I can safely say i am officially hooked to ballet. Never thought i would. My mum took me to classes when i was young but hated it! I was too much of a tomboy. However, never say never... After attending Veronika Iblova's classes here in Prague - its been 3 months now - i am addicted to the beauty, gracefulness and extremely hard work ballerinas go through. RESPECT!
By nature i am not a flexible person. In fact i could barely bend below my knees let alone touch my toes. I truly believed this was never going to happen. After a month of attending twice a week 90 minute Body form ballet classes i managed to touch my toes! Now every day i stretch, and every day i achieve more and more. Its such an amazing feeling.
Ok, the fact that Veronika is a ballet master and an excellent teacher contributes to that fact. Very few times in life we meet people that truly inspire us. She is definitely one of them.
Anyway to cut a long story short i decided to participate at the International Contemporary Dance Workshop that takes place here in Prague. Its actually the 4th year running.
This is the stunning "ceiling", my view when lying on the floor!
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I, of course, took one of Veronica's classes as i was too intimidated to try anything else. She teaches the Body form method, which is, to some extent, unique in the Czech Republic as described on the ICWP website. The main advantage of this method is that it can significantly improve dancers' dispositions and flexibility.
This system was created as a modification of the training given to the national team of junior modern gymnasts. It was taken over and modified from the Russian model. It comprises approximately 50 exercises and is accompanied by regularly phrased music.
Veronica together with Szabó Ildiko modified this to suit a classical dance class and separated it into six themed areas:
1. Stretching and warm-up
2. Arches and feet
3. Hip joint turnout
4. Spine
5. Maximum to enormous flexibility (range of movement)
6. Jumps
The whole class is put together so that an even pressure is put on all muscles, ligaments, joints and the spine.This method is particularly effective and valuable for professional dancers, but it can also be recommended for moderately advanced students.
The workshop lasts for 6 days. Tomorrow is the last day. Thank God for that as i completely and utterly exhausted. Every muscle that i can identify aches like crazy.
This has been an amazing experience for me and i hope next year i will be able to do more!
Thank you to Veronika and a big thank you to myself / body that took me through this wonderful journey :)
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