A Birthday Wish from our Founder, Burr Leonard

Hi Bar Method family,
I know you are celebrating The Bar Method’s 16th birthday this week. In honor of the occasion, I’d like to tell you a story about why I appreciate the workout more than ever. First of all, now that I’m purely a student, I’ve gained a new respect for how efficiently and safely it gives me the level of fitness I want (If I don’t say so myself.)

My second reason is more idiosyncratic. Among the wide variety of workouts I’ve taken, The Bar Method is the only one that can help me dance. Since the 80s, dance classes have been an off and on hobby of mine, and right now I have the good fortune to be taking an extraordinary ballet class. Our amazing teacher, Joan Lazarus Dobkowski, choreographs beautiful modern ballet dances to music by composers like Bach, Prokofiev and the rock band Traffic, and I really want to be able dance them like I’m not 70! (which I am)

What makes the difference between dancing like I’m flying or dancing and falling on my face is The Bar Method. Every Bar Method exercise puts me into a position that gives me a burn while at the same time allows me to work on my posture and alignment. Meanwhile, my teachers remind me to “lift your chest” or “pull in your abs” just at the right moment. The exercises themselves strengthen my quads, hip-flexors, calves and glutes, which translate directly into better extensions, relevés and arabesques (which Joan notices). And I get to work on my flexibility!

In short, The Bar Method gives me the one quality that I most need in a ballet class, graceful strength. Hey, that might be a good idea for a tagline.

Happy Birthday, Bar Method!

Burr

Save