Pilates for 14+

A full Pilates class featuring stretching and strengthening exercises to support and enhance classical ballet performance, including posture, alignment and balance.

£10.00

  • 1 Class
  • Suitable for 14+

This class gives exercises for the core, hips, back, and feet, to help improve posture and turn-out, attain control in jumping and pointework. As well as supporting the arabesque position, increase leg height and apply floor exercises in a standing position to improve balance.

What you will learn

  • How to use the core muscles to stabilise the pelvis and improve posture
  • How to strengthen the deeper hip muscles with good alignment to improve and maintain turnout
  • How to use the abdominals and deep hip flexors to increase leg height in grand poses
  • How to strengthen the upper back and the abdominals to support the arabesque position
  • How to strengthen the deep muscles of the foot for better control in jumping and landing, pointework and balance
  • How to apply floor exercises in a standing position to improve balance.
Get Started

Your Tutors

Markella Kefallonitou

Pilates Instructor

Markella is a Pilates instructor at The Royal Ballet School, White Lodge. She is a dance specialist and a member of the multidisciplinary Healthcare Team where she works alongside a team of professionals, striving to provide the best conditioning methods for dancers. She is also a tutor for The Royal Ballet School Intensive Courses and the Affiliate Training and Assessment Programme (ATAP).

Markella holds a BA Degree in Dance Education specialising in ballet, Limón and Release techniques, and a Certificate of Achievement from the Merce Cunningham Dance Studio in New York. She danced professionally for independent contemporary choreographers in New York City before retiring to pursue a career in education. She continued her studies at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance with a full scholarship from the Onassis Foundation, and she was awarded an MSc degree in Dance Science specialising in flexibility.

Markella trained in Pilates through BASI Pilates and later became faculty. She teaches the BASI Pilates Global Comprehensive and Mat Programme nationally and internationally, as well as her original workshops ‘Foot - our base of support’ and ‘When and how to stretch - the benefits of different stretching techniques.’ Her passion is to help dancers maximise their performance potential and enjoy an injury-free career. This led her to create the BASI Pilates Advanced Education Certificate Course ‘Dance Conditioning with Pilates’ for Pilates instructors who are interested in specialising to teach dancers.

Markella also works at The Pilates Clinic teaching the general public, and she is proud to be part of the BASI Pilates UK team and the BASI Pilates community worldwide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can participate?

This class is recommended for students aged 14+ and reflects the training given to students aged 14-15 studying at The Royal Ballet School. Our Pilates classes are not suitable for beginner students, students with limited experience or students under 13 years old.

What do I need to participate?

This class is designed so that it can be executed in a smaller space than a dance studio. If you have a dance mat, sturdy chair, Theraband and small ball please have them ready for your session, but these are not essential.

We ask that students/adults ensure that:

  • The floor is not slippery, uneven or hazardous
  • The area used for Pilates is cleared of any items which could hinder the student’s ability to fully extend their arms and legs. There should be enough space for reasonable movement. If a student cannot fully execute an exercise, they should either adapt appropriately or not participate
  • The student is able to clearly hear the teachers verbal instruction, see the teacher’s practical delivery and hear the music
  • The student is fit and well in order to take part.

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