Listening to you talk about RG takes me back to some of the earliest vlogs of yours I watched when you were just transitioning out of the sport. So interesting to hear the differences from your perspective
Hi Hannah! I am from Portugal, a ballet lover and an adult ballet beginner. I have been loving your videos, especially these last ones: I know that there is a difference from the usual for a heavy reason, but it is really beautiful to watch your journey and the sensation of a free spirit, going through the recovery with lightness and hope. So thank you, for the courage to share this part of your path! I was thinking about all these differences, and again, I am just a beginner at ballet, but since I have my own journey with my body, I started an online Ballet Conditioning "course" to protect myself from getting injured. It's more like a club. My teacher is not only a ballerina herself (with RAD) but also a physical education teacher, getting specialized in physical conditioning for ballet dancers. And she is also an ex-rhythmic gymnast, like you! In this club, I have many classes, like floor barre and PBT, but also strength, flexibility, core, cardio, and many specifics for different goals (stability, stamina/potency, feet work, etc.). She brings a lot of studies that help us understand the difference that the actual conditioning routine brings, especially when discussing preventing injuries. Most of these studies show the difference between "just" doing classes, or having some training routines outside of the class - for professional dancers or not. And there are a lot of professional dancers who have already proven that (a good example is Steven McRae). Most of the studies show that actually, ballet classes are not enough to prepare and strengthen the body at all physical levels. She also shows how muscle strengthening doesn't necessarily lead to muscle hypertrophy - when done correctly and with professional guidance. I know this is a polemic topic, but if there are studies that show how much better it is to have a strengthening routine, as well as a flexibility one (and to not really do flexibility as part of warm-up exercises because even if it is dynamic and active flex exercises, it will relax the muscles and diminish the capacity for potency as well as increase the probability for injury), it makes me think that maybe it is time for ballet to start changing on that topic, to guarantee safety for all bodies, as well as longevity for the dancer's lives? A lot of ballet schools - especially the ones training students who want to be professionals, with vocational paths available in different methods - already have really well-equipped gyms and extra classes like Pilates or other (a good example is the Bolshoi Theatre School in Brasil (Vaganova method). I am just thinking because I truly believe that ballet is magical but it can also be brutal if not done correctly. And if we can prevent it, shouldn't this be a topic with more research and sensibilization around students, teachers and professionals? Also, if you are curious, my physical education teacher is @BailarinaPreparada www.youtube.com/@BailarinaPreparada (the content is all in Portuguese since she is from Brazil) and my Ballet Teacher is also from Brazil and has an online Ballet Course for adult beginners, following the Vaganova method, here's her YT channel as well - www.youtube.com/@FernandaRuschel . Sorry for this huge comment, and I hope that you understand that I only mean to think over this subject, not as a professional but as a lover of ballet and all related topics. Thank you again for your channel which has been a huge inspiration for me :) . And a good Portuguese hug with wishes of an amazing 2025!
I am in no way a professional like you, but I grew up doing rhythmic and then transitioned to ballet at around age 17. People don't realise how different the two sports are and I really appreciated hearing someone else's opinion on the differences who also is an insider. Would love to watch another video on this topic!
The fact that you started really pursuing ballet "late" is very motivating to me, although I'm a violinist. I have been playing since I was 13 (only a few years ago) and am just now beginning to pursue it as a potential career halfway through my teens. A lot of kids my age are already playing super advanced pieces and do the competitions and orchestras, but I'm just trying to grasp some of the bow techniques despite my intermediate advanced level. It sometimes feels like I'll never catch up, but I'm making progress! I'm just trying to survive the current piece I'm learning- nearly there!
This is very inspirational! I know it is tempting to compare oneself to people the same age, but just focus on your own journey. Mastering the basics is the most important thing you could possibly do. Think of it like when toddlers learn to walk. Some of them learn much faster than others. But by age 3, all of them are running around. By the time they are old enough to have an organized race, it might be the kid who learned to walk at age 2.5 who beats the others who learned to walk at 12 months. Please also give yourself credit for doing something in a different way from others. The teenage years are full of peer pressure, and it already takes a strong character to do what you are doing. 🫡 I'm very glad you have found Hannah's channel! Best wishes!! 🙏🎻🎼♥️💚
This is so fascinating, I'd be very interested in a part 2. I know nothing about rhythmic gymnastics but your perspective on RG and ballet is so unique from your experiences that it adds another dimension to the discussion about ballet which is one of my hobbies. (Also at 17:17 I can't fathom how a person can twirl a ribbon in the left hand while bouncing a ball in the right, that is pure sorcery)
😀 part 2!!! Thanks for the video, could you make a video visiting your club or your coach? or maybe a video of ballet steps or sequences for rhythmic gymnasts
Wow...this is the best video. And you have given me so much information. I was a professional dancer (modern) with classical training and I started so late, but I have often wondered where the lines crossed for ballet dancers and rhythmic gymnast. Thanks.
Да, вот это интересно: мнение о разнице самоощущения в художественной гимнастике и в балете, акцент на некоторых деталях от того, кто глубоко наблюдает за малейшими нюансами, будучи увлечённым и устремлённым к развитию на выбранном поприще! Если зритель не вращается в среде упражнений и тренировок, то пояснение на примере, а так же иногда визуальная демонстрация некоторых деталей, как в этом видео, помогает формированию некоторого представления об элементах разницы. Например, действительно, как я обратил только сейчас внимание - подбородок + игра с разрезом глаз, мимики лица или мимики движения частей тела. Впечатления накапливаются по мере времени, а их глубина зависит от концентрации действий и не плохо, если бы Вы продолжали пояснять. Художественная гимнастика задумывалась для приобщения к Терпсихоре широких масс населения... Не поделитесь ли наблюдениями детальнее о разнице между, например, английской и русской манерами, касаемо гимнастики и балета?
😀 This was interesting - particularly the point on ‘conditioning’. I had a similar mindset myself for a while - i.e. that ballet class itself is not enough for optimal strength and fitness - which is partially true. However I am also coming to view ballet class as conditioning in itself - ie it if you don’t have time to do conditioning before ballet class, it is not like you’ve done nothing - ballet class itself can strengthen the exact muscles you need for ballet!
😃 As someone who dabbles in yoga (wanting to make it a regular practice, but this silly thing called sleep gets in the way), I always wanted to get the perspective of someone who has done multiple flexible disciplines (RSG, acro, dance, AG, contortion, etc.) and give some differences in how they prepare for those. I know there are many cirque contortionists who were in RSG or in ballet previously, but others were strictly in a circus school. When you feel you are well enough to do it, do you think you might demonstrate the different preparations for a gymnastics practice or competition versus a ballet class, rehearsal or performance?
Hi Hannah, Have you had problems knowing when you were ‘over’ hyperextending your joints? In RG you can’t really be too flexible, how did you learn when to ‘rein in’ your hyper flexability to be ‘appropriate’ for ballet?
Please, second part! I have 2 questions for the next videos if it's possible. In your experience, what RG training methods/ideas/mentality should improve from ballet? and, thanks to ballet now, which advices you'd say to little Hannah when she was doing RG? Thanks in advance
I think you can train to improve learning steps while lying on your bed. I would try to learn all variations I like. You can dance them by memory later. I think this would be fun. Or following online classes and doing the steps mentally.
This is a great idea! Staying mentally sharp and mentally "in the zone" is good for the mood and often leads to improved performance or execution - sorry, I don't know what the proper term is but you probably know what I mean! 🙏♥️💚
I love you re energy je te souhaite un bon retablissement! Pourrais tu pendant ce temps de récuperation, faire une vidéo sur l education que tu as recu , les valeurs, le respect l obeissance , comment cela à été amener dans ta famille. Je te trouve très inspirante et en tant que parent je souhaiterais voir mes enfants aussi épanouis.... 😊
beside the jewlry, why not you sure a bit of what you do for your skin or hair or something else, if you do someroutines or use some favourite products, you always look radient and cute :)
I LOVE this video! I started when I was very young with pre ballet/gymnastics classes. By the time I was 9 I started serious proper ballet school in Moscow (Большой Балет Академия). I had a педагог (which is a mentor/private coach/mother figure) when I was still pretty little which is such a blessing for my development. I learned new material very quickly. Yelena Ryabinkina, my coach, drilled that into me - learn every single part, do everything equally perfectly on both sides and be able to reverse a combination without any demonstration - in academy and later in company the teacher will just say “now en dedans “ and I can do it backwards on the spot! I also have had to control my hyper mobility and flexibility so I do a lot of conditioning just like you!🇵🇹🇧🇷🇷🇴🇺🇦🇷🇺🩰 19:12
😀 I would think that a big difference between the two is being judged and scoring points in gymnastics from outside sources vs your internal satisfaction of a job well done in ballet. How long did it take for you to get on pointe when you switched to ballet?
I think it is worth mentioning the most obvious thing that is so hard for persons transitioning from gymnastics to ballet. Yes, TURNOUT. Being a gymnast you might have the amplitude, but only in parallel. No power in turnout muscles, and that makes transitioning gymnasts look very ”off”. Moreover, a bit in the spirit of lines, the use of arms and the head (overall upper body). It is a whole different world moving from spike straight arm lines to delicate, never fully straight, relaxed lines. Again, super super hard for gymnasts. Also the epaulement is in the heart of ballet movement vocabulary, and takes years to master.
I wasn't ready for the video to end! I was thinking, "This is so fascinating - tell me more!" 😄 Do you know of any other rhythmic gymnasts at your level who became a professional dancer? I suspect this is very rare. Would it have been easier to transition to contemporary dance instead of classical ballet? How are the employment opportunities for contemporary dancers? I know you have an intense work ethic but you also must have amazing talent and perseverance because switching from RG to ballet must have been quite a culture shock. IIRC for ballet, you lived in a boarding school environment yet had only been homeschooled before? That must have been a daunting adjustment in itself. You not only survived, but you thrived! Regarding resting, I'm not surprised RG coaches have that attitude. Artistic gymnastics (I know a lot more about AG than RG) coaches are like that too. This is very harmful and unfortunately, lots of artistic gymnasts' bodies don't even make it until age 18 when they could benefit from a college scholarship. In figure skating, they have now increased the age at which a female athlete becomes senior. There is talk that AG is going to do this as well. The idea is to prevent such young girls from competing the most difficult skills which are frankly unnecessary at their age, and do more harm than good. In AG, the boys start to compete senior at age 18 (for girls, it is 16). There are a number of skills the boys are not allowed to do as juniors because their bodies are not fully grown yet. Imagine that! Common sense! The pandemic proved that artistic gymnasts could take months off of (skills) training, but still do conditioning and remain healthy, then easily get into regular training habits when it was allowed. It might have been easier for rhythmic gymnasts to practice with their portable apparatuses? I had hoped that coaches would therefore become more lenient/careful of their athletes' bodies regarding time off. A number of athletes even said how much benefit they felt because none of them had ever had that much time off before unless they were injured. I absolutely love that mental health is now talked about openly. I credit Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles, especially at the 2021 Olympics, for this! ❤🥇🥰 Thank you so much for sharing your insights! You are a very unique person, and we are very lucky that you have chosen to share your journey on UA-cam! I would love another video on differences between RG and ballet! Wishing you all the best in your recovery!! 🙏😄❣️🎼🩰🪩✨
Listening to you talk about RG takes me back to some of the earliest vlogs of yours I watched when you were just transitioning out of the sport. So interesting to hear the differences from your perspective
Hi Hannah!
I am from Portugal, a ballet lover and an adult ballet beginner. I have been loving your videos, especially these last ones: I know that there is a difference from the usual for a heavy reason, but it is really beautiful to watch your journey and the sensation of a free spirit, going through the recovery with lightness and hope. So thank you, for the courage to share this part of your path!
I was thinking about all these differences, and again, I am just a beginner at ballet, but since I have my own journey with my body, I started an online Ballet Conditioning "course" to protect myself from getting injured. It's more like a club. My teacher is not only a ballerina herself (with RAD) but also a physical education teacher, getting specialized in physical conditioning for ballet dancers. And she is also an ex-rhythmic gymnast, like you!
In this club, I have many classes, like floor barre and PBT, but also strength, flexibility, core, cardio, and many specifics for different goals (stability, stamina/potency, feet work, etc.).
She brings a lot of studies that help us understand the difference that the actual conditioning routine brings, especially when discussing preventing injuries. Most of these studies show the difference between "just" doing classes, or having some training routines outside of the class - for professional dancers or not. And there are a lot of professional dancers who have already proven that (a good example is Steven McRae). Most of the studies show that actually, ballet classes are not enough to prepare and strengthen the body at all physical levels.
She also shows how muscle strengthening doesn't necessarily lead to muscle hypertrophy - when done correctly and with professional guidance.
I know this is a polemic topic, but if there are studies that show how much better it is to have a strengthening routine, as well as a flexibility one (and to not really do flexibility as part of warm-up exercises because even if it is dynamic and active flex exercises, it will relax the muscles and diminish the capacity for potency as well as increase the probability for injury), it makes me think that maybe it is time for ballet to start changing on that topic, to guarantee safety for all bodies, as well as longevity for the dancer's lives?
A lot of ballet schools - especially the ones training students who want to be professionals, with vocational paths available in different methods - already have really well-equipped gyms and extra classes like Pilates or other (a good example is the Bolshoi Theatre School in Brasil (Vaganova method).
I am just thinking because I truly believe that ballet is magical but it can also be brutal if not done correctly. And if we can prevent it, shouldn't this be a topic with more research and sensibilization around students, teachers and professionals?
Also, if you are curious, my physical education teacher is @BailarinaPreparada www.youtube.com/@BailarinaPreparada (the content is all in Portuguese since she is from Brazil) and my Ballet Teacher is also from Brazil and has an online Ballet Course for adult beginners, following the Vaganova method, here's her YT channel as well - www.youtube.com/@FernandaRuschel .
Sorry for this huge comment, and I hope that you understand that I only mean to think over this subject, not as a professional but as a lover of ballet and all related topics.
Thank you again for your channel which has been a huge inspiration for me :) .
And a good Portuguese hug with wishes of an amazing 2025!
I am in no way a professional like you, but I grew up doing rhythmic and then transitioned to ballet at around age 17. People don't realise how different the two sports are and I really appreciated hearing someone else's opinion on the differences who also is an insider. Would love to watch another video on this topic!
How interesting! What were the biggest differences that you noticed?
Are they the same as Hannah's? 🙏♥️💚
Hi ! I would love to see a part two, really interesting !
Very interesting Hannah. Yes, more would be great and thank-you!
The fact that you started really pursuing ballet "late" is very motivating to me, although I'm a violinist. I have been playing since I was 13 (only a few years ago) and am just now beginning to pursue it as a potential career halfway through my teens. A lot of kids my age are already playing super advanced pieces and do the competitions and orchestras, but I'm just trying to grasp some of the bow techniques despite my intermediate advanced level. It sometimes feels like I'll never catch up, but I'm making progress! I'm just trying to survive the current piece I'm learning- nearly there!
This is very inspirational! I know it is tempting to compare oneself to people the same age, but just focus on your own journey. Mastering the basics is the most important thing you could possibly do.
Think of it like when toddlers learn to walk. Some of them learn much faster than others. But by age 3, all of them are running around. By the time they are old enough to have an organized race, it might be the kid who learned to walk at age 2.5 who beats the others who learned to walk at 12 months.
Please also give yourself credit for doing something in a different way from others. The teenage years are full of peer pressure, and it already takes a strong character to do what you are doing. 🫡
I'm very glad you have found Hannah's channel!
Best wishes!! 🙏🎻🎼♥️💚
😀 I love hearing about rhythmic gymnastics and ballet!
This is so fascinating, I'd be very interested in a part 2. I know nothing about rhythmic gymnastics but your perspective on RG and ballet is so unique from your experiences that it adds another dimension to the discussion about ballet which is one of my hobbies. (Also at 17:17 I can't fathom how a person can twirl a ribbon in the left hand while bouncing a ball in the right, that is pure sorcery)
Yes another video like this would be great
😀 part 2!!! Thanks for the video, could you make a video visiting your club or your coach? or maybe a video of ballet steps or sequences for rhythmic gymnasts
yes another video, was a good one :) nice to hear you talk about restraint, very mature concept rly.
part 2 pls
😃 would love to hear part 2
Love your chats…yes please…more! 😀
Another video please on the differences! Loved this. Like I kinda knew some of the things but it’s super interesting to hear all the details.
Wow...this is the best video. And you have given me so much information. I was a professional dancer (modern) with classical training and I started so late, but I have often wondered where the lines crossed for ballet dancers and rhythmic gymnast. Thanks.
This was so interesting! I would love to hear more comparisons 😊
😀 and yes for a next video on the difference between rhythmic and ballet.
Always interesting content!! Thank you!
Да, вот это интересно: мнение о разнице самоощущения в художественной гимнастике и в балете, акцент на некоторых деталях от того, кто глубоко наблюдает за малейшими нюансами, будучи увлечённым и устремлённым к развитию на выбранном поприще! Если зритель не вращается в среде упражнений и тренировок, то пояснение на примере, а так же иногда визуальная демонстрация некоторых деталей, как в этом видео, помогает формированию некоторого представления об элементах разницы. Например, действительно, как я обратил только сейчас внимание - подбородок + игра с разрезом глаз, мимики лица или мимики движения частей тела. Впечатления накапливаются по мере времени, а их глубина зависит от концентрации действий и не плохо, если бы Вы продолжали пояснять. Художественная гимнастика задумывалась для приобщения к Терпсихоре широких масс населения... Не поделитесь ли наблюдениями детальнее о разнице между, например, английской и русской манерами, касаемо гимнастики и балета?
😀 This was interesting - particularly the point on ‘conditioning’. I had a similar mindset myself for a while - i.e. that ballet class itself is not enough for optimal strength and fitness - which is partially true. However I am also coming to view ballet class as conditioning in itself - ie it if you don’t have time to do conditioning before ballet class, it is not like you’ve done nothing - ballet class itself can strengthen the exact muscles you need for ballet!
😃
As someone who dabbles in yoga (wanting to make it a regular practice, but this silly thing called sleep gets in the way), I always wanted to get the perspective of someone who has done multiple flexible disciplines (RSG, acro, dance, AG, contortion, etc.) and give some differences in how they prepare for those. I know there are many cirque contortionists who were in RSG or in ballet previously, but others were strictly in a circus school. When you feel you are well enough to do it, do you think you might demonstrate the different preparations for a gymnastics practice or competition versus a ballet class, rehearsal or performance?
Wonderful video! Very informative. Hope you are doing well!
Hi Hannah, Have you had problems knowing when you were ‘over’ hyperextending your joints? In RG you can’t really be too flexible, how did you learn when to ‘rein in’ your hyper flexability to be ‘appropriate’ for ballet?
part 2 please! 😀
very interesting! i wonder if anyone else has had Hannah's path from gymnastics at a very high level to professional ballet?
Please, second part!
I have 2 questions for the next videos if it's possible. In your experience, what RG training methods/ideas/mentality should improve from ballet? and, thanks to ballet now, which advices you'd say to little Hannah when she was doing RG? Thanks in advance
I think you can train to improve learning steps while lying on your bed. I would try to learn all variations I like. You can dance them by memory later. I think this would be fun. Or following online classes and doing the steps mentally.
This is a great idea! Staying mentally sharp and mentally "in the zone" is good for the mood and often leads to improved performance or execution - sorry, I don't know what the proper term is but you probably know what I mean!
🙏♥️💚
I love you re energy je te souhaite un bon retablissement! Pourrais tu pendant ce temps de récuperation, faire une vidéo sur l education que tu as recu , les valeurs, le respect l obeissance , comment cela à été amener dans ta famille. Je te trouve très inspirante et en tant que parent je souhaiterais voir mes enfants aussi épanouis.... 😊
beside the jewlry, why not you sure a bit of what you do for your skin or hair or something else, if you do someroutines or use some favourite products, you always look radient and cute :)
😀
I LOVE this video! I started when I was very young with pre ballet/gymnastics classes. By the time I was 9 I started serious proper ballet school in Moscow (Большой Балет Академия). I had a педагог (which is a mentor/private coach/mother figure) when I was still pretty little which is such a blessing for my development. I learned new material very quickly. Yelena Ryabinkina, my coach, drilled that into me - learn every single part, do everything equally perfectly on both sides and be able to reverse a combination without any demonstration - in academy and later in company the teacher will just say “now en dedans “ and I can do it backwards on the spot! I also have had to control my hyper mobility and flexibility so I do a lot of conditioning just like you!🇵🇹🇧🇷🇷🇴🇺🇦🇷🇺🩰 19:12
😀 I would think that a big difference between the two is being judged and scoring points in gymnastics from outside sources vs your internal satisfaction of a job well done in ballet. How long did it take for you to get on pointe when you switched to ballet?
I think it is worth mentioning the most obvious thing that is so hard for persons transitioning from gymnastics to ballet. Yes, TURNOUT. Being a gymnast you might have the amplitude, but only in parallel. No power in turnout muscles, and that makes transitioning gymnasts look very ”off”.
Moreover, a bit in the spirit of lines, the use of arms and the head (overall upper body). It is a whole different world moving from spike straight arm lines to delicate, never fully straight, relaxed lines. Again, super super hard for gymnasts. Also the epaulement is in the heart of ballet movement vocabulary, and takes years to master.
Thank you for sharing this insight! 🙏♥️💚
😀😀😀
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😁
I wasn't ready for the video to end! I was thinking, "This is so fascinating - tell me more!" 😄
Do you know of any other rhythmic gymnasts at your level who became a professional dancer? I suspect this is very rare.
Would it have been easier to transition to contemporary dance instead of classical ballet? How are the employment opportunities for contemporary dancers?
I know you have an intense work ethic but you also must have amazing talent and perseverance because switching from RG to ballet must have been quite a culture shock.
IIRC for ballet, you lived in a boarding school environment yet had only been homeschooled before? That must have been a daunting adjustment in itself. You not only survived, but you thrived!
Regarding resting, I'm not surprised RG coaches have that attitude. Artistic gymnastics (I know a lot more about AG than RG) coaches are like that too.
This is very harmful and unfortunately, lots of artistic gymnasts' bodies don't even make it until age 18 when they could benefit from a college scholarship.
In figure skating, they have now increased the age at which a female athlete becomes senior. There is talk that AG is going to do this as well. The idea is to prevent such young girls from competing the most difficult skills which are frankly unnecessary at their age, and do more harm than good.
In AG, the boys start to compete senior at age 18 (for girls, it is 16). There are a number of skills the boys are not allowed to do as juniors because their bodies are not fully grown yet. Imagine that! Common sense!
The pandemic proved that artistic gymnasts could take months off of (skills) training, but still do conditioning and remain healthy, then easily get into regular training habits when it was allowed. It might have been easier for rhythmic gymnasts to practice with their portable apparatuses?
I had hoped that coaches would therefore become more lenient/careful of their athletes' bodies regarding time off. A number of athletes even said how much benefit they felt because none of them had ever had that much time off before unless they were injured.
I absolutely love that mental health is now talked about openly. I credit Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles, especially at the 2021 Olympics, for this! ❤🥇🥰
Thank you so much for sharing your insights! You are a very unique person, and we are very lucky that you have chosen to share your journey on UA-cam!
I would love another video on differences between RG and ballet!
Wishing you all the best in your recovery!! 🙏😄❣️🎼🩰🪩✨
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