Is ballet the new gym? - Test 3

C2 Proficiency · Multiple Matching · Cambridge English Proficiency 1, Cambridge University Press

You are going to read an article about ballet. For questions 1–10, choose from the sections (A–D). The sections may be chosen more than once.

I always find the winter months difficult here in London, but exercise can help to beat the winter blues because during any exercise routine, the body produces 'happy' endorphins. With attractive flushed cheeks and a warm glow of post-exercise smugness, you will feel much better than if you were suffering the inevitable side-effects of other types of weight-loss programme. I'm not suggesting you high-tail it to the gym, however. Gyms are anathema to many, who perceive them as overly competitive and so twentieth century. No, I'm recommending that you follow the example of celebrities and take to the barre. Devotees in New York, London and Paris cite suppleness, strength and a sculpted silhouette as the chief benefits of a ballet-based fitness regime. Deride it, if you will, as the latest media-fuelled fad, but increasingly exercise professionals are referring to ballet as the 'new Pilates'. Its benefits have also been noted by the New Zealand rugby team, who have been known to incorporate ballet moves into their training routine.

Charlotte Toner, a former professional ballerina, has been at the forefront of this trend. Some years ago, she developed what is known as her 'floor barre' class, which incorporates elementary ballet and Pilates-type movements. 'I fell into teaching it because my friends were always asking how I kept in shape,' she says. 'Then I discovered there was so much demand that I had to get my act together and produce a proper timetable.' Injured dancers often do floor barre because as the name implies, you work mainly lying on the floor rather than standing at the barre. Since the back is supported, it's relatively risk-free. Joy Waiter, a leading physiotherapist, says: 'This combination of movement and stretch, underpinned by stability, is a good model for most people with back problems. Floor barre is also an ideal exercise routine for those not in the first flush of youth.' Ballet's focus on lengthening rather than contracting muscles promotes flexibility, maintaining a lithe appearance. 'If you attend class regularly, you'll be noticing a difference in body shape in no time,' Charlotte assured me.

Charlotte offers a variety of classes, each lasting seventy-five minutes, and can accommodate complete beginners at floor barre as well as advanced ballet performers. Participants span the generations and it's comforting to realise that you don't need the co-ordination skills of an acrobat or the stamina of an Olympic marathon runner to attempt a plié at the barre. 'If you can walk on a treadmill,' she insists, 'you can do floor barre.' Co-ordination, elegance and suppleness come with practice. I was recommended to take up floor barre when persistent lower back pain prevented me from working out in the gym. After a mere six-week course with Charlotte, attending three sessions a week, my back improved and muscle tone was starting to replace dimpled flab. I also lost 4.5kg effortlessly; somehow glimpsing my podgy reflection in the studio mirrors eviscerated my desire for chips and chocolate.

But the appeal goes beyond the visible results; many devotees highlight another side of ballet. 'It's about expressing myself in a different way,' one says. 'The melodic music transports you far from the daily grind.' Françoise Peretti, managing director of her own public-relations firm, puts it well. 'Ballet tones my body but it also tones my soul,' she says. 'As a former investment banker used to analysing the nuances of financial markets, I was unprepared for how ballet challenges the intellect as well as the body. There's a litany of things to remember and it calls for both concentration and mental agility. Co-ordinating your arms and legs is difficult enough but you also have to simultaneously stand tall, lower your shoulders, breathe correctly and memorise the often complex routines.' So, if you too are gazing despondently at the overcast sky, wondering desperately how you're ever going to get through the winter months as you long to burrow back under the bedcovers, think about shaking a leg – literally. Step outside your comfort zone and treat yourself to a fitness regime that is fun, uplifting and very effective. Take up floor barre. Your thighs will thank you for it.

Is ballet the new gym?

Celebrities are not alone in finding ballet training gives them a good workout, says Abigail Hoffman

the level of fitness needed to engage in an activity?

an explanation of the remedial health benefits of an activity?

being surprised to see an outcome in a short space of time?

ballet exercises as a form of escapism?

a feeling of contentment arising out of physical activity?

chance remarks that were a source of inspiration?

the challenging range of skills and abilities required by ballet?

the idea that people should attempt something beyond their normal capabilities?

how an activity might be unfairly regarded by some people?

the effect of the activity on the ability to resist an indulgence?

In which section does the writer mention

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