@twins4heaven One thing about ballet is the skills you develop are very transferable. Balance, coordination, timing/musicality, grace/stage presence, mindfulness, concentration are all things you'll use in other athletic pursuits and also life. Additionally, dance is relatively safer; most dance injuries are the type that build up over time due to poor alignment or muscle function rather than acute type injuries.
One thing to watch for is that you do not force your external rotation! Ballet pretty much moves from external rotation (turn out), a range of motion that comes from your hips (medial glutes). It is very common for dancers to force extra rotation from their knees or ankles in order to achieve the look of perfect turnout. Do not do this, it will fuck up your body.
@twins4heaven So as someone who does aerial straps I'm biased, but maybe you should try straps (it's different than silks) if you can find a coach in your area. It's basis is essentially gymnastic ring movements but, being a performance art, is much more liberal in movements. It can be very dancey and flowy like Aerials silks or ballet but it's also much more upper body strength intensive.
@twins4heaven Commenting mainly to just say: Props!! I feel like I'm in a really small minority of men just by being interested in ballet. I also play frisbee (played club in college but now just play pickup), and I now mainly climb, but I've always thought that gymnasts and dancers have the most impressive body control. Do what makes you happy! I personally think that ballet/silks will offer more of a creative outlet but gymnastics will definitely allow you to do some badass stuff! Good luck either way
@twins4heaven Ballet will help you with all the little muscles and how to activate, coordinate, and MOST importantly help you transition from position to position, slow to fast, explosive to passive, and train your body to adapt quickly to movements foreign to you. A bit like cross training but for your brain to develop muscle memory quicker. It's the oldest foundation of movement in western culture, silks, hip hop (some like gliding and juking but not all in this genre), and gymnastics all come from this movement training.
@twins4heaven I know it's not on your list, but have you ever considered indoor rock climbing? I do aerials and climbing is excellent cross training. It might be more affordable too, a monthly membership instead of just a class. You can go as often and stay as long as you want.
@thulaniscool There isn't any classes for either of those whee I live but there great suggestions. I've done a bit of Parkour before and still do very casual.
@twins4heaven Ballet. You’re basically a post, and early 20’s isn’t too late. Depending on where you are in the U.S. there may be a serious shortage of males in the dance group.
This was my experience in college in the 90’s in Kentucky. Possibly things have changed.
@twins4heaven Shout-out to the gym I go to in Australia, called the movement collective we have classes ranging from dance, weightlifting, parkour and movement and stretch classes.
Not sure if there is anything similar where you live but might be worth looking around..
@emiawb That sounds like the perfect thing! I think there is similar stuff in the larger cities but small town NZ doesn't have that quite yet (or not that I've been able to find).
. Thank you.