Women
Exploring The Gains Of Ballet Dance …For Kids & Adults
Kids in a ballet session
When a child expresses
interest in dance, then enrolling her in a ballet class is no less a noble idea. For children between the ages of four and fourteen, appropriate ballet instruction can be very beneficial.
Like all dance forms, ballet is very instrumental in promoting physical strength and agility as it has also the capability of boosting concentration, understanding of music and rhythm as well as generate a love of movement.
Although ballet is physically intense, Rebecca Lake of Livestrong.com cities of Colorado School of Dance website says ballet has what it takes to improve muscular strength, flexibility and range of motion.
As children start ballet dance early in life, experts say there is every assurance of improved body awareness and physical self control.
A combination of jumping and leaping becomes an added advantage as increased heart rate can improve endurance, stamina and overall cardiovascular health.
It has become common of late to have schools, especially the private primary and Secondary Schools, showcase pupils and students who display some levels of mastering in ballet dance as part of ceremonial activities.
This is not without the understanding that ballet can help to improve children’s mental and emotional health.
Apart from the afore-mentioned, as more and more children and teenagers pick and indicate interest in ballet, regular classical ballet training instills in them a sense of pride and accomplishment which boosts self exteem. Brighton Ballet Theatre website asserts it also opines that as children improve and master more challenging movement, combination, they feel more self-assured which can spill over into other areas of their life.
Now I understand why the choice of this dance as a worthy hubby. Dance training no doubt, can also be a great way to relax and use excess energy, productively after School, even as it also boosts coordination and balance while correcting poor alignment.
Somehow, the social content of this all-significant body movement cannot be down played under the guise of ignorance. Experience has shown that regular practice of the ballet dance can help children to make new acquaintance, overcome shyness and awkwandness in social situation, while reducing the fears associated with being in a group performing before distinquished audience. This is corroborated in the claims of the National Dance Education organisation as cited by Rebecca Lake that “ballet and other dance forms help foster teamwork, communication, trust and cooperation.
For adults whose desire favours longer and leaner muscles, Rebecca wirtes that a ballet class might have more appeal than the local gym.She advises that irrespective of the initial difficulties, with time, ballet can help to improve one’s fitness profile, which extended impact could be felt on the soccer field, running track, hockey rink and tacqet ball.
Ballet exercises boost strength throughout your body, from the small intrinsic muscles of the feet to the larger muscles of the back, glutes and calves. Classical ballet technique involves rising unto the balls of the feet or toes, turning out the leg at the hip socket and sustaining high leg extentions to the front, side and back.
According to Rebecca, constant repetition of these exercises builds considerable strength in specific area, most notably in the hip, lower leg, ankle and foot.
However, of all the strength stories of ballet dance, training alone isn’t sufficient to protect participants from injury,
The need to attend pilates classes and engage in other muscle building activities to beef up upper torso, core and upper leg strength is imperative.
Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi
IVY-K Fashion by Igiebor Daddy Lucky, a Nigerian-born designer now based in the UK, has launched the latest menswear line, Dapper Man.
One of the collection’s strengths is its classic, clean aesthetic. Dapper Man delivers sharp, structured suits in a timeless black and white color scheme that exudes a sense of luxury and professionalism. The use of high-quality fabrics like wool and silk ensures that the suits not only look high-end but also feel luxurious to the wearer. The designer’s focus on detail is evident in the meticulous tailoring, with fitted blazers and crisp trousers forming the foundation of the collection.
Where IVY-K Fashion shines is in the subtle yet elegant touches. The inclusion of beads as embellishments on lapels and cuffs adds a unique flair, blending traditional craft with modern tailoring. This nod to African heritage gives the collection a distinct identity, offering something more personal and culturally significant than your standard menswear line.
However, despite the elegance of the Dapper Man collection, there is a lingering sense of missed opportunity. The black-and-white color palette, while classic, feels overly safe. In a fashion landscape where bold colors and daring patterns often make the strongest impact, the collection could benefit from incorporating more vibrant hues or experimenting with unconventional fabrics. Pushing the envelope with color or texture could elevate these designs from simply elegant to truly memorable.
In addition, while the tailoring of the blazers and trousers is immaculate, the collection lacks a sense of playfulness or modern edge that many contemporary menswear lines are embracing. The suits are undoubtedly stylish, but the collection as a whole leans heavily on tradition. Experimenting with asymmetrical cuts, bold patterns, or even layering could add an exciting dimension to Dapper Man. The challenge is to maintain the sleek sophistication of the collection while infusing it with a fresh, innovative spirit.
Another area that could use improvement is the overall cohesion of the collection. While the suits are well-crafted, there is a feeling of repetition across the pieces. More variation in design, such as different lapel styles, pocket configurations, or even bolder accessories, would give the collection greater diversity and visual interest.
In conclusion, Dapper Man by Igiebor Daddy Lucky showcases the designer’s strong grasp of classic tailoring and elegant design, but to truly capture the attention of a broader audience, IVY-K Fashion would benefit from more daring choices. By infusing the collection with bold colors, unexpected textures, and a more modern edge, Dapper Man could move from a well-crafted line to a trendsetting force in men’s fashion. With such a solid foundation, there’s no doubt that Igiebor Daddy Lucky has the potential to lead his brand toward greater heights
The trend of indecent dressing all in the name of fashion is fast becoming a norm in our generation and society at large. Most married women embrace this fashion as competition with single ladies.
Different scholars have given an in depth insight about dressing as a tool of communication. Non-verbal communication has been asserted as the communication between people by the means of signs or symbols. It conveys what we wish to disseminate to the public as either intentionally or not.
According to Paul Ekman and Michael Argyle, communication is carried out through what has been classified as “Presentational Code”. He listed nine codes of non-verbal communication, as body contact, facial expression, gestures, postures, eye movement, proximity, orientation, head nods and appearance.
This, being stated, married and single ladies should understand that their mode of dressing is communicative be it directly or indirectly as such body parts we call “private” are now being made public because of the trends or wearing of transparent dresses and this in turn calls on the attention of men who are weak and prone to illicit thoughts thus, resulting to most rape cases in our society.
This indecent dressing by most ladies has denied many their future husbands. The truth is that a man is attracted to his kind; his desires in marriage. It is often asserted that decency and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder, yet, in trending times of this 21st century, dress code and fashion in nudity form is gaining popularity.
This has become complicated as most men tend to toggle between their emotions (lust) and sanity (rationality) in terms of marriage, thereby setting a wrong foundation upon which most marriages are consummated.
On the other hand, most married women have embraced the trend of indecent dressing nipping it on the state of it being the choice dressing, approved by their spouses, leaving society with the question of what “responsible” man would prefer that the secrecy of the benefit of his marital vow has become the centre of attraction and viewership by the general public.
Hence, communicating with their dressing gas given licence to every male gender who is interested or attracted to what they see to make unsolicited sexual passes at them, which might be considered embarrassing.
At this juncture, it is important to state that ladies should dress decently knowing that they are the epitome of nation-building, they are nation-builders, character moulders and pacesetters not just in the lives of their families but to the society at large.
In most occasions, there are no clear border lines between the married women and the single ladies because of the rate of scanty dressing which has close the gap of differences.
Women and girls should embrace this call awakening to decent mode of dressing. Dresses that are meant to be worn indoors should remain indoors.
It is worrisome to see ladies wear shorts that are supposed to be worn in the living room on the streets without shame. This is an awakening call to our ladies, married and singles that the opposite sex do not expose their private body parts for the public. Sometimes, the ladies go about in the streets without wearing brazziers as to showcase their nipples.
The society should be sanitised of the menace of indecent dressing that is lurking and taking over the entire nooks and crannies of the society and the nation at large.
Let it be known that he or she is addressed in the manner he or she is dressed. There may be no room for a second impression. To the single ladies, your dressing decently will not stop you from meeting your Mr Right rather, it will increase your stake and place you on the list of most valued women in the society.
Dressing speaks louder than words.
Kate Chisom Isiocha
Isiocha is an OND final year student of Temple Gate Polytechnic.
