Product Description

Discover the joy of movement and the beauty of dance with the first program in this series by Instructor Melissa Lowe. The elegant way to achieve the body you want, attain the look and grace of a professional dancer and enjoy a healthier lifestyle. Perfect for all ages, this workout will help you condition, reshape and tone your body. This workout will not only help you create the body you have always wanted, but also will help you gain an overall sense of well being. This workout has been divided into two levels. Level I is designed for those with little or no previous ballet experience. Previous ballet experience is helpful but not necessary for level II. Success on both workout levels lies in performing the exercises in the correct position and with the correct posture. The same amount of time spent on ballet exercises as spent on more traditional forms of exercise will produce dramatically different results in shaping your body.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #18384 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-10-26
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 83 minutes

Amazon.com
The title is somewhat a misnomer: this 83-minute video isn't a "workout" so much as a ballet class. If you've taken ballet in the past--or if you've always wanted to--pull on your tights and leg warmers and enjoy this video. Melissa Lowe, a former soloist and principal dancer with several ballet companies, leads two levels of workout. Level 1 is for those with little or no ballet training; ballet experience is helpful for level 2. Each level has three segments: floor work (stretches to warm up the muscles), barre work (standing exercises and positions done holding onto a barre or chair), and center work (more intense conditioning with balance, traveling, and some jumping). If you're not already flexible, you'll find the stretches daunting, even at level 1. This is a 1984 video and doesn't have the production quality you find in more current videos, but ballet is timeless. The music is solo piano--just like in ballet class. The lithe, willowy instructor doesn't smile or try to engage the audience, but she sure knows ballet, and her flexibility and grace are awe inspiring. --Joan Price

Customer Reviews

Worth my time and money
I started dance classes three years ago at the age of 38, and bought The Ballet Workout to help develop more muscle control in my hips and legs. I've done yoga, Pilates, belly dance, aerobic dance, but really, nothing compares to ballet for gaining the strength and muscle control I'm looking for.
Melissa Lowe is a good teacher. Her voice is pleasant, and her descriptions of movements were very precise, complete, and not at all redundant. As a beginner-level adult, I needed that level of explanation so I could execute movements correctly without injury.
Some things, like Ms. Lowe's stage makeup and poker face may seem jarring to the 21st century viewer, but keep in mind that this tape was produced in 1983, one of the very first dance instruction videos, before teachers had much collective experience before a video camera.
For me, the moves are difficult to execute, even at the tape's "beginner level", perhaps because of my age and inherent lack of flexibility. I would have appreciated being able to see what the exercises look like when executed correctly, although the dancer cannot yet achieve complete turnout or raise the leg fully. Melissa Lowe's verbal description was a great help for me to be able to make a good guess, but a demo would have worked even better.
I look forward to seeing more of Melissa Lowe's video instruction, as in these last twenty years, she will have become a prodigious teacher.

Excellent for Toning Legs!
I love the workouts on this tape. I've been using this tape for a year now - which is proof that it works, it's easy to stick with, and the workout is as challenging as you make it (there's always a technique or position to improve). You see and feel results right away. Whenever I see that I'm gaining a couple of pounds or my legs are losing their shape, I just follow this workout for a week or two, and I fit into my jeans again. I can't wait to try the second video by Melissa Lowe!

Great workout for your body!
This video is for anyone who is trying to tighten things up. In only a few weeks I noticed a difference. After the first workout I felt great! It shows some really good stretching exercises. It also makes you more aware of your posture so you stand taller and look thinner. The moves are so easy that my two and three year old children love to do "ballet" with me.