Ballet is considered a youthful dance, requiring years of rigorous training and physical discipline. Nguyen Kieu Trinh defies these conventions and slipped on pointe shoes for the first time in her 50s -- a remarkable milestone for any Vietnamese, let alone an amateur dancer.

Trinh's journey to ballet was anything but conventional.

With a background in fine arts, she once worked as a painter and journalist and now writes for an English-language newspaper. 

For most of her life, dancing was a dream she dared not pursue -- a fleeting pastime to relieve stress.

It was not until middle age that she fully embraced it as a path of self-discovery and challenge.

In her ballet class at Kinergie Studio in Hanoi, most dancers are young professionals or students, with a few exceptions in the 'senior learners' group, including Trinh.

She is not the oldest in the class.

Despite their diverse backgrounds, this group shares a calm, meditative approach to dance, finding joy in personal growth, not competition.

However, the older learners face unique challenges: reduced flexibility, limited range of motion, and diminished strength and stability.

For Trinh, even the smallest progress requires immense effort and persistence.

She reflects on her early lessons, saying, “The foundational stage is the hardest. Practicing at the barre felt monotonous at first -- repeating movements endlessly with no immediate progress. It took a long time to notice even small improvements.”

The challenges for Trinh are clear, especially with movements requiring flexibility, balance, and stability.

During a break, she remains good-natured.

“Look at the 17- or 18-year-olds -- I dance terribly compared to them,” she said.

Trinh's focus is never on competing with others. “I only strive to be better than the person I was yesterday,” she says with a smile.

Overcoming barriers, one step at a time

Trinh began her ballet journey five years ago, committed to regular practice only in the past two years. 

At first, she attended classes sporadically. However, it did not take long for ballet to become a priority, prompting her to reorganize her schedule to attend weekly.

Her growing dedication eventually brought her to one of ballet’s most iconic milestones: mastering pointe shoes.

Dancing on pointe requires strong ankles, balance, and proper training to prevent injury. “If you rush, you’ll get hurt,” Trinh explains. 

“Even with experience, wearing pointe shoes is painful -- scuffed toes are unavoidable.”

At Kinergie Studio, pointe training is typically reserved for younger students, making Trinh’s accomplishment even more extraordinary.

Other studio members jokingly refer to her as the first Vietnamese woman in her late 50s to practice on pointe shoes.

For her, this milestone symbolizes the rewards of perseverance and a willingness to embrace challenges. Trinh reflects and smiles, "It's never too late."

Her dance journey began decades ago with dancesport -- a competitive partner dance. Later, she explored belly dance, captivated by its expressive and rhythmic movements. 

Eventually, she transitioned to ballet, which she saw as a way to build a foundational understanding of dance while continuing to challenge herself physically and mentally.

Ballet and belly dance, though seemingly opposite, complement each other. Belly dance, rooted in oriental culture, celebrates fertility and fluidity with sweeping, curved motions. 

Ballet, born in Western culture, emphasizes discipline, precision, and ethereal grace. Trinh notes, “Ballet strengthens the body, enhances balance, and builds a foundation for all dance forms.”

For her, dance is not just movement but an exploration of music, culture, and self-expression. In middle age, curiosity, learning, and continuous self-renewal keep her engaged.

Redefining beauty through dance

As a child, Trinh dreamed of dancing but was held back by self-doubt. Her grandmother’s playful teasing -- calling her 'wide-mouthed' with 'knobby knees and broomstick legs' -- made her feel unfit for the beauty of dance.

Trinh recalls, “Back then, I thought dancing was something beautiful but out of reach."

Decades later, she has proven that passion and persistence can overcome such doubts. 

“I never imagined I would be able to pursue my childhood dream, let alone step into a ballet studio and stick with it for so many years,” she says.

“Without passion, it would be very difficult to continue.”

Today, Trinh exudes optimism and energy, inspiring others with her story.

“It’s never too late to start something new,” she says, embodying the idea that age is no barrier to pursuing one’s dreams.

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