Ballet and Pilates classes open to all

Think back to your younger years. Did you ever get the joy of taking dance lessons yourself? If you didn’t, has it ever been your dream? For those that did, it’s still a memory and an experience they’ll never forget. If you didn’t, it’s not too late. You now have an opportunity.

Dancing comes in many different styles, but one of the more traditional forms is ballet. Many ballet dancers start learning at a young age.

Jaclyn Betham, a professional ballet dancer, has wanted to share her passion for ballet with the young talents who live in our community.

“I started doing ballet at 13 years old and fell in love with it,” Betham said. “I was accepted into the San Jose Ballet. Then, at 15 years old, I auditioned for Houston Ballet. I was accepted and moved away from home at 15. That really launched my career.”

Starting a career at 15 years old is rare but Betham was lucky enough to get the opportunity to do what she loves. She stayed in Houston until she was 18, then moved back home and returned to the San Jose Dance Ballet where she started teaching at 19 years old.

“When I was 15, I was training four to five hours a day,“ said Betham. “I was training every day and wanted to excel as fast as I could. Just like with anything, when you want to get to that level of advancement, you have to put the time into it. I had amazing mentors and I was so grateful for that opportunity. Leaving home that young was hard.”

Her entire adult life, Betham has danced with multiple ballet companies and has also taught dance and Pilates all over the country. In recent months, she brought her skills to Idyllwild.

“I taught at Anaheim Ballet and at a studio in LA called EDGE Performing Arts Center but unfortunately they closed recently due to the pandemic,” Betham said. “I don’t want the arts to stop. That’s the first thing that goes during these situations. If we can be outside and still do it, let’s do it.”

After working details out with the Idyllwild Community Center, Betham started the outdoor classes four months ago and it’s been growing ever since. The classes are held at the Butterfield Amphitheater. Saturday and Sunday classes at 11 a.m. are dedicated for all ages. Pilates is offered Saturday and Sunday at 12:15 p.m. for adults.

“I feel like this community has been so nice and wants to be there for each other,” Betham explained. “I’ve wanted to make it as cost-effective as possible, so there is a monthly membership fee. If you break it down, it is $10 a class. If it is a drop-in, it is $15 per class. The monthly works out to everyone’s benefit but isn’t required.”

Betham has had the help of her students’ parents to make these classes a possibility, explaining, “One of the parents made ballet barres for us, so everyone has their own barre. They are properly distanced and we sanitize them after, so it’s really cool.”

Dance has always been a driving force for Betham. A bit of magic in an otherwise chaotic world, Betham found dancing to be a bit of an escape.
“With dance, you can really focus on what you’re doing, especially in a time like now,” Betham said. “Everything gets released and you can really focus on the dance and completely let yourself go. You find this passion and movement in your body. For me, it’s always felt like magic.”

Being able to move and have a communal sense is so important especially during these isolating times, which is part of what is motivating Betham to make these classes a reality. Sharing the magic with adults and the next generation is important.

“To watch kids’ and adults’ faces light up in these programs is so amazing,” Betham explained. “When you love something so much, and you see someone else find that joy, to see that connection fire is such an incredible gift. If I didn’t have the people that mentored and taught me, I would have never been able to excel. Being able to share that is pretty special.”

The ballet classes dedicated to the younger kids from 4 to 8 years old are Sunday mornings and Saturday’s ages range from 7 to 65. All of these classes start at the beginning level, so regardless of your age, don’t be discouraged. It’s never too early or too late to make your dreams a reality.
Betham welcomes students from all ages and experience.

“I think that it’s always scary starting something new,” Betham said. “But once people come and see how welcoming everyone is, I hope they will feel more comfortable. I encourage everyone to just come and try it once just to see if you like it. Especially as adults, it’s so intimidating to try something you’ve never tried and we completely understand that. We are all in it together.”

Sanitizer is available for everyone and students are asked to sanitize their hands before and after class. If you are interested in taking ballet or Pilates, visit www.bethambody.com for registration and other details.