Dancers are known for having a long, lean look. Many say it can be yours with Pilates training, and the good news is that now it’s easier than ever before to find a class that suits you.

A slew of Pilates classes have recently popped up around the country, bringing this tried-and-true method of exercise out of the small studio and into your local gym. Besides traditional mat and equipment-based classes, new fusion classes have begun to merge Pilates with yoga, strength training, dance, indoor cycling and more. Can these classes pack the same Pilates punch? To find out, five M&F HERS staffers tried out a variety of fusion classes, plus traditional Pilates training, to compare the hybrids with the original.

Here’s what we thought were the best of the bunch of Los Angeles-area Pilates fusion classes. We’ve also included a move from each for you to try on your own. Let us know if we’ve missed one of your favorites!

ballet pilates

MAURA WEBER

Like many other girls, I spent my adolescent years studying ballet. These days I’ve hung up my leotard and tights in favor of lifting gloves and cross-trainers, but like most women, I don’t want weight training to give me a burly Mr. Olympia look. For me and all the other baby ballerinas out there, an obvious question arises: Is there any way to call upon those years of practice at the bane to enhance grace and flexibility as an adult? That’s where ballet Pilates fits in.

In ballet Pilates, “Energy doesn’t get depleted, it gets enhanced,” says creator Ellen Barrett. This mild workout helps improve your posture and balance through a combination of strength and flexibility moves. The exercise shown here is typical of the type of movement you’ll do in a mat Pilates class; Barrett is certified by the Physicalmind Institute as a Pilates instructor. What makes ballet Pilates unique, however, is the sequence of exercises at the start of class. The class I took at Equinox in Pasadena, California, reawakened my appreciation of the fluency of movement that sets ballet dancers apart from other athletes.

To begin, Barrett took us through a series of simple phes, tendus and arm movements that require focus on balance and alignment. You don’t have to be an experienced dancer to follow Barrett’s instructions, but you’ll face less of a learning curve if you ever took ballet. The second portion of the workout is done mainly on the floor and consists of core-strengthening moves taken from traditional mat Pilates.

Barrett, who also teaches ballet Pilates at Crunch Fitness in Los Angeles, explains that the move shown here, called Coordination, has a variety of benefits. “It’s great for hamstring flexibility and core stabilization,” she says. “In both Pilates and ballet, knowing exactly where your center is located is important. This exercise makes you really connect to, discover and pinpoint your exact center.”

Consider ballet Pilates the finishing touch for your fitness program. Lifting weights sculpts muscle and cardio bums fat; once the hard work is done, ballet Pilates helps refine your physique by promoting graceful posture and poise. If you aren’t able to attend one of Barrett’s classes, you can order the ballet Pilates video at her website, buffgirlfltness.com.

coordination

Start by sitting with your knees together and feet flat on the floor. Lift your feet up in front of you and balance on your sitbones (glutes) so your thighs and torso form a V Try not to round your back; your body should be at about a 45-degree angle to the floor with your chest lifted and shoulders relaxed. This is your start position. With your hands lightly touching the outside of your ankles or shins, straighten your legs out in front of you. Maintaining the balance in your core, open your legs wide apart, then bring them back together in front of you and bend your knees to return to the starting position.

deep tissue tone

BY JANELLE CANADY, CREATIVE COORDINATOR

I had the pain and pleasure of taking Deep Tissue Tone, taught by Tracy Effinger, an instructor at the Speed Center/Workout Warehouse in West Hollywood. Tracy is obviously a dancer–tall and graceful with a very strong presence. The walls of the room were adorned with a weathered assortment of articles Tracy has been featured in and, rightfully so, as the model to boot.

Creator of the Effinger Technique, Tracy definitely has a corner on what women in uberfit Southern California are looking for. When I found out she was the co-author of The Wedding Workout (McGraw Hill, 2001), my mind conjured up images of Barbie-doll brides fitting into their dream dress after using her techniques.

Deep Tissue Tone was quick-paced and lively. Effinger describes it as blending Pilates, Lotte Berk, Tae Kwon Do and her personal sports background–all with an athletic twist. Although I consider myself a gym-class veteran, I found myself wondering how I managed to get one step behind as she effortlessly glided from one movement to the next.

We quickly performed small, controlled gluteal movements using red mini balls, reminiscent of those used on the elementary school playground. We also incorporated movements on the ballet barre to deeply stretch and target lower-body muscles. One particular move that sent me over the trembling edge was the tiptoe plie, described below. After about three of these (toward the end of the workout, no less), I almost cried for mercy Two days later, I definitely felt the deep in Deep Tissue Tone as delayed-onset muscle soreness set in.