Blast Calories with Ballet Bungee

by Natasha Wolff | June 15, 2013 12:00 am

Fitness trainer Rachel Piskin (shown, right) of Flatiron’s Chaise23[1] studio in New York City has introduced a new class designed to make civilians move and feel like dancers (and, hopefully, end up with dancers’ bodies). For the first half of each 45-minute session, students point, flex and jump their way into basic ballet positions with the help of overhead bungee cords, which are used as an alternative to resistance bands.

In creating her low-impact workout, Piskin, who has worked with clients like Vanessa Hudgens, Jessica Hart, Julie Henderson and Joan Smalls, draws upon her years of experience as a dancer. She began attending the School of American Ballet[2] when she was just seven. “Classical ballet technique has amazing benefits that change the body and overall muscle tone,” she said at a recent class. Although you don’t have to be experienced in ballet to make it through a session, it does require some balance. “It’s pretty fast-paced, but the moves can be modified to fit all levels,” she added. The second half of the class consists of a series of mat exercises. Piskin said that students who take at least three classes a week can expect to see results in around a month. ($30 per class)

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