The Athletistry Project

What's up, guys. This week I made a video where I said something pretty bold. That ballet class is backwards. I didn't actually mean it like that, but it got people talking, and I want to dig into the real conversation underneath it.In this episode I'm breaking down the structure of ballet class. Where it came from, why we do it the way we do it, and whether there are things we could be doing better based on what we now know in sports science. I go all the way back to Cecchetti, walk through why the barre is built the way it is, why centre comes next, and why jumps end up tacked on at the end when our central nervous system is already cooked.A bit of background on me so you know I'm not just some random guy talking out of school. I trained at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington DC, danced professionally for 12 years, and I've been in ballet class since I was five. That's 33 years of doing this. I know exactly why class is structured the way it is, and I also think we can keep adapting it.What I cover in this episode:The history of ballet class structure and where Cecchetti's influence comes inWhy every section of the barre is there and what it's actually trainingWhat sports science says about plyometric training, fatigue, and adaptationHow my teacher at Kirov approached jumps differently, and why it workedThe rehearsal vs. class argument (and why "but what about stamina?" doesn't quite hold up)Why dance is roughly 15 to 20 years behind on applying sports science researchIf you're a dancer, a teacher, or a parent trying to understand how training actually works, I'd love for you to weigh in. Drop your thoughts in the comments. I genuinely want to hear how you see this. Because that's what this whole project is about. Thinking, questioning, and helping dancers do this art form with the best information we've got.🎙️ The Athletistry Project. Real conversations about dance training, performance, and how we keep evolving the craft.📲 If you want to train with me, all my coaching, classes, and online programs are over at athletistry.auIf you got something out of this one, hit subscribe and share it with someone who'd find it interesting. Catch you on the next one. And remember to practice for many years.Chapters:00:00 Welcome back to the Athletistry Project00:43 The bold claim: is ballet class backwards?01:17 My background and why I'm qualified to ask this01:50 Where ballet class structure came from (Cecchetti)02:30 How class historically adapted to choreography03:14 Breaking down the barre and what it's actually training05:08 Moving from barre into centre05:39 The Kirov break before jumps06:50 How we structured jumps at Kirov08:05 What sports science says about training jumps first08:47 Why dance is 15 to 20 years behind on sports science10:19 "But what about stamina?" The performance argument10:52 Rehearsal vs class: why they're different things11:28 Giselle vs Sleeping Beauty as a stamina example12:44 Final thoughts and over to you13:18 Outro#Ballet #BalletTraining #DanceTraining #BalletClass #AthletistryProject #BalletTechnique #DancerTraining #SportsScienceForDancers #ProfessionalBallet #BalletEducation #KirovAcademy #BalletPodcast #DanceEducation #BallerinaTraining #AthletistryAU

In the first ever episode of The Athletistry Project, host Shane Wuerthner pulls back the curtain on something the dance world has been quietly ignoring for years. After a 12-year professional career spanning Vienna State Opera, San Francisco Ballet, and Queensland Ballet, Shane breaks down why the path to becoming a professional dancer has become longer, more expensive, and less rewarding than ever before, and what's really driving it.From trainee programs that charge dancers to do work they should be paid for, to video auditions that filter out brilliant performers, to a post-pandemic "lost generation" of dancers still trying to find their footing, this episode is an honest conversation about a system that isn't working for the people inside it.If you've ever trained seriously for dance, or you're raising a child who is, this one's for you.Chapters:00:00 Welcome to The Athletistry Project00:41 Why this podcast exists01:20 The unspoken promise of full-time training programs02:52 Dance vs law, medicine, and engineering: where the comparison breaks down04:21 Shane's experience at the Kirov Academy in Washington D.C.05:57 Transferable skills and parallel careers06:31 How auditions have changed and why video is failing dancers07:14 The problem with hyper-specialisation and distance education09:56 The lost generation: what the pandemic took from young dancers11:14 Trainee programs: paying for what used to be paid work12:39 The "just be entrepreneurial" myth14:42 Why dance still isn't taken seriously as a profession16:47 Final thoughts and where to continue the conversationFollow me on:InstagramFacebookTiktokYouTubeJoin The Athletistry Project Community