Ballet for the Rest of Us

by Jessica Skropanic
Posted in: Books on June 30, 2005 at 10:21 am |

The theme of the book is not just achieving a well-toned, healthy elegant body, but increasing mental awareness of the physical self and bringing the mind and body into harmony.

thletes from figure skaters to football players have used ballet for decades to develop flexibility and long lean muscles, and to achieve fluidity and grace. While children often participate in traditional ballet classes, the presumption that you have to be 20% under your body weight to achieve the line and elegance of ballet has discouraged many adults, who instead flock to Pilates and step classes. And there s a reason for this: in a traditional beginning ballet class the saut s and soubresauts are not exactly low-impact, and the turnouts in traditional ballet are definitely easier for a young immature body. How can adults achieve those wonderful stretches and elegant alignments, and get in touch with their bodies the way dancers do?

Megan Connelly, Paula Baird-Colt and David McAllister have compiled an excellent exercise book using ballet-based exercises and body awareness techniques. The book begins by introducing five key movement principles: alignment, dynamic stability, rebalancing, awareness (of the body), and holistic balance. It also describes proper alignment for sitting, standing, kneeling, prone, supine, and cross-legged sitting positions. This information alone, along with instructions for avoiding injury and proper attire, is worth the price of the book. The beginning also offers clear instructions for using the program.

The workout begins with exercises designed to help you feel how your body changes when you breathe, and with spinal waves in assorted positions. These are designed to awaken the body and to create a strong flow of communication between it and the mind. Next there are four exhilarating mobilizing exercises that stretch the muscles. Then come the exercises that target specific body parts: abdominals, back, hips/legs/feet, and arms/shoulders. Last are the lengthening exercises, a trait for which ballet is famous. Every exercise is described in detail and clearly illustrated by dozens of photographs. There are literally dozens of exercises, many with a beginner and advanced level. The descriptions are well written and easy to understand, even for people who never danced in their lives. The theme of the book is not just achieving a well-toned, healthy elegant body, but increasing mental awareness of the physical self and bringing the mind and body into harmony.

Subscribe to Spa Review by RSS

Subscribe to Spa Review by Email