Gyms are offering more and more activities inspired by classical dance to work on both flexibility and muscle strengthening. These sports are aimed at everyone, from beginners to those nostalgic for the tutu who practiced classical dance during their younger years.
Body ballet
Body Ballet is a fitness technique inspired by classical dance which consists of performing simplified exercises on the barre and on the floor. It helps develop flexibility in the joints and spine, and is therefore ideal for back problems.
The basics such as the position of the legs, arms, head posture and back are worked on in order to sculpt and reshape the body.
It is an activity accessible to everyone, including people for whom cardio activities are not recommended. You simply need to be motivated, regular and patient to notice fat loss, muscle toning and back flexibility over the months.
In addition, it is an activity that promotes well-being and relaxation.
The Xtend barre
Unlike body ballet, Xtend barre is an intense activity that works the cardio. It offers rapid results worthy of the efforts invested. It’s an activity created by an American dancer of which several stars are fans (Madonna, Drew Barrymore, etc.;).
The exercises revolve around a classic barre, Pilates and fitness. Set to catchy, rhythmic music, the sequences are fast. A class lasts around 45 minutes and burns around 500 calories.
Accessories like exercise balls and mini dumbbells are required in addition to the bar. Bar work requires precision and rigor. You must pay attention to the teacher's instructions, particularly regarding posture.
The floor barre
The floor barre is a gentle gym practice that is directly inspired by the training of classical dancers. Becoming popular in our sports halls, it is now accessible to everyone. The floor barre, also called "barre à terre", is a discipline invented by a Russian ballet master at the end of the 1940s: Boris Kniaseff. Not having the possibility of installing bars on the sides of his walls to allow his dancers to warm up, he had the idea of having them work directly on the floor by adapting the traditional exercises of the classical barre.
The floor bar allows you to work the joints gently and engage the abdominal and gluteal muscles in depth. The exercises require coordination, precision and concentration, they provide rigor because the discipline is demanding. You don't have to be a classical dancer to sign up for a floor barre class. Being a very gentle activity on the joints, there are no contraindications to its practice, it is aimed at all ages and all physical conditions.
A class lasts between 1 hour and 1 hour 30 minutes and includes warm-up, floor bar exercises as well as relaxation time. The exercises most often take place in a musical atmosphere and combine stretching and muscle strengthening exercises. In this way, the floor bar is similar to the Pilates method.
Fit ballet
Fit ballet was imported by professional dancer Octavie Escure. It oscillates between fitness and classical dance through fitness strengthening movements associated with the graceful gestures of ballet dance, hence its name.
It is a demanding discipline that requires good physical condition because cardio exercises are part of fit ballet. Softer and deeper yoga exercises are also recommended. This activity provides flexibility, support and is as good for the body as it is for morale.
Ballet Beautiful
Mary Helen Bowers, former dancer with the New York City Ballet, is at the origin of this discipline, halfway between classical dance and fitness. Originally, her sessions were broadcast live via webcam or streamed 24 hours a day. Word of mouth began to bear fruit and Mary Helen Bowers was hired to train Nathalie Portman on the set of Black Swan.
His method became world famous and widespread in response to overly “aggressive” fitness workouts where the teacher shouts rather than encourages. On the contrary, this discipline offers to gently develop your power through targeted work on the muscles and stretching exercises to firm your body while preserving a feminine silhouette.
Smart Bodies
Smart Bodies was created by two French dancers, Julie Magneville and Elodie Auger. This discipline is directly inspired by yoga, modern dance and classical dance. Much space is given to breathing to promote better stretching and effective work on muscle strengthening.
Visualization is also at the center of Smart Bodies: through movement, touch and imagination, the goal is to reclaim your body and see it in a new way, which has a direct influence on posture. In terms of results, after a few months, with regular training (1 to 2 times per week), we observe a refined, curved and toned silhouette.