revealed that dance was the primary physical activity found to reduce the risk of dementia. Dancing improves overall physical health and boosts brain power due to the complex mental activity involved. While her brain is hard at work remembering the movements and matching them to the music, Pereira finds she’s surprisingly relaxed during class. She adds, “Part of the stress relief is that you can’t think about other things that have gone on in your day when you’re so challenged mentally and physically to learn a new skill, in a new environment, with live music. I thought it would be overwhelming but it’s the very opposite.” Having an accomplished pianist partner with a teacher is rare in most dance programs. Staines speaks of the privilege of having live music during classes at the NBS and the “joyousness at the end of the day. A bond is created when people work out together in an atmosphere that includes music and encourages a kind of spiritual exploration."  Not the final curtain There’s a wonderful childlike enthusiasm coming from dance classes across the country, and it’s not just from the children. The music plays and laughter abounds. Dance gets the creative juices flowing and releases happiness-inducing endorphins. Students leave with restored self-confidence, feeling refreshed and recharged. They’ll definitely be back.  H&L