I should be able to go into a ballet class at 30, without any classical dance experience, and start learning -- not with the hope or goal of turning into a renowned ballerina, but to start using muscle groups I usually don't, to learn how to be more graceful and controlled with my body, to wear a tutu and have fun! But, in my area, the only beginner ballet classes available are those where students start at *three years old*. And it's not just ballet. It's so many different styles of dance. And tumbling and gymnastics and cheerleading. Ice skating. You might find some sports teams to casually play on, but do any of them have an actual coach that's teaching you how to play, running drills and conditioning to help you improve, making sure you're playing and training safely? I think it's crazy that I can't find a class that will teach me how to do a frickin' cartwheel just because I'm not a teenager anymore. I'm not dead! Of course, there are a lot of variables that go into this, and it's not *just* true for adults; in a lot of areas, these same types of classes are often inaccessible as soon as middle school. I'm sure there are issues with space and demand -- other things that influence the viability of any business. It's just really disappointing that no studios near me have even *one class* where adults can join without prior experience. We just wanna have fun. Obviously, hobbies can be inaccessible for a variety of factors beyond age, I just think the age thing is especially interesting and random. There were sports that my family couldn’t afford to sign me up for when I was a kid, and now that I have my own disposable income, I can’t participate because I’m too old? Ugh! [[2025-05-25]] this has been in `fleeting` for a while, but realizing it fits well as a child note for [[{7.1b} body people in the business of bodies]]… there are plenty of ways to engage with embodiment for adults, but none of them are *fun*. they are about optimization / performance as opposed to play. and maybe they can’t be fun / play *because* it’s a business and there’s not a lot of $ in pure play.