Ballet for Life: Exercises and Inspiration from the World of Ballet Beautiful

by Mary Helen Bowers, Inez Van Lamsweerde (Photographer), Vinoodh Matadin (Photographer)

A chic and informative guide to the Ballet Beautiful method, featuring dance-inspired exercises, wellness tips, and lifestyle advice that help readers achieve ballerina confidence and self-esteem.
 
After a career with the New York City Ballet, Mary Helen Bowers created Ballet Beautiful, a fitness and lifestyle program inspired by ballet’s artistry and athleticism. Designed to give anyone a ballerina body, Bowers’s targeted exercises tone and lengthen muscles, develop good posture, and teach grace in movement. Since launching in 2008, Bowers and her training have been sought after by celebrities and models (Alexa Chung, Liv Tyler, and Miranda Kerr, to name a few), as well as thousands of women across the globe through their streaming service.
 
This book delves into the Ballet Beautiful universe, showing readers how to attain a ballerina’s lean and powerful physique and graceful poise via exercises, posture lessons, wellness tips, and fashion and beauty advice that can be effortlessly incorporated into everyday routines. The book features original images by the legendary photographers Inez and Vinoodh coupled with technical photographs illustrating the Ballet Beautiful workout and lifestyle. A refreshing antidote to traditional fitness programs and restrictive diets, this book is a stylish and instructional guide to transforming your body and life though ballet.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health

192 pages, Hardcover

Published October 17, 2017

About the author

Mary Helen Bowers author, fitness coach and professional ballerina. As Natalie Portman’s personal trainer for her Academy Award winning role in Black Swan, Mary Helen’s transformative Ballet Beautiful method gained worldwide fame, bringing ballet-inspired fitness into the spotlight as never before.Originally from Charlotte, North Carolina, Mary Helen trained at Manhattan’s prestigious School of American Ballet before being invited to join with the New York City Ballet at age 16. Mary Helen danced for a decade with NYCB at Lincoln Center and on stages around the world before completing her bachelor’s degree at Columbia University and founding Ballet Beautiful.

Reviews

[Emily Hoehne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The photos are gorgeous, and Mary Helen's story is inspiring.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing photo by Chris Colls

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Illustrations in the book are very beautiful but I was struggling to understand whom this book is intended for and what is its purpose.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're a ballet nerd like I am, you'll love this book. It's not as heavy on instruction as her first book--there are no laid out workouts here--but there are tips, plenty of inside ballet information, and the photographs are just gorgeous. It would make a great coffee table book. If you want information on her workout method and recipes, then you want her first book, Ballet Beautiful. If you want inspiration, a few more tips, and a peek into more advanced ballet technique, then this is a great book for you.

[Kirstin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous book with different exercises for doing ballet mid-life. Very inspiring and holistic.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welcome back! This next read is a little out of the box for me as it is more of a self-help and fitness book rather than a story. Ballet for Life by Mary Helen Bowers focuses on her exercise program, Ballet Beautiful. I’ve utilized the Ballet Beautiful exercises for many years and so I was happy to see her second book come out.
The first part of the book focuses on Bowers’ history as a ballerina and how she grew her business. The second part details all of the exercises she created or modified from ballet forms to fit into the exercise program, as well as be accessible to anyone. The last part of the book focuses on the fashions she’s produced, as well as advice on makeup and food choices.
Bowers does her best to make her program available to the everyday user. While it is not slanted towards any one particular person, she does push it towards women and ballet-lovers. Her stories at the beginning of each section are fun to read and the photography is beautiful. If you are looking for a different exercise program that incorporates ballet, this is a great one to get started with and the book helps to explain the reasoning behind the exercises.

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ballet for Life is not the book I was expecting. It's more a collection of photos than the substance I've come to expect from MHB's Ballet Beautiful website. I appreciate the effort, but I would like to see more content. It's nice to look at, but offers less than her first book did. Honestly, I'm certain I'll be referencing her Ballet Beautiful book more often while this one collects dust on my shelf.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

An extra star for the photography.
This is not a book for non-dancers. The exercises and whatnot are lacking descriptions and will be lost unless you have done ballet.
There are a few good tricks to take on, but that's about it.

[jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another library book. Enjoyable but not all that deep - would have preferred either a full autobiography or a more in-depth guide.

[Baroness · Rating 3 out of 5]

Delightful.

[Lily Rose Maryja Broderick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful photography.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely follow-up read to Ballet Beautiful. My only complaint is that I wish this book would have been as information as the first book. However, I still really enjoyed it! I think someone new to ballet might not be able to understand some of the exercises, but if you have some knowledge of ballet, I think it's a fabulous read. The photos are gorgeous, and I hope Mary Helen has a new book out soon!

[Gina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am conflicted by this book. It is visually stunning, however the format is not particularly functional as an instructional tool.

Frankly, this book's content is similar to MHB's first book, which superior in terms of ease of use. This book is more artsy and lovely, but that does not translate into creating a practical and useful workout and lifestyle guide.