Red Velvet at Crunch

CC Image courtesy Punctuated on Flickr

I was going to write a Debbie Downer of a post about my second ballet class and how I am BAD at things.  But, I had this really entertaining class at Crunch Gym yesterday that gave me a more positive perspective, so I'll roll with that instead.

I'll give you all a short summary about how I am bad at things for your amusement.  I had my second ballet lesson this Tuesday, at a different studio, because I'm still trying to find that unicorn of an absolute ballet beginner class in New York.  This class went a little easier because the teacher actually explained each move thoroughly.  I didn't look like a complete ass at the barre.  A completely different story at centre of course.  We had to do piqué turns across the room three at a time. While OTHER PEOPLE WATCHED.  Apparently, I cannot turn and remember which foot is which.  It's like in college, there was this five sided building that I would try to cut through as a shortcut but I would get turned around and exit through the same door I came in through instead.  Every time I did a turn, I had to pause and think about which leg was the leading leg that I was supposed to move.  Also (whisper), I think I'm afraid of turning.  It's all about release in a way, and feeling slightly out of control.  I got the same feeling trying to do a turn as when I first started doing inversions in yoga.  Which would be a scared feeling.  It took me two years to start doing inversions regularly!



But here is the positive turn of events.  I went to Crunch yesterday with a free guest pass and did a yoga class, which was only okay, and decided to stay through for this class called Red Velvet, which was amazingly ridiculous.  The class is described as "As smooth and satisfying as its cupcake counterpart, this fluid dance class incorporates luxurious red silks suspended from the ceiling and gorgeous choreography that inspires grace, strength, and beauty."  Well one of things you do a lot of in this class is turns and spins with the sling.  It helped me feel grounded and we did a ton of pirouettes using the tension and torque of the slings.  The teacher is primarily a dancer who then trained in aerial silks, so we also did jumps and other moves that I had done in ballet on Tuesday.  I busted out some yoga moves, including a suspended, spinning camel pose!

Obviously, Red Velvet isn't ballet class.  The teacher yells, "Sexy, sexy, sexy!" while you shake your butt to Top 40 pop music, or what I assume is Top 40 because I didn't recognize any of it.  But it was really fun to get a feel for some of these ballet movements with the aide of a prop.  It's like in yoga, when you use a block or blanket to help you get into the pose!  I am very pro-prop use in yoga, so I'll think of this class as my ballet prop. It is also is a killer arms and core workout.  I am so sore today.

Red Velvet is fun guys.  And I would never have thought I was a Red Velvet kind of person, cupcake or otherwise.  My favorite cupcakes are vanilla.  But seriously, go deal with a gym membership salesman for a free trial!  Maybe my new life path should be joining the circus?  Here's a video clip of a Red Velvet class, so you can see what kick ass moves I was doing; I totally did that split thing by the way.