What's up, guys. This week I made a video where I said something pretty bold. That ballet class is backwards. I didn't actually mean it like that, but it got people talking, and I want to dig into the real conversation underneath it.
In this episode I'm breaking down the structure of ballet class. Where it came from, why we do it the way we do it, and whether there are things we could be doing better based on what we now know in sports science. I go all the way back to Cecchetti, walk through why the barre is built the way it is, why centre comes next, and why jumps end up tacked on at the end when our central nervous system is already cooked.
A bit of background on me so you know I'm not just some random guy talking out of school. I trained at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington DC, danced professionally for 12 years, and I've been in ballet class since I was five. That's 33 years of doing this. I know exactly why class is structured the way it is, and I also think we can keep adapting it.
What I cover in this episode:
- The history of ballet class structure and where Cecchetti's influence comes in
- Why every section of the barre is there and what it's actually training
- What sports science says about plyometric training, fatigue, and adaptation
- How my teacher at Kirov approached jumps differently, and why it worked
- The rehearsal vs. class argument (and why "but what about stamina?" doesn't quite hold up)
- Why dance is roughly 15 to 20 years behind on applying sports science research
If you're a dancer, a teacher, or a parent trying to understand how training actually works, I'd love for you to weigh in. Drop your thoughts in the comments. I genuinely want to hear how you see this. Because that's what this whole project is about. Thinking, questioning, and helping dancers do this art form with the best information we've got.
🎙️ The Athletistry Project. Real conversations about dance training, performance, and how we keep evolving the craft.
📲 If you want to train with me, all my coaching, classes, and online programs are over at athletistry.au
If you got something out of this one, hit subscribe and share it with someone who'd find it interesting. Catch you on the next one. And remember to practice for many years.
Chapters:
00:00 Welcome back to the Athletistry Project
00:43 The bold claim: is ballet class backwards?
01:17 My background and why I'm qualified to ask this
01:50 Where ballet class structure came from (Cecchetti)
02:30 How class historically adapted to choreography
03:14 Breaking down the barre and what it's actually training
05:08 Moving from barre into centre
05:39 The Kirov break before jumps
06:50 How we structured jumps at Kirov
08:05 What sports science says about training jumps first
08:47 Why dance is 15 to 20 years behind on sports science
10:19 "But what about stamina?" The performance argument
10:52 Rehearsal vs class: why they're different things
11:28 Giselle vs Sleeping Beauty as a stamina example
12:44 Final thoughts and over to you
13:18 Outro
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