New York City Ballet Workout

[svemaus]

Hi!

I recently bought the video as well as the book from the New York City Ballet Workout and I'm curious if anyone of you puchased it as well and how it has worked for you.

Also, it is meant to be designed for dancers as well as for non-dancers, but do you believe it's true? I've been dancing ballet for quite a while but even I was sometimes a bit confused by the choreography (I'm espacially talking of the end of the last warm-up section with albert evans and edwaard liang).

So, let me hear your opinion, I'm looking forward to it.

Svenia

[Paquita]

I once borrowed the book from the library, but I think that it is much easier to follow a video than a book (though there are some great photos in that book!). I bought the video about a month ago, and do the workout around once a week on top of my regular ballet classes and occasional yoga or pilates. I've found it to be helpful and fun.

Since I am a dancer, I like how it's focused on the muscle groups important in ballet (abs, calves, etc.) and most things are done in a turned-out position. I didn't find any of the choreography difficult, but I can see that it could be, because the narrator doesn't really explain for example, balancés (warm-up part). And he doesn't tell you ahead of time when the combination changes in speed or steps ( the 'little jumps' section), like they do in aerobics class- "four more! three more!..." But I find the workout easier to stick with, because I usually feel stupid doing aerobics videos, but this one is more like ballet class. It's definately easier when you have a ballet background, since as I said before, the video doesn't go into detail explaining tendu (ex. how foot should not sickle) and other basic ballet steps.

However, I have a friend who is a tennis player but has never gone to a dance class in her life, and she is positively addicted to NYCB workout! She does it many times a week and has noticed improvements in her posture and balance. So, I would say it is also good for non-dancers, as long as they are fit and coordinated.

The little features on the 4 dancers at the end is nice too!

[Guest antbobby]

I have this video, and find it to be an assist to classes. I think it enhances other muscles which don't get "hit" in class, as well as builds strength in the core (stomach, lower back).

I believe with no prior ballet training, it is too confusing. If you understand ballet, I think you get more from it.

IMHO

[Poppiedancer]

I've got the DVD, I like it. I've only done ballet for 1 and a half years and I understand the DVD. I think as long as you know even a little ballet it can really help. Esp. for me cos I have weak abs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Old Fashioned]

I found it to be fairly simple, but it did confuse me the first few times since Peter Martins just did not know how to guide through (gee, I hope that's not how he does it with his dancers). The voice over was even off with the dancers many times.

I haven't looked at them yet, but there are supposed to be other exercises on there that help out other athletes in certain sports.

[piccolo]

I have the DVD and like it a lot although I agree that you need some ballet training for it to make much sense.

One note if you have the DVD version: Make sure you go to Deanna's Ballet Diary. (Each dancer has a little video diary.) Watch the short clip where she does these amazingly quick tendus. Wow!

[Nadezhda]

I noticed that some of the exercises you described here are not in the book. I own the book, but not the video or DVD.

So, is the video/DVD workout a bit different? In which sections? Can anyone who has both: the book and the video compare them and tell me is it worth buying the video on top of what I already have?

Thank you in advance.

[svemaus]

Hi Nadezhda!

Well, I think that the video is a bit different from the book. The book shows all the exercises individually whereas in the video, you have a lot of movements combined in a choreography in one section.

Here’s the list of the sections:

1.) Warm up (exercises 1–3)

2.) Stretching (exercise 4)

3.) Abdominals (exercises 5-6)

4.) Floor barre (exercises 7-9)

5.) Legs (exercises 10-16)

6.) Cool down (exercises 17)

I advise you to watch the video first before you do the exercises cause by doing this you can get used to the music (which is very cool) and the movements and you don’t really have to depend on the voice of Peter Martins who is a lot of times lagging behind the music. I think that the video/dvd is a good addition to the book but: you should vary the workouts, e.g. do the twenty-minute total workout as shown in the book and the video workout the next time. My doctor told me that variation would be better cause your muscle don’t respond well to the exercises after some time if you always do the same ones.

Oh, a big pro to buy the video would be the fact that there is a 30 minute bonus program at the end of the workout. It shows 4 NYCB-dancers, Heléne Alexopoulos, Albert Evans, Deanna McBreatry and Edwaard Liang, on a normal day, including, ballet classes, rehearsals….

I hope that I could help you,

-Svenia-

[Nadezhda]

Thank you Svenia for your input. I think I'm not going to purchase the video/DVD as well, since I have some ballet class music at home and I exercise to that music in my own tempo. The exercises are made quite clear in the book, so I don't think there's any real need for me to be given more instructions (however - they can't hurt!) . But the 30 minute bonus material sounds very interesting! I'd love to see those dancers in rehearsal, class etc.