Ballet Cleans the Brain
The ballet warmup “barre” stuns me especially when I watch professionals begin their work day. The internal focus is worthy of any meditation and the personal silence is as rich as any prayer. Within their silence and careful attention to the slowest movement is a flood of internal conversation and information download. Each dancer is measuring their day’s unique energy level, body tone, and reaching within for the incentive to reach new heights in the day’s performance.
The complete body enters every movement, creating a new palette for the day. Yesterdays injuries and disappointments must be washed clean in these silent moments of concentration. The arms and legs gather energy from deep within the torso and pass across and around the body in ancient rituals that free the brain to heal the body and focus the mind.
I imagine the origins of these movements were codified in the earliest temple dances.
Tags: Dance Cleans
February 5th, 2010 at 6:58 pm
80 year old and still doing my barre exercise….it will keep you going for years and years…the best medecine ever mmmmmmichel
February 12th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
Thanks michel for your comment. Our @thepilatesstudio is planning a ballet class that coordinates the workout of Pilates in a ballet class. Pilates has helped me find the muscles to keep going. And ballet will bring my brain above water using the musicality of the barre.