Ballard Movement Arts

03/26/2025

03/06/2025

https://www.gyrotonic.com/injury-healing-and-launching-a-groundbreaking-gyrotonic-rehabilitation-program-for-professional-dancers/

Anneli Chasemore faced a career-defining challenge after a severe on-stage injury. Here she shares her story about helping other dancers heal.

02/24/2025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQmnGq2y4x8

This was my first lesson of the Alexander Technique with Anthony Kingsley.Watch the full 45 minute lesson here: https://youtu.be/5r6gBYnPvP8SUPPORT THE CHANN...

02/24/2025

The Alexander Technique is a mindful practice that teaches you to recognize and release harmful tension patterns in everyday movements. Rather than adding exercises, it's about subtracting unnecessary effort. Through gentle guidance, you learn to optimize the relationship between your head, neck, and spine—creating more efficient, coordinated movement throughout your body. By pausing to interrupt automatic habits and consciously redirecting your body, you develop better posture, reduced pain, and more graceful movement that transfers to everything you do, from sitting at your desk to performing on stage.

02/24/2025

Gyrotonic exercise is a unique movement system that promotes flexibility, strength through full range of motion, and core stability. Created by Juliu Horvath, a former ballet dancer, it uses specialized equipment with circular, spiraling movements that follow the natural design of the body.
The Gyrotonic method emphasizes three key benefits:
1. Flexibility: Unlike static stretching, Gyrotonic movements create dynamic flexibility by moving joints through their complete range while maintaining proper alignment. This approach increases joint mobility while teaching the body how to control and use this newfound flexibility.
2. Strength with full range of motion: Rather than isolated muscle contractions, Gyrotonic exercises build strength throughout entire movement patterns. This 3D strength development helps muscles work together harmoniously in all directions, improving functional movement capacity.
3. Stability training: The system develops deep core stability through continuous, flowing movements that require precise control. By challenging balance in multiple planes, it creates resilient stability that transfers to everyday activities.
Compared to Pilates, which often emphasizes linear movements and focuses primarily on core strength with more static positions, Gyrotonic features spiraling, arcing movements that address the body as an interconnected system. While both methods develop control and precision, Gyrotonic's flowing, circular patterns more closely resemble dance or swimming.
In contrast to CrossFit's high-intensity, sometimes ballistic movements focused on maximum power output, Gyrotonic prioritizes movement quality, joint health, and neuromuscular control. CrossFit builds functional strength through challenging workouts, but Gyrotonic develops a more refined body awareness and coordination without the high impact or competitive element.

12/11/2024

Check out my blog post https://wix.to/ah5RqMs

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2024.1511783/full

04/06/2024

Master Trainers Virginia Holte and Megan McLaren share their perspectives on being over 60 and involved in the GYROTONIC® Method and the GYROKINESIS® Method.

03/12/2024

https://mikeluque.training/what-is-gyrotonic-training/?fbclid=IwAR0CQeOIVbTt9Fc9V9mJ7puFhVne_1Lq383ZfH0mvKW1zZv1EB5KC4Kms8U

Quite simply, Gyrotonic training is resistance training. Yes, you'll be stronger but the effects and benefits of Gyrotonic training go far beyond strength. You'll also become more flexible and develop a total control over the skeletal system in any situation. Oh, and it's also really fun.

10/10/2023

12/06/2022

https://pacificnorthwestpilates.com/blog/moving-to-pnwp-gyrotonic-alexander-technique/?fbclid=IwAR2JHUrUtacq8U5ehrZOJRxQLbGteyr7VQgv66Aa3ZwJaSlPuoRhaOzCHFc

This month you'll see a new face at Pacific Northwest Pilates. We're excited to announce Alex Ballard of Ballard Movement Arts will move to Pacific Northwest Pilates and bring Gyrotonic® instruction and Alexander Technique to our studio. Who Is Alex? Alex brings 40+ years of experience to his teach...