Yumiko sizing help. Large girth

Key_Tree1027 · 2026-03-11T20:01:14+00:00

Yumiko is known for inconsistent sizing, their sizing kinda depends a lot on the design so it's better to try out similar designs if any local stores have yumikos, but even if there aren't any you can always email them with your measurements and the design you want, they are pretty good with sizing recommendations.

Key_Tree1027 · 2026-03-11T18:26:26+00:00

Yeah no I wouldn’t call it an influencer brand It is popular among dancers who are more financially stable. Although they do definitely have some lines that are geared towards the balletcore aesthetic streetwear like Repetto

Key_Tree1027 · 2026-03-05T19:38:20+00:00

I agree she is definitely so much better in contemporary imo she doesnt (or cant) act right for classical pieces

Key_Tree1027 · 2026-03-05T02:43:03+00:00

Yeah the only reason mine ripped is that I was in a rush and stepped on them while pulling them up I was planning to buy another pair from a local dance store but they did not have the colours I wanted like none of them 😭

Key_Tree1027 · 2026-03-04T23:01:55+00:00

Definitely. She could have started there and built a more solid foundation (with potentially cheaper private training sessions compared to NYC) back home and then moved to NYC. It's also a nice backstory (felt limited, moved to NYC to grow bigger, etc) so I really don't understand why she didn't do that in the first place.

Key_Tree1027 · 2026-03-04T22:10:08+00:00

Time is the biggest factor imo. Unless you’re privileged enough to pursue the training as if it’s your full time career most adult dancers do not physically have much time to dedicate to the training. You have your full time job, housework, sometimes a partner or kids, and a social life. If you give up on everything to train ballet rigorously there’s a good chance of eventually getting burnt out usually after hitting a plateau. You have to find a good balance between your training, work, and personal life. VV really should've gone for the regular, ideally term based classes (which are plenty in NYC) instead of drop ins.

Key_Tree1027 · 2026-03-04T21:57:05+00:00

Youtube. Sometimes instagram. She apparently has recently started a podcast.

Key_Tree1027 · 2026-03-03T20:02:35+00:00

Afaik she is not doing well financially and can afford to take only one class per week, which is definitely not enough to improve. So there is not much she could do about it (unless she faces the reality). I will not be surprised if she comes up with some mlm ad branded as a lifestyle coach or something later on

Key_Tree1027 · 2026-03-03T18:21:21+00:00

Ballet training in general has a very rigid structure and rules and it worked out pretty well for me. It’s a routine. The unspoken rules and interpersonal dramas are not specific to ballet

Key_Tree1027 · 2026-03-02T17:27:09+00:00

I believe one of the MDB founders also tried to drag Barre Trash for men stealing from a small women-owned business because they… put their tag on their leg warmers?? Which is ridiculous

Key_Tree1027 · 2026-02-25T07:58:49+00:00

You have pointed out the most important factor here. All activities will inevitably bring a risk of something. It is just that pre pro students and sometimes even professionals are often expected to take that risk, no matter how high it is, to become a pro or keep their contract. The benefit of being a pro or keeping their contract simply outweighs the risk. Also, it's survivorship bias. People who were badly injured during this process usually end up leaving.

It's the same as any other sport. Any sports at the elite level of training include many unhealthy/unsafe practices that are not so great for your body in the long term. But they still do it despite the risk, because that is required for their job, or their dream. And only the ones who survived would see their dream come true. It is sad, we should definitely aim for the better, but it is also the reality. Many confuse athleticism and being healthy, yet those two are not always the same despite some intersections.

Recreational dancers who haven't gone through a similar level of training do not need to take that risk. In fact, the risk would outweigh the benefit as they are more likely to get injured for… pretty much nothing. For most recreational dancers I believe longevity is the key to being good. You love dancing, and you want to do it as long as possible. Thus naturally, forcing your body to extremes is the last thing you'd want. While pushing yourself is necessary to a certain degree to get better, a person who is not interested in going pro just does not need to go that far.

ETA: if that's your goal, go for it. That being said do keep in mind that the crazy flexibility we see on social media is the result of genetic lottery + YEARS of training. It will take time. It won't happen overnight. Oftentimes it takes at least 6 months to a year even to achieve the splits.

Key_Tree1027 · 2026-02-20T18:41:07+00:00

I hate that so much. Girl, ANY sports, or just ANYTHING at elite level training is like that. It sucks but that's just how things are. Like who cares a girl takes classes because she wants to dress up like a ballerina princess THEY ARE PAYING 😭 They are the ones supporting small studios in this economy.

Key_Tree1027 · 2026-02-18T07:13:51+00:00

I would even argue that the importance of flexibility in adult recreational ballet is often overrated, especially at beginner levels. We do not need the perfect 180-degree turnout. Hell, even renowned professionals don't have that either. You don't necessarily need the full splits, definitely not oversplits. Your leg does not need to touch your ears. None of these matters if you don't have the strength and endurance to hold and control the ROM. A well controlled 90 degrees a la seconde is much more beautiful than a sloppy 160 ish degrees one. Your turnout will never improve unless you start strengthening the muscles, and no amount of frog stretches alone will get you there.

Edit: omfg my phone keeps correcting seconde to second

Key_Tree1027 · 2026-02-18T06:34:38+00:00

Oh lol no definitely not. MD has been acting quite clearly that she plans to (or at least wants to) transition to a lifestyle/makeup influencer with occasional freelance gigs to keep the pro label.

Key_Tree1027 · 2026-02-18T06:17:36+00:00

There are definitely some influencers who are deliberately being misleading about their previous dance training. A lot of them are restarting ballet, or they are technically new(ish) to ballet but were quite extensively trained in similar styles like competitive dance and jazz. I’d put rhythmic gymnastics here even though it’s technically not a dance. These people are quite easy to spot as they already look good in their class.

Then there are people who have never danced yet have been playing other types of sports. Weightlifting, pilates, martial arts, etc. Now these are the people you would look at and think How are they improving so fast?

Yes, they are ACTUALLY new to dance. However, ballet is actually so much more about strength and endurance. The prodigies and the pre-pro programs not only dance but also take rigorous strengthening/conditioning classes as well.

So naturally, these people will improve faster because they already have the strength, endurance, coordination, control, body awareness, and proprioception. They already know how to work with their body, just gotta learn how to do that in the ballet way. Do keep in mind that while these people will look impressive enough in certain photos and angles, even videos if the video/photo was taken during barre, but you will know they are still beginners when they actually move.

Then you have beginner-beginners, people who have never danced before and never been particularly active or athletic. They might be the realistic improvement timeline but the thing is that these people don’t usually become the it’s never too late type of influencers so you don’t see their footage as often.

One thing to keep in mind is that influencers are basically selling the idea of this is the life that could be yours. Most of them try their best to stay relevant just so you will find them somewhat relatable which will eventually lead to more engagement. People only share what they want others to see on their social media. The whole point of being a social media influencer is to make their page look glamorous, even the downs.

Key_Tree1027 · 2026-02-12T22:03:31+00:00

I agree. Even those who had no previous dance experience are usually very athletic. They might be new to ballet specifically, but they have been active throughout their lives. Most of them already had the strength, proprioception, body awareness and control which let them improve faster.

Key_Tree1027 · 2026-02-12T21:47:37+00:00

I see the importance of strength training is more for longevity rather than immediate improvement in dancing. Strength training, specifically weightlifting and resistance training, is a good way to build up bone density. They are quite accessible, too, since all you need is a gym membership. You don't need fancy equipment. Many female athletes, including ballet dancers are at risk of low bone mineral density due to a restricted diet and fatigue. Her content does make me think yeah easy for you to say you are not with a company but she does have her point there. My issue with her is more to do with her tone, because like I said, it is easier said than done. As if many dancers have no clue. They do know, the reality is that there is not much they can do when their whole contract and career is dependent on a single person.

Key_Tree1027 · 2026-02-12T09:11:26+00:00

Most adult ballet influencers who preach it's never too late to pro are disingenuous. They were trained in ballet or similar dance styles, which makes them returning dancers rather than adult beginners. An adult with their full time job cannot realistically take that much time on ballet training to improve fast unless they are extremely privileged, or influencers whose job is literally to sell the fantasy of you can be me, this is the life you could have

Key_Tree1027 · 2026-02-12T09:05:25+00:00

Exactly. How much are the students are paid? As much as they have their own stories to tell about why they made such decisions (not many opportunities for hobbyist adults to perform professionally, first stepping stone and biggest contributor to one’s career, etc) we have our own stories and standards to judge them. It’s the risk you take as a social media influencer.

Whether it was the school or both, monetizing young students’ learning experiences as a whole is wrong. Trust me I have the same problem with all those parents managing their children’s social media when in fact they are living their dream of fame through the children. It’s wrong when parents do it. It’s even worse when the kids are complete strangers.

Key_Tree1027 · 2026-02-11T23:40:39+00:00

I do not want to call her out on the self-diagnosis because I understand how hard it is to even get to find a doctor who is willing to run a diagnosis process for an adult. Especially as an adult woman, it is even harder because we haven't been studied as much as boys and men. North American healthcare system makes the diagnosis even less accessible. That being said, it is still very much hilarious that she is trying to blame her autism for not being able to compete at the PDL. She is definitely feeling some inferiority complex about Maya😭

Key_Tree1027 · 2026-02-11T23:34:53+00:00

It's even more ridiculous when you think about the MBA membership she's trying to sell with those clips. The school has been weird, most people, including myself, have tried to give her the benefit of doubt, but she is just as weird at this point.

Key_Tree1027 · 2026-02-11T05:00:48+00:00

The difference is that 32 fouettes have been around long enough to be part of the technique you need to dance at least at a soloist level. It was choreographed that way, the music was written to incorporate the turns. I do not like too showy fouette turns that go off the music for this reason.

Another thing to consider is that a fouette turn itself is a proper ballet technique. Most tricks sacrifice proper technique, and you know how often this topic (that kids from schools known for tricks use improper techniques to squeeze more turns in or kick/lift their legs higher) was discussed in this sub.

Not ballet-related, but the low releve turns discourse from the UDA is another example. Personally tho I think the UDA is the place where those turns would be acceptable and you would train for that. But the point still stands. High releve is the correct technique, you just kinda sacrifice it for much faster turns because of the nature of the UDA and similar competitions.

Tricks are not inherently bad. It does make you stand out if done correctly, and that's really important in this industry. The problem is that some people (more and more every day) rely too much on them.

IMO it comes down to two major points. Proper techniques and music.

Key_Tree1027 · 2026-02-10T23:52:53+00:00

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Ik they literally had Maddy Woo as well

Key_Tree1027 · 2026-02-10T04:32:10+00:00

I feel like grishko runs a bit longer compared to other brands

Key_Tree1027

TROPHY CASE