[□ | □]
[□ | □ | □]
[!□ | □]
During the 19th century , a number of teachers found their way to Russia , where they revolutionized Russian ballet , to the extent that the center of ballet could fairly be said to have moved from France to Russia . That 's where it gets tricky because none of the data is in an electronic format that allows for an easy comparison , not to mention that the numbers are often not comparable anyway because of different methodologies and classifications . So on the one hand , I have to learn to live with hopeless cases and to struggle with the occasional borderline case ; on the other hand , ballet teachers have to develop endless patience , at least in beginners ' classes , telling us the same things over and over , in class after class , until eventually one day they sink in , reach the muscles , and come together . What does one hope to get from taking ballet classes , anyway ? Even today Russian shoes are generally stiffer , and Russian technique calls for " pouncing " onto pointe more than rolling through , another example of the interdependence of pointe technique and pointe shoes . And eventually there comes a time when your standards have been educated to such a pitch that you ca n't correct your faults : correcting them is beyond your powers . I call it an infection because it eventually vitiates one 's enjoyment , particularly if one is an amateur . Alice was sweet on me , and she showed her interest unmistakably , in ways that occasionally drew waspish remarks from Miss Hamilton .