Physical and mental fitness should be connected. It’s one of the smartest things you can do to ensure you are healthy and lucid in your later years. This type of conditioning needs to start when we are young so that we can reap the benefits as older adults. Ballet Brain Circuit ® is comprised of conditioning and stretch exercises based on ballet training principles. The class is designed to improve cognitive function while increasing muscular endurance, cardiovascular health, balance and coordination. It decreases chronic stress and promotes an uplifting mood.
Research shows that dance positively impacts the body and brain. Dance uses several brain functions simultaneously. By recruiting the kinesthetic, musical, rational and emotional centers of the brain we increase neural connectivity. This is key in preserving brain health. Ballet training principles require complex mental coordination that can stave off degenerative brain diseases.
A unique aspect of the class includes the use of classical music and foreign language. Classical music stimulates the brain’s reward center, while dancing activates its sensory and motor circuits. Participants learn ballet terminology in French and the English translation of the steps being taught. You train your mind and body for a complete fitness experience.
Cognitive abilities are best in people who are physically active. The goal of this program is to combine physical and mental exercises that will promote overall health. We need to continuously challenge our brains so that we remain active and alert as we mature.
I have experienced the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s through the eyes of my mother. She was diagnosed at the age of fifty and this disease completely eradicated her memories, language skills, personality and self-sufficiency. Watching Alzheimer’s destroy her mind while her physical body remained intact was haunting. In subsequent years, the disease would adversely affect her body as well.
I hope you will continue to learn and challenge yourselves daily. Your exercise regimen should be diverse and inspire you. Find programs that incorporate elements you enjoy to ensure consistency. Wellness is more than being free from illness. When we are healthy, we are living in our optimal state and that’s when we thrive.
Please feel free to Contact Ingrid if you would like more information about Ballet Brain Circuit ®