Expert: Connie - 3/24/2009

Question
I have heard that ballet is 50% mental.  I have looked up training the mind, now I was wondering:  What aspects does mental training help in?

Answer
Everything, sports, ballet, working out, has a mental aspect to it.  With ballet, physical ability is very important, but how your mind works during class has a huge impact on what your body will do.  First of all, the mind must be present through all of class.  Paying attention to the combinations is very important.  You must comprehend what you are being asked to do and wrap your mind around the logistics of new steps.  Also, the mind is what determines whether you'll make it though a taxing exercise.  If you mentally believe that you can make it then you'll have the ability to tough it out, regardless of if you're out of breath or if you're calves are burning.  I guess what I'm saying is that positive thinking can have a huge impact on ballet.  Also, the way you think of something is very important.  For example, everyone thinks of pirouettes differently.  Some people concentrate on pushing off of their back foot, while others think about their arms.  If you forget to think of these things or let your mind wander you will not be able to execute the pirouette correctly.