36 replies to this topic

[dirac]

I wonder if dancing in "Le Jeune Homme et la Mort" has the same effect?  

[Estelle]

Actually she might have mentioned it too- but in "Le jeune homme et la Mort", the cast isn't very large ;-)

[Hans]

I've been taught that dance is both aerobic and anaerobic--in other words, you have to work in short bursts of energy, but you have to do that for a long time.  Consider the typical ballet class--short combinations performed throughout 1.5+ hours.

[diane]

Yes, Hans. A lot depends on how the class is put together and how demanding the performance was the night before, etc.
(I am speaking/writing of company class here)

In my own experience, which is of course entirely subjective, class was not especially aeorbic in the way a run or even a hike up a mountain would be.
In class there are always - if short - breaks in between exercises, and there one can catch one's breath.

What was difficult - in my time - were longer variations... think Myrta in Giselle.
I am sure there are at least several others where the dancers have to run around a whole lot.

But in the general class-room and rehearsal situation, I did not find Ballet to be particularly aeorbic, and therefore felt hardly any adverse effects from smoking in that regard.  

-diane-

[Mel Johnson]

I had a Physical Conditioning NCO while I was in the Air Force ask me why I always came up well in the annual PC tests, and I told him about my being a dancer.  He demurred, saying that ballet wasn't aerobic.  I just invited him to watch a class at the old Miami Conservatory.  After it was over, he just said, "Whoa!  This is aerobic!  I gotta do a paper on this!"  And so he did, for Air Training Command.  I think around 1973.  I don't know if it's been released for the general public.  His conclusion was that ballet is aerobic after a certain technical level has been reached.

[grace]

personally, i think whether or not a ballet class is aerobic often depends on the class/the teacher (and also, sometimes, the student's attitude/commitment/participation level)...

in my experience, company class is often more aerobic than teaching/training classes. (and of course, following class with rehearsals is far more likely to become an aerobic challenge).