Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there any good classes in Mont. County? I went to one at Zengo today and it was nothing like ballet class, although it was challenging.

Check out Go Figure in Potomac.

Thanks. I live in Potomac. I will look there.

Do any of the DC studios have classes that are more ballet-like?

Anonymous wrote:Are there any good classes in Mont. County? I went to one at Zengo today and it was nothing like ballet class, although it was challenging.

Check out Go Figure in Potomac.

I recently bought a Fluidity Bar off craigslist - it's a portable ballet bar and comes with workout DVDs. It's not actual ballet, but it's a good workout. I've lost 2 inches from my waist in just three weeks. Depending on what you're looking for it might be an option.

Are there any good classes in Mont. County? I went to one at Zengo today and it was nothing like ballet class, although it was challenging.

There is an EXCELLENT NYC Ballet workout video that focuses on a lot of these same techniques if you are still looking for a video.

http://www.amazon.com/New-York-City-Ballet-Workout/dp/B000056MMR

i'm looking for a barre class that is quieter, slower, and very focused on form (like Pilates) rather than up-tempo with a focus on lots of repetition, work with weights, etc. Any recommendations?

The 'Lean and Chiseled' extend barre video with Andrea Rogers is great...like any good video she talks about your form, alignment, etc. throughout.

I think that you can easily do it as a beginner without risking injury...for me it was a goal just to be able to do the entire video. After a few times I found I could focus more on form, and once you do the target areas really get worked well.

Barre Technique has its foundation in traditional ballet and the work of Lotte Berk, a russian dancer who developed a protocol for her own rehab after a serious spinal injury in the 1940's

Anonymous wrote:"barre" classes are nothing like ballet barre. they just capitalize on the ballerina image. they are a fine "toning" workout, but you are just doing small range of motion conditioning exercise. you won't be surrounded by professional dancers.

Actually "real" barre classes were designed for ballet dancers and dancers have been taking them in their studios for probably close to 20 years. All the major studios in NYC did them in the 90s and my fellow dancer friends and i would do road trips occasionally to take classes and we always fit in Barre. Even though we were in top "dancer" shape we would definitely feel sore for a few days after. You're right that it's not the same as barre work that is done in the beginning of a ballet class.

I'm sure there are classes out there that aren't the real deal. But if you go to a reputable class it's not just "range of motion exercises". If that is all you're getting out of one I'd look elsewhere.

The Verizon location of Vida gym has barre classes, but I've never tried them.

"barre" classes are nothing like ballet barre. they just capitalize on the ballerina image. they are a fine "toning" workout, but you are just doing small range of motion conditioning exercise. you won't be surrounded by professional dancers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there any good barre videos?

You really need an instructor if you're a beginner. The body positioning is crucial to get the benifits and it is subtle so unless you're a former dancer you'll probably not be able to achieve proper allignment from watching the video. Getting your body positioned properly and keeping it that way while doing the movements is the hardest part.

I agree with this. I'm pretty coordinated -- did a lot of gymnastics, cheerleading, etc. as a kid, but never ballet. I've taken tons of aerobics, dance, and yoga classes and always caught on very quickly. I went to a barre class (the one at Balance or SomaFit in Glover Park) and had trouble. Even thought I thought I was doing the move correctly and it felt like I was, apparently I was not. The instructor helped to show me how to correct my form, but it definitely was not intuitive like other classes always have been.

i thought Physique 57 DVDs were terrific. Used them a lot. It is basically Barre

Anonymous wrote:I do all the Bar Method videos and have never been to an actual class. They're pretty self-explanatory and they kuck my a$$ so I figure I'm doing them right LOL

The class can still kick your a$$ if you have improper allignment. Certain things would actually be harder. For example you may be gripping your quad rather than engaging your core and hamstring when lifting a straight leg which is the more efficient way to do it. You won't get the full benefit of the workout until your body re-learns how to execute the movements.

The barre class was designed for ballet dancers to fine tune their allignment and positioning and work the muscles that control stability. It takes years for dancers to perfect it so you can imagine that it's challenging for non-dancers to learn. Good teachers will walk around the class and give individual instructions for correcting student's form. It's an awesome class for everyone though if your goal is lean and well defined muscles like a dancer.