Every body is a dancing body
Ballet is for every body
Ballet has no limits at Charles Haislah’s adult ballet class, offered every Monday and Wednesday for all skill levels.
Shiloh Murphy-Burns is no beginner to ballet. The 14-year-old Syracuse local has been dancing since she was three years old and practices four times a week, including in Charles Haislah’s adult ballet class.
Held every Monday and Wednesday at the Community Folk Art Center (CFAC), Haislah instructs an adult ballet class from 6:30-7:30 p.m, welcoming all levels and techniques – from beginner to advanced. Haislah is there to pinpoint everyone’s needs.
After completing training at the San Francisco Ballet School, Haislah went on to dance at many distinguished companies in Europe and is now the founder and director of DanceLAB, a program of the Creative Arts Academy at CFAC. He dedicates his time teaching ballet to all his “kids,” with Murphy-Burns seeing the improvement first-hand from her established mentor.
“It’s really amazing, he danced all over the world,” said Murphy-Burns. “I like listening to all his stories, and he knows a lot about everything. Since I’ve started here, my general technique has shifted and improved, and I haven’t seen it improve like that over my years as it has in three months.”
The Wednesday class this week consisted of just her and her magenta leotard. Haislah used this allotted time to work on her pointe skills. The studio echoed with calm critiques and constant humor, creating a safe and warm environment.
Some days it’s only Burns, while on other days the room is full. Nevertheless, Haislah emphasizes that his adult classes are his favorite to teach.
“Ballet is kind of intimidating, and offering this to adults lets people come in and learn at their own pace. There’s no pressure. You get different levels and different motivations,” said Haislah. “Have fun with it! That’s the whole idea. You aren’t coming in here to be a prima ballerina, you’re coming in to learn something new and have fun.”
From retired baseball players and young models to 80-year-olds and rock climbers, there’s a wide range of students Haislah has seen come into his studio. The new and interesting people who come make this class stand out to Haislah.
Although Murphy-Burns is a more advanced dancer, taking classes with different people has benefits.
“The adult classes give me a chance to meet new people and dance with new people, which is a different experience,” she said. “You learn more about yourself and even your dance skills.”
The adult classes have no set structure, but instead are built around what the dancer needs. In the Wednesday class, Murphy-Burns needed instruction on her pointe, but if a beginner walked in, Haislah would start with the basics: pliés. Haislah said the fun of the adult classes is “the freedom.”
“Every body is a dancing body,” said Haislah, enthusiastically throwing his hands up in the air. “Don’t cheat yourself out of having a good time.”
To learn more about registering for Haislah’s class at the Community Folk Art Center click here. Classes are held every Monday and Wednesday for $10.
is a digital producer for The NewsHouse.