Is Dance the New Yoga?
Photo Eve Maury
Dance is one of the most joyful ways there is to move your body. Whether it’s a structured class or pure free expression, there’s something genuinely liberating about it — especially in a group, with music you love. And because movement is one of the true pillars of health, finding a way to move that you actually look forward to matters far more than any particular workout. So could dance be yours?
You’ve probably heard of Zumba, but it’s only the start. There are countless styles to explore, some with a creative or even spiritual dimension that nourishes your heart and mind as much as your body.
Movement as nourishment
In my coaching philosophy, movement is a form of primary food — the nourishment that comes from how you live, not just from what you eat. Like yoga, dance builds strength, balance and body awareness, lifts your mood and releases tension — only it does it through joy and music. The “best” exercise is simply the one you enjoy enough to keep doing, so it’s worth trying a few styles until something clicks.
Meet Eve Maury
I’m delighted to introduce my niece, Eve Maury, a professional classical dancer and ballet teacher. She took her first dance steps at four and a half, trained at the Royal Ballet School in Antwerp, the Royal Ballet School in London, the Bolshoi Ballet in Boston and the School of American Ballet in New York, with further training at the Paris and Milan opera houses. She won silver at the Biarritz International Competition and reached the quarter-finals of the prestigious Prix de Lausanne. Today she teaches — including a “ballet workout” designed for adults.
You can get a taste of her classes here and follow her here.
What is a ballet workout — and is it for me?
A ballet workout takes the principles of ballet and turns them into a full-body workout open to everyone — no experience, no tutu and no perfect splits required. A few things worth knowing:
You don’t need to be flexible, coordinated or any particular shape to start. That image of effortless, willowy dancers puts a lot of people off before they begin. But a ballet workout meets you exactly where you are and builds strength, tone, posture and balance over time — whether you're 20 or 70.
It works the whole body. Using small, controlled movements and good alignment, a ballet workout engages muscles you didn’t know you had, gently building strength and stability through your core, back, legs and arms — mostly using your own body for resistance.
It’s more of a workout than it looks. The focus on control and placement means it quietly intensifies as your technique improves. You might finish your first class wondering whether you did much — and then feel it the next day. Over time, it builds the kind of strength, control and ease of movement that protects you from injury and carries over into everything else you do.
Common questions
Is dance good exercise? Yes — dance builds strength, flexibility, balance and coordination, supports heart health and is a wonderful mood-lifter. And because it’s enjoyable, it’s one of the easiest forms of movement to actually stick with.
Do I need to be fit or flexible to start dancing? Not at all. Like any movement practice, dance meets you where you are. The point isn’t to look a certain way — it’s to feel stronger, freer and more at home in your body.
Movement should be both nourishing and enjoyable. Try a few styles until you find the one that makes you want to come back — that’s the one that will do you the most good.
Catherine Polet is a certified Holistic Nutrition Health Coach. This article is general guidance, not a substitute for personalised medical advice.
