A new collaboration between Hong Kong Ballet (HKB) and Pure Fitness promises to combine “grace and strength” in a series of community workshops to demystify the classical dance form while promoting wellness culture and the science of modern fitness in Hong Kong.
Designed to dispel the perception of ballet as an inaccessible and elite art form, the programme, titled “You Are More Than You Know”, kicked off with introductory workshops on February 7 and 8 at Pure Fitness in IFC Mall in Central, led by HKB dancers Shen Jie and Jeremy Chan.
“Most people might only think about the performance or artistic elements of ballet, so they might not realise that underneath all of it is about getting our bodies ready,” says Irene Lo, an associate director of training with the ballet company.
“We do a lot of work on alignments and posture and muscle training, and those are things that could help anyone, even as an office worker.
“[It is about] bringing a little bit more ballet from that very faraway stage into daily life.”
Participants work on ballet muscle training during an introductory workshop led by Shen Jie at a Pure Fitness gym in Central. Photo: Sun Yeung
The partnership signifies a growing trend of interdisciplinary wellness that positions Hong Kong at the forefront of a global movement where artistic and athletic disciplines converge.
