We Tried It: Beginning Ballet for Adults

Despite a childhood filled with gymnastics, cheerleading and tumbling, I found myself at 21 years old with no rhythm. When I took ballet in college, I was admittedly (and awkwardly) one of the worst in the class. Hoping to change that and connect with my inner ballerina, I signed up for an adult class at Queen Emma Ballet. 

The studio, on the second floor of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, offers two drop-in options for new and up-and-coming ballerinas: a monthly course for absolute beginners and a weekly one for students with minimal training. I enrolled in the latter. 

Photo: Diana Braghis

When I arrived, students in their mid 20s to late 40s were slipping on ballet slippers. Some wore leotards and tights, others gym attire. Of the 10 of us, I was the youngest.  

Our instructor led us through a series of pliés, tendus, dégagés and frappés, demonstrating each combination before doing it with us. Dance experience or not, we were all able to follow. Then came floor work: arabesques, pas de chats and spotting drills. Students went two at a time and, much to my relief, those who had been taking classes consistently volunteered to go first. 

Class ended with me stumbling through pirouettes. Hopefully I wasn’t the only one—I was so focused on my own technique I didn’t notice what anyone else was doing. Since then, I’ve returned every weekend. While I might not be performing in Swan Lake anytime soon, my inner Odette has been unleashed. 

Beginner courses every Sunday at 2:15 p.m. ($21/class), St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 1317 Queen Emma St., Downtown, (808) 735-6553, queenemmaballet.com, @queenemmaballet

SEE ALSO: We Tried It: Spending an Hour in a Sensory Deprivation Tank

Other studios offering ballet for adults: 

Ballet Hawai‘i 

Mulitple locations
(808) 521-8600
ballethawaii.org, @ballethawaii 

Ballet Révérence 

1260 Young St., Makiki
(808) 758-4742
balletreverence.com, @balletreverencehawaii 

Hawai‘i State Ballet 

930 McCully St., #205A, McCully-Mō‘ili‘ili
(808) 947-2755
hawaiistateballet.com, @hawaiistateballet 

Honolulu Dance Studio 

1030 Queen St., #2A, Kaka‘ako
(808) 699-4199 (text only)
honoluludanceco.com, @honoluludancestudio 

Page Academy of Dance 

3478 Wai‘alae Ave., Kaimukī
(808) 222-6642
pageacademyofdance.com 

Annabelle Ink is HONOLULU Magazine’s Society of Professional Journalists intern for the summer of 2025. She majors in English at Pomona College.