When Ballet Feels Too Hard: Advice for Adult Dancers Who Keep Showing Up

Adult ballet is rewarding, but it’s not always easy. Sometimes, even when you show up, focus, and work hard in class, you leave feeling frustrated, defeated, or stuck on a correction that just won’t click. If you’ve ever had a rough class, felt like you’re not improving, or cried on the drive home, you are not alone. In fact, I recorded an entire podcast episode after a good long cry last week — you can listen here:

When a Correction Feels Impossible

It’s common for adult ballet dancers to get stuck on a repeated correction. For example (my personal correction that never goes away) “Straighten your leg.”

Whether it’s during tendus, adagio, or pirouettes, the same correction can appear everywhere, leaving you wondering if you’re actually getting worse despite your hard work.

This can trigger a cycle of frustration, shame, and self-doubt — that inner voice telling you, “Why can’t I get this right? Shouldn’t I be better by now?” It’s a tough emotional loop, but it’s so normal in the adult ballet journey.

Why Ballet Can Feel Especially Challenging

Ballet comes with unique challenges for adults, like:

Limited time for extra practice outside of class

Physical limitations, anatomical challenges, or long-standing habits

High expectations from ourselves and instructors

The constant pursuit of precision, control, and artistry

... Just to name a few 😂 Ballet is intensely critical (more so than most sports or art forms). You spend hours in front of the mirror, receiving corrections while striving for aesthetic perfection. Some days, that's just too much to ask of yourself — and that’s okay.

How to Process Frustration and Keep Moving Forward

When class leaves you discouraged, here’s what helps:

1. View Corrections as Opportunities

Corrections aren’t punishments or a personal attack (unless you have a toxic teacher). But assuming your teacher is respectful, corrections are a sign that your teacher sees potential for growth. If they didn’t believe you could improve, they wouldn’t keep repeating them.

2. Accept Slow Progress

Some corrections take months or even years to fully implement — especially corrections that require fixing habits we’ve carried for years, or that fight with our natural anatomy. Your girl has thick thighs, and hyper-extension (and like not the kind that looks good, just enough to make life harder) — and those two things are not the best combo for straight legs in fifth position. But slow progress doesn’t mean nothing is happening. It just means the progress is smaller and harder to see from day-to-day

3. Allow Yourself to Feel Frustrated

Ballet is emotionally demanding. Feeling upset or overwhelmed is normal. Crying, venting, or taking a pause doesn’t mean failure — it’s part of the journey.

4. Be Patient With Your Practice

💕 Give yourself permission to let corrections unfold over time.

💕 Trust that the work you do in class matters, even without extra practice hours.

💕 Avoid forcing practice when you’re emotionally drained; rest can be more productive than pushing.

5. Celebrate Small Wins

💕 Keep a ballet journal with compliments alongside corrections.

💕 Watch old videos to see how far you’ve come — progress is visible in hindsight, even if emotions say otherwise.

6. Remember Your Identity Beyond Ballet

Your worth is not defined by your technique. You are human first, dancer second, and that mindset protects your joy. Ballet is a gift — embrace it as such, rather than letting it become a source of stress.

Key Takeaways...

If you leave class feeling defeated:

💕 Step back, breathe, and remind yourself that slow improvement is real.

💕 Focus on the corrections you can manage without adding extra pressure.

💕 Track progress through journaling or videos.

💕 Give yourself grace — frustration is part of growth.

Adult ballet isn’t about perfection; it’s about resilience, joy, and showing up for yourself. Difficult days connect us, reminding us why we love the art form despite its challenges.

You Are Not Alone

Many adult dancers experience the same struggles — repeated corrections, slow progress, and the emotional rollercoaster of class. Remember: you are exactly where you’re supposed to be in your ballet journey. Keep showing up, trust the process, and honor the progress you’re making, even on the hard days. You'll find you way back to joy in the studio, I promise!

xx, Hannah (a fellow dancer who has cried after class) 🫶🏼