Ballestics

A few weeks ago I had a chance to sample one of Jamie Thomson's modern ballet workouts and enjoyed it tremendously. It was fast and furious and enormous fun.  The movements were based on ballet but the the session was quite different from a typical ballet class. There was no barre, no instruction, no marking. We just watched and followed Jamie while moving to the music.

Jamie, who trained at the Royal Ballet School and Rambert, explains his technique on his company's website:

"Unlike a formal ballet class there's no stopping and starting in Ballestics. You learn the steps as you dance them, allowing you the chance to work up a sweat and get your heart pumping. And we don’t start at the barre, there’s no propping yourself up in Ballestics, allowing you the chance to move more freely. The basic ballet moves like plie (bend), tendu (stretch), jete (jump), port de bras (movement of the arms), give your muscles a full-body workout that'll help you lengthen your body and tone everything up."

Jamie is not offering merely a strenuous workout, He is also offering art. Like other forms of ballet,ballestics is rooted in the theatre with its own company, Ampersandance.

Jamie teaches ballestics in Nottingham but he has trained instructors who teach it in other cities.  My taster class lasted only a few minutes. I am looking forward to a full session.