ST PAUL, Minn. — The hallmarks of ballet include good posture and elegance, and under the instruction of Jill Lile at the St. Paul Ballet’s “Boomer Ballet” class, those techniques are never too late to learn.

Twice a week, students who are 55 and older come to learn ballet, exercise and build camaraderie.

“We are realizing, since the pandemic, that we just have to keep moving,” St. Paul Ballet Executive Director Lori Gleason said. “That’s the secret to anti-aging.”

So came Boomer Ballet, which started a little more than a year ago.

“It’s funny, Jill called it that right off the bat,” Gleason said, referring to the name of the classes. “And then she said, ‘Oh, we can’t call it that, people won’t come.’ I said it’s exactly why we should call it that. It’s the most descriptive. People get it right away.”

That was actually the draw for Deb Pleasants. 

“I own being a boomer; I’m proud of being a boomer!” Pleasants said. “So, I think it’s a great name.”

Students from 55 to 85 years old attend the classes, which don’t require any prior ballet experience. Pleasants said she was nervous for her first class a year ago, but once she saw what it was like, she was hooked. She bought ballet shoes almost right away, deciding to come regularly.

“I’m learning how to move my body in ways that I either never knew how, or have forgotten and stuff,” Pleasants said. “Because when you’re younger, your body just moves automatically.”

In fact, the class focuses not on automatic movements, but intentional ones. It also gives an opportunity for folks to overcome first-impression fears, as it takes a lot of courage to walk into a classroom full of strangers and mirrors.

“There were people who were starting out just like me, so I didn’t feel as uncomfortable at that point,” Pleasants recalled. “I felt better knowing that other people were true beginners.”

And maybe the best thing about being a boomer?

“When you get older, you don’t care!” Gleason said. “The younger dancers are all worried about how they look, what their friends are thinking. Older dancers are like, ‘I am here for me.'”

Standing in first position before moving into second, a lot of newbies in the class seem to realize that the best position might be side by side. 

“Anyone who comes in, anyone who knows anything will help them,” Pleasants said. “Help them feel more comfortable. We all gather outside of class and talk to each other before it starts.”

“Just come and try it; just get lost in the music, enjoy people around you,” Gleason said. “It’s a new group of friends, a social group, you’re never too old to learn something new.”

Boomer Ballet classes happen at 11 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday. You can find the schedule here. To accommodate increasing demand, Gleason said they are working on adding another class in the new year. 

St. Paul Ballet is a nonprofit, so they are also fundraising for more instructors. If you’d like to help them out, or check out their upcoming production of the Nutcracker on Dec. 1, you can find information here.

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