There’s a reason ballet is taught to children as young as age three — the form that’s considered the foundation of dance is an intensely technical one, and exploits the malleability of children’s bones before they become too ossified to mould. 

Anusha Dandekar admits that when trying the dance form at 40, she encountered several trainers who couldn’t address the technicalities in a group setting. “Because these were group classes, there was no segregation between beginners and advanced students. Achieving things like a good [hip] turn-out, point, and core strength are time-consuming. I eventually found myself battling back and knee issues,” says Dandekar, who eventually signed on for personal training to learn a form that has fascinated her since childhood.