Discover the Wonderful World of Ballet

If the first image that pops into your head when you think of ballet class is an easy, relaxed workout, think again. “Ballet movement may look soft to the audience, but ballet training is hard, strenuous and requires long hours of work each week,” says dance professional LB Kass, who has studied ballet for 20 years and currently teaches a yoga-inspired ballet workout. “In order for a dancer to leap and fly in the air like a feather, they must have strength in their legs, lift from their core and stretch their arms high to get off the ground.” If you’re looking to build strength, flexibility or improve your coordination, consider adding ballet to your routine. With some practice, maybe you’ll even get a lean, chiseled dancer’s body too.

1. Remember that Less is More

During a ballet class, it is important to focus on quality of movement. That means making small, calculated movements instead of big, sweeping ones found in many other fitness classes. “You want to attempt each dance move cautiously and focus on proper body alignment,” Kass says. “Don’t over-extend yourself and think bigger movement equals better results. Save your energy. Prevent injury by being measured in your movement.”

2. Boost Your Coordination, Flexibility

We’ve all heard those stories about football players taking ballet. And for the record, Pittsburg Steelers Steve McLendon told the Pittsburgh Post Gazette that ballet is “harder than anything else I do.” However, the reason why the pros turn to ballet is because of the benefits.

“Ballet’s most appealing benefit for athletes is coordination. Ballet teaches you how to make your feet, legs, arms and head move in sync,” Kass says. “Coordination is difficult to teach but can be achieved to some degree with practice.” Athletes should also expect to see an improvement in balance and flexibility too.

“Be prepared for a lot of stretching in ballet,” Kass says. “Flexibility helps with ballet movement and ballet dancers stretch often.”

3. Know that it’s not boring

“The number one misconception about ballet is that it’s boring,” Kass says. “Yes, the movement can be slow and the primary choice of music is classical, but ballet is more beautiful than boring. Once you begin to learn traditional ballet moment and you begin to feel comfortable, you will start to enjoy this art form.” Besides, we all remember how exciting Black Swan was? OK, so it (thankfully) won’t be like that, but you should expect to feel challenged.

4. Familiarize Yourself with Ballet to Lessen Your Fears

Maybe you’re afraid to take ballet. After all, it’s a traditional dance that’s been around for hundreds of years and many people who take ballet practice for years. But rest assured, there’s plenty of space in class for beginners to really shine. To conquer your fears, Kass suggests finding a beginner class and a good teacher who you can truly learn from. She even suggests observing a class so you will know what to expect. In a typical class, you’ll warm up at the barre to start, go across the floor to practice traveling ballet steps, and then finish by learning a combination on the center of the dance floor. Kass also recommends researching basic ballet terms so you won’t feel lost when the instructor calls them out. With just a little bit of research, you’ll know the difference between a plié and a tendu in no time.

5. Take Care of Your Body

Overall wellbeing is just as important to dancers as it is to anyone else. Kass advises advanced ballet students to listen to their bodies and rest if they’re injured.

“More advance students take greater risks on the dance floor,” Kass says. “They often dance through injuries just to stay in the game. A ballet dancer’s performance life is short and they need to take better care of their bodies.”

Have you ever taken Ballet?

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