Fitness Trend: Ballet Body Conditioning

Posted by Cathy | Friday January 21, 2011

As a former ballerina, I'm very excited about the new trend for ballet-inspired fitness studios. The idea is to incorporate muscle-sculpting ballet moves like leg extensions and pliés with cardiovascular exercises like jumping.

What to Expect:

1. Free weights, barre work, balls and bands
2. Both high energy classes and slow-paced workouts
3. You'll be working out barefoot

Benefits

1. It's a cardiovascular workout that tones the muscles in your entire body
2. Focuses on target areas like stomach, hips, thighs and upper arms
3. Targets smaller muscles like inside and back of the leg to build lean definition
4. Improves posture and coordination
5. Increases flexibility

Pricing

Expect to pay around $20 for a drop-in class.

Where to Find It

1. Studios to try in Toronto are The Extension Method and Mindful Movement.
2. Natalie Portman trained at NYC-based Ballet Beautiful for her role in Black Swan.
3. The Bar Method is a North American chain touted by Kelly Osbourne and Anna Paquin
4. If at-home workouts are your thing, try a DVD like Ballet Bootcamp or New York City Ballet: The Complete Workout

Have you tried a ballet-inspired fitness class?

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9 Comments

	on February 18, 2011 cathy3087 98 said: I went to The Extension Method yesterday night and highly recommend it. I did a ballet boot camp class that was high energy, lots of cardio, abs and a bit of weight training. Seriously, it was crazy fun and I'm totally going back. Read my full review here
	on February 14, 2011 cathy3087 98 said: @kalpet: Actually these classes can give you a lot of the same benefits as regular ballet classes since they incorporate many of the same moves - plies, leg extensions,etc - and (the studios I researched at least) the classes are put together by trained former ballerinas. Sure, you won't come out of one class with the skills to dance en pointe, but the same goes for every type of exercise right - you get out of it what you are willing to put in. And you are right, pilates is similar to this exercise as they both emphasize lean muscles, core strength and flexibility.
	on January 27, 2011 cathy3087 98 said: @Ali, novices can try it out too! Think of it like yoga - some people might be more flexible than others or more coordinated, but we all have to start somewhere. Anyone can try this.
	on January 22, 2011 dolce_bellissima 4,214 said: Nevermind, I just checked the sites.. The extension method looks really cool, and the prices are very reasonable!
	on January 22, 2011 dolce_bellissima 4,214 said: This sounds great! I would definitely try it as well. I wonder how much they would charge for a yearly membership!
	on January 21, 2011 Ali de Bold STAFF said: I would totally try this. I'm quite uncoordinated but I feel like this would be fun. Cathy, do you need have any kind of experience or can complete novices do it too?
	on January 21, 2011 LaurenBlair 128 said: I wonder if "Burlesque" inspired many women to start taking strip lessons (or whatever the equivalent was). I left that movie just wanting to dance
	on January 21, 2011 cathy3087 98 said: I can't wait to try one of these classes - I'm planning to go next week
	on January 21, 2011 LaurenBlair 128 said: This sounds really cool! I love that movies like Black Swan spotlight subcultures like the ballet, I would totally try a class for $20 (it would a really fun thing to do with a group of friends).