My foot problems would not stop me from doing this.

[cjsmith]

Via matociquala: a stunning Chinese ballet/gymnastics routine.

Amazing. Stunning. WOW.

Oddly enough, one of the most uplifting things for me watching this performance is that my foot problems (which give me a lot of trouble walking) would not prevent me from doing what she did. Of course, there are a lot of OTHER reasons I couldn't do what she did! And my foot problems might prevent me from doing most of the training necessary. But being gimpy in the way I happen to be gimpy would not stop me from doing that routine if I had been able to do it before. What an odd feeling, to see a performance where that's the case.

Comments

[hnybny.livejournal.com]

The first half of the performance was badly filmed and you missed the effect of half the events. The last part with the toe/head balance was amazing!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

The fact that she can balance on the top of a guy's head AND TURN... that's mind-boggling.

[billeyler.livejournal.com]

Thanks for sharing that truly exceptional performance!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Isn't it just amazing? I'm told (by a ballet-knowledgeable friend-of-a-friend) she'll probably have trouble walking by the time she's 35. But hell, I had trouble walking when I got to age 35, and she's done something that just might be worth it!

[meep.livejournal.com]

I was going to say.... you do ballet/gymnastics? I know you only through lj, and I got confused. I'm very tired.

But I get your point.

Made me think of:
"Doctor, will I be able to play piano?"

"Sure!"

"Cool! I couldn't before!"

(or something to that effect from Troy McClure's commanding performance in "Stop the Planet of the Apes, I want to get off!" (or whatever))

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Exactly! :-)

"Sure!"

"Oh good - I was afraid I was going to have to take lessons!"

[kimatha.livejournal.com]

You can probably also do a lot of the funky arm balances here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu9Sq1RvuoA).

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Yeah, there are definitely a lot of strenuous yoga poses not limited by my feet. Downward Dog and Triangle are never going to happen, which means I'll never take a class, but for a long time I've thought of finding a teacher with a clue and doing some individual work.

[inflectionpoint.livejournal.com]

I don't know that I'd say a class is impossible.

A good teacher can set you up with modifications or give you alternate sequences to do when people are doing Down Dog, Triangle, or other things that Just Aren't Gonna Happen. Ask the teacher, you might be able to get a class that works. Altho individual work... oh, that's my dream to be able to get some of that.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I should be more specific and say I shouldn't take a class with a bad teacher. Individual work would be really nice. When I retire I hope to have both the time and the money, concurrently. Where's that winning lottery ticket?

yoga modifications

[moriamerri.livejournal.com]

I (sometimes) go to a yoga class with a teacher who I think would be
good at individual stuff of this sort. I know she talks to people
after class sometimes about poses for specific problems, and she
generally seems really open about modifications. She also teaches
restorative yoga (mostly sitting????) and was once a nurse. I like
her teaching style a lot. (Let me know if more info is of use)

--Moria

[mama-hogswatch.livejournal.com]

I don't know the exact nature of your foot problems, but I will say that young woman spent some months with bloody feet to learn to perform with such exquisite artistry and precision.

I studied ballet for ten years, though never, ever one percent as good as that!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Describing it as thumbtacks stuck into the sole behind my third and fourth toes pretty much gets the limitations across. (I haven't the foggiest what it really is. I've had several diagnoses per year since it started.)

Yep, I'm sure she had a hell of a road. I studied ballet for a couple of years and dropped it. I may have had the better bargain... but man, she's good.

[aliceinfinland.livejournal.com]

That was amazing.

You could also do the parallel bars routines of Olympic gymnasts and the ring routines of male gymnasts, so long as you had a non-vaulting way of getting up there in the first place and down again.