digital divide network - article database

A lot of people enroll into ballet summer camps with the motive of not only learning how to dance well but also to lose weight. But how much truth does this belief hold? Does ballet help you lose weight and get in shape or are most of these myths created by various people? In either case, we cannot ignore the fact that ballet is a very popular and much desired dance form and whatever is the final outcome, one thing is assured – you will learn to dance well.

If you are a beginner who is investing your summer in intensive ballet classes, be rest assured that there are little chances of you losing weight. The reason is that beginner ballet classes concentrate more of posture and gracefulness thereby teaching you to get the basic steps and getting your alignment right. Thus, the level of rigorous activity in these classes in pretty low as compared to some of the basic other weight losing activities like running. The only way to lose weight during beginner classes of ballet is to combine it with some other cross training like cycling or swimming. These exercises ensure the movement of the whole body thereby helping a person to shed more calories. However, consuming lesser calories is as important as shedding them. Thus junk food and ballet are never a good combination. It is true that an hour of a ballet summer program might make you exhausted and your body may demand foods that are high in calorific value. But the best thing to do in this situation is to not indulge in these cravings and continuing with a balanced and nourishing diet which includes milk, greens, and lots of water.

However, if you are not in beginner ballet, chances are that you are practicing the more complex jumps and leaps that consume a high amount of energy. Losing weight here is easy, but only relatively. One must not forget that ballet lessons tone your legs and what you lose in terms of fat, you might gain in terms of muscle. So if you are not losing weight; it should not be as much of an issue as getting in shape is. A lot of how you get in shape in dependent on the kind of lessons that your ballet instructor prescribes but most ballet lessons involve chassés, chainés and jétés – moves that cause your heart rate to go up and thus assist you in the process of losing weight. But here too, the concept of consuming lesser calories, avoiding junk food, and preferably taking a cross training program remain relevant.

So it does not matter if you are a first time ballet dancer or an adult beginner, ballet will help you get into shape if you combine it with the right kind of exercise and a proper balanced diet. Ballet steps and a committed workout schedule are both essential for you to dance your way to getting in shape.