Dance For Your Health

By Matthew Powell, Artistic Director

Ballet Nova Center For Dance

. http://www.balletnova.org/

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Dance For Your Health

With new technology comes new opportunities to be healthier and stronger. We're more in-tune with how many steps we take, calories we burn and heart beats we have in a minute.

It's easy to get overwhelmed by the numbers, so let's take it back to the basics.

Ballet has been around for over 200 years. Originally developed as court entertainment, ballet has progressed into an art form that can be enjoyed by both the beginner and the professional.

Though a lot can change over two centuries, ballet remains generally unchanged. Dancing continues to be a great form of exercise, regardless of skill level. It blends athleticism and artistry, providing a mental and physical outlet for the dancer.

You can walk into any ballet class and the terminology and positions are universally taught and understood. Students begin standing at the barre a horizontal pole fastened to the wall focusing on articulation of the feet and warming up the body. They transition to center work, which includes large, standalone movement that often reflects the exercises learned at the barre. Students finish the class with jumps and leaps across the floor.

While the terminology of a ballet class may have you wishing you studied French in high school, don't let the vocabulary keep you from dancing. Ballet is the foundation for all other styles of dance. Once you have a handle on basic movements, you'll be ready to glissade across the floor in no time.

It's time to get into dance class.