BarreConcept DVD or class?

MoonJelly

Hello All,
I'd like some advice. I would like to try ballet as a form of exercise. Going on the internet I found something called BarreConcept which combines ballet with pilates and is low impact. It sounds right up my alley.

Local classes are £8 a session. I imagine this quickly adds up. I also found some DVDs online which would allow me to exercise at home. It would save me a lot of money as the class is two buses away.

My question is for anyone who knows or has tried: Can you learn barre concept from a DVD or do I have to go to a live class?
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catherinekate

I have a barre concept DVD (Ballet Conditioning with Elise Gulan, it was fairly cheap from Amazon) and I also go to Booty Barre classes locally. I really enjoy both - I do one DVD session and one class each week. I have definitely toned up and my waist has slimmed down over the last couple of months! (though I have also increased my running mileage so it may be a bit of a combination effect)

The DVD is good, and definitely gets your muscles working. I find I push myself harder in the classes and it holds my interest better as the teacher mixes things up a bit more. (there are also a mix of ages there - teenagers to mid-60s). I would say you don't have to do a class . . . but the occasional one would probably be good fun.

MoonJelly

catherine/kate wrote: »

I have a barre concept DVD (Ballet Conditioning with Elise Gulan, it was fairly cheap from Amazon) and I also go to Booty Barre classes locally. I really enjoy both - I do one DVD session and one class each week. I have definitely toned up and my waist has slimmed down over the last couple of months! (though I have also increased my running mileage so it may be a bit of a combination effect)

The DVD is good, and definitely gets your muscles working. I find I push myself harder in the classes and it holds my interest better as the teacher mixes things up a bit more. (there are also a mix of ages there - teenagers to mid-60s). I would say you don't have to do a class . . . but the occasional one would probably be good fun.

Thank you. I am already slimming down thanks to a high protein diet (prescribed by my GP!) but of course I am way out of shape but due to old injuries I am not a good candidate for high-impact workouts.
Thank you also for the information about the DVD -I'll check it out.
You are a star :T

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shandyclover

My oldest is a trained ballet teacher. I ran your question by her and asked her for an unbiased opinion. She said a DVD can be great for practicing at home, (she actually used the New York Ballet DVD herself a few years ago when the situation we lived in limited the amount of classes she could get to) but that it would be better not to rely upon it entirely. A good ballet teacher will watch for incorrect positioning and technique and correct that before they become habits - thereby helping you advance quicker and avoiding injury. Obviously you don't have the benefit of that in a DVD. She said ideally try and fit in some classes and particularly find a class taught by a qualified teacher (ISTD or RAD) as they also have studied all the anatomy and particular things to watch out for in every age group. Hope that helps.

MoonJelly

shandyclover wrote: »

My oldest is a trained ballet teacher. I ran your question by her and asked her for an unbiased opinion. She said a DVD can be great for practicing at home, (she actually used the New York Ballet DVD herself a few years ago when the situation we lived in limited the amount of classes she could get to) but that it would be better not to rely upon it entirely. A good ballet teacher will watch for incorrect positioning and technique and correct that before they become habits - thereby helping you advance quicker and avoiding injury. Obviously you don't have the benefit of that in a DVD. She said ideally try and fit in some classes and particularly find a class taught by a qualified teacher (ISTD or RAD) as they also have studied all the anatomy and particular things to watch out for in every age group. Hope that helps.

Thank you for this. I've actually enrolled for a 6-week class for beginners starting today (no I'm not rushing into it -I've been thinking about barre for 2 years). I'll get a DVD to practise at home although I am nowhere the level of the New York Ballet!

MoonJelly

Update: my first class was fab. Everything hurt and burned. Teacher corrected my posture several times. Thumbs up.

shandyclover

LOL you will be sore! DD uses radox muscle therapy bath salts, or epsom salts for relief after intense classes. Sounds like you found a good teacher.:)

MoonJelly

shandyclover wrote: »

LOL you will be sore! DD uses radox muscle therapy bath salts, or epsom salts for relief after intense classes. Sounds like you found a good teacher.:)

:T

Got a massage from DH as it is too late for a bath. However thanks for the tip about the radox. Will do next time. :T

MoonJelly

It may also a good opportunity for discuss DVDs to fill in the gaps between classes and also to save a bit of money (which is why are in this money saving forum to begin with!).

I actually found (and bought) a copy of the Lotte Berke barre videos (on ebay). They seem to work fine. I have no idea if they are the best for a beginner or are for more advanced students.

Anybody else for ideas of good barre DVDs that don't cost the earth?