Ballet dance: ballet band

The Balletband is a resistance band that has been created specifically for dancers–by dancer Todd Fox. He began producing them when he was dancing at Cleveland Ballet in 1998 and has been selling them ever since.

Made out of a very sturdy, green latex, the band is a great tool to use for stretching. I just finished playing around with it and I found it very easy to work with. It comes with an instruction sheet to show several different ways to use the band, and I came up with a few more that were tailored to my own specific needs.

I think this product would be a terrific thing to bring on the road, as it is compact and lightweight. You could easily tuck it in your dance bag or luggage without it taking up too much space. Also, at least for me, it made stretching more fun. I have never enjoyed that part of the workout routine, and to have a tool to help make it more interesting was very helpful.

I’ve used many resistance bands before and the thing I liked the most about this one was the fact that it is so durable. When I’ve worked with other bands I’ve always felt as though they might snap with enough pressure. Balletband was thick and it gave me a secure feeling, even when I did the stretch pictured to the left.

The learning curve is low with Balletband, and it doesn’t require any specialized knowledge to use, which is nice. I don’t think it would be the right tool for younger dancers, but those who are experienced at stretching would probably enjoy changing things up by using it.

This product would make a great gift, or an investment for your dance studio. I could see it being used in class–or offered for students to use in-between rehearsals.