Is dance the new yoga?

Dance is one of the most joyous ways to move our body. Whether it's specific guidance or free expression, there is something truly liberating about dance, especially when you dance in a group on great music!

While you may have heard of Zumba as a popular dance style, there are many others, some of which even have a spiritual component that helps nourish your heart and soul, as well as your body.

I am very happy to introduce Eve Maury. She is a professional classical dancer and teacher of classical ballet, spikes, bar and teacher in different dance schools in Brussels. She also teaches ballet workout to adults.

Her first dance steps at age 4 and a half were the beginning of a dream come true.

After eight years at the Royal Ballet School in Antwerp, she continued her training at the Royal Ballet in London, at the Bolshoi Ballet in Boston, at the School of American Ballet in New York, and did internships with professors at the Opera of Paris and Milan, among others.

She won the silver medal at the Biarritz International Competition and was a quarter finalist at the Prix de Lausanne Competition.

3 reasons why everyone should try ballet workout

The ballet workout is a fitness trend not to be missed! Still, many people feel intimidated by the idea of trying real ballet. Here are some myths and what you need to know to let your inner ballerina shine.

1. You do not have to be thin, leggy, flexible or coordinated to do ballet or ballet workout.

We have all seen images of little dancers performing sports feats of surprising beauty and skill. And who can forget the perfectionism and fierce competition that tormented Natalie Portman in Black Swan? It is no wonder that many people feel intimidated to try a folded!

The truth, however, is that ballet is an amazing workout that will put you in the best shape of your life. Ballet develops strength, tone, flexibility, balance and grace, even if you do not start with this one!

This undeniably elegant ballet physique - contoured legs, fitted waist, back and toned arms - comes from a formula of bars, stretching and self-paced exercises that make up a typical ballet class. Whether you are 20 or 70, ballet is just a good exercise.

2. The barre is the only thing the ballet workout and the real ballet have in common.

Ballet workout and ballet are two very different practices. So, if you have not experienced ballet, it's important to know what to expect.

Because posture and form are at the heart of the technique, the ballet workout engages the entire body with each exercise.

Ballet workout use small muscle contractions and repetition-based routines to carve specific areas of the body. The ballet workout teaches how to control the body with fluid and far-reaching movements. The abdominals and the back engage during extension, flexion and lifting of the arms and legs.

Apart from the bar, there are few accessories in ballet workout. Instead, gravity and movement offer resistance. Because posture and form are at the heart of the technique, the ballet workout engages the whole body with every exercise.

While barre classes are a version of calisthenics using the barre as an accessory, the ballet workout is a complete technique designed to build tone, flexibility and balance through movement both at and away from the barre. In short, barre workouts are about creating tone through contraction; ballet is about developing strength and control through extension.

The ballet workout's emphasis on movement, with proper alignment, improves body mechanics with remarkable efficiency. Translation: your legs, hips, waist, back and arms become stronger, longer and thinner and you move with greater ease and composure. Ballet workout not only changes the appearance of your body, but also the way you move.

3. A ballet workout workout is as intense as a HIIT or boot camp training.

Do not let the stylistic differences between the ballet workout and the boot camp fool you. The ballet workout's emphasis on "placement" means that the technique becomes more intense over time.

After the first class, you may wonder if you have worked enough, but after the third class, you will feel the abdominals, calves and inner thighs working! Unlike many other forms of exercise that train less over time, the more familiar and correct your ballet technique is, and the more results you get!

Although in the beginning it may seem that you sweat more while doing sit-ups and standing up, the total engagement of the ballet workout ultimately develops a more athletic, functional and refined body. Ballet dancers are among the strongest and most versatile athletes in the world. This is because ballet is much more than strength. It's about control.

If you want long, lean, strong and flexible muscles, not to mention the balance, control and posture, the ballet workout is what you need. And as if a graceful body was not motivating enough, doing ballet workout will protect your body from injury and improve all your other activities!

So go ahead and fold! Ballet is the ultimate old-fashioned training (as in Louis XIV's time) to create the most elegant physique possible. And unlike previous centuries, where only the royal privileged could experience ballet, this practice is more accessible than ever to help you set the bar for your fitness routine.

Here is a taste of her classes!

You can follow her here.

Physical movement is a form of primary food and must be both nourishing and enjoyable. Try different movement styles until you find one that suits you.

What other dance styles have you tried and loved? Let it know in the comments!