10 Responses to “Ask Elise”

1. Elise says:

   August 12, 2010 at 5:39 pm

   Katelyn-

   i am SO excited that you are embarking on a career in musical theater!! that was my career in NYC for many years, & they were some of the best times of my life! as for your journey from this moment…. i have GREAT news for you! once you’ve been a dancer, you are ALWAYS a dencer. especially when you hone these skills as a young child. your body has muscle memory, & you will find that your strength, balance, technique & flexibility will start to come back to you MUCH more quickly than if you had never danced before. your body remembers what it needs to do, & with a little hard work, discipline & dedication, you can regain your skills in no time!

   i have a ballet conditioning dvd that is VERY helpful for basic dance skills. it will tone, strengthen & lengthen the body, as well as developing balance and core strength (for turns, etc.) the first thing you can do, is develop healthy eating hait (which WILL be a challenge in college, but i KNOW you can do it!!) think leafy greens, fiber, complex carbs, plenty of water…. and stay away from sodas, sugars & white flour. this will allow you to give your body the nourishment it needs. secondly, most college gyms have a a half bosu ball. practice simply standing on it to improve strength & balance. if there are no bosu balls, just try releves & posse, and even balancing on one leg to hone balance skills AND build strength & supple flexibility in the tendons & ligaments that support the joints…healthy ankles, knees & hips are imperative to a dancer! yoga is also a GREAT way to expedite your journey to a dancer’s body, as it also develops a lot of the same skills needed for dance!

   i hope this helps Katelyn! PLEASE keep me posted on your journey, and i can’t wait to see you on BROADWAY someday!!!

   love & joy
   elise
2. Elise says:

   August 9, 2010 at 12:49 pm

   thank you so much for reaching out & sharing your story & your triumphs! my dad also has type 2 diabetes, and i am all too familiar with the many challenges it presents. You are wise for building & maintaining a healthy workout routine. it will help you regulate your insulin levels & stimulate your energy. most importantly…. listen to your body & workout wisely. if you tire easily, be sure you balance the activity with time for breath & stretch. as far as other workouts go, you can peruse this site for my other dvds…. the 20 minute makeover would be a good next step in your regimin after yoga fitness plus! check it out! i also have an ab blaster ‘straight to the core’ on exercise tv which will help you get strong & centered. please continue on your journey & let me know how you like the dvds! with joy & light.

   - Elise
3. Heather says:

   July 26, 2010 at 10:57 am

   Hello,
   I am so fortunate to have found your Yoga Fitness Plus workout on Exercise TV – it is the first time I’ve not dreaded working out in years. I feel strong, energized, and at peace when completing the workout. My question is that I am a type 1 diabetic and working out has become harder as I become a little older. I’m now 33 and find that I tire more easily while it takes much more effort to tone. (I have extreme self-esteem issues because of the cellulite that I can’t seem to get rid of.) Anyway, can you recommend (or do you have) any other workouts available that might be able to help? I absolutely love your style of teaching and would gladly purchase your other workouts. I live in Ohio and have found that there aren’t as many yoga studios that offer such an intense workout while balancing peace and movement such as yours.

   Kindest Regards,
   Heather
4. Katelyn Bowman says:

   July 7, 2010 at 9:23 am

   Hi Elise. I’m currently approaching my freshman year in college and I’m extremely excited! I will be pursuing a major in musical theatre which requires alot of dancing :/ I began dancing when I was around 7/8 years old and due to financial burdens I had to stop. I also did liturgical dancing at my church when I was 14. I recently got back into ballet and tap and I see that my body isn’t the same as it was when I was a child. When I do a port de bra or a pique I find that I have trouble with my balance as well. I’ve been assured that when I attend college they will work with all dance types. Right now with me taking these lessons I wanted to take the first step in showing my dedication and I also wanted to get my dance posture and etiquette back. I know that a dancer’s body doesn’t develop over night. I was hoping if you could give me some advice.
5. Susana says:

   June 11, 2010 at 9:40 am

   Hi Elise,

   I loved your Ballet Conditioning dvd and I used to do it at least 5 times a week, since I left my ballet classes a few years ago (I did ballet for almost 15 years), but I got pregnant and I had a high risk pregnancy so I had to stay on the bed almost the last 7 months!!! and unfurtunatly I ate a lot of junk food so I gained a lot of weight!!! (almost 35 pounds!!!) so, I’m trying to get back on track, so what kind of exersice do you recomend me?? Of course!! I’m on a diet program with a nutricionist since 2 weeks now that I’m not longer breastfeeding and that my ob says that I can get back to workouts.

   Thanks!!!
6. Meg says:

   May 6, 2010 at 7:28 am

   Hi Elise,
   I just purchased your ballet conditioning DVD (which by the way i LOVE). I was wondering how often that you recommend doing it? I usuallly do it once a week alongside doing my usual ballet class. Is this not often enough to see results? I just want to become toned up in time for summer!
   Many Thanks

   Meg
7. Elia says:

   March 25, 2010 at 7:42 am

   Hey Elise,

   My name is Elia and I am a 19 year old college student. I have been doing your yoga fitness plus workout on comcast on demand for a few months now and I love it! I was wondering if you could share with me about how many calories I burn by doing this workout. Thanks so much.
8. Elise says:

   March 11, 2010 at 4:03 pm

   YES! Jean, I am SO happy you love the workout, and are getting results! The flat back portion of the workout DOES require a certain level of flexibility, which takes time to develop. All of the curl positions in the DVD WILL help build this flexibility…. creating length in the lumbar region and releasing compression on the spine. In other words, these curl exercises are actually designed to help combat lower back pain! YAY!

   For the moment, skip the flat back portion until you are able to sit and hinge forward comfortably (this WILL happen in time). In the meantime, focus on the curl (bicycles & scissors in particular target those elusive lower abs). For additional low ab work to replace flat-back position, try a pelvic tilt: lying on your back, lift the hips higher than the ribs (so NOT a backbend) & undulate the spin one vertebrae at a time to lower fully to the mat, then one vertebrae at a time to lift. Repeat 10-20x. In addition to targeting the low abs, this movement will provide therapy for your low back AND lift, shape & round your seat! How’s THAT for a good move!?!

   Thanks for writing in, and keep up the good and CONSCIOUS work!

   xoxox-
   Elise
9. Jean Driver says:

   March 11, 2010 at 9:59 am

   Hi Elise, I purchased you 20-minute makeover cd and love it. However, I have a lower back problem and cannot do the flat abs exercise because sitting on the floor and leaning forward is painful. Can you reccomend another type of exercise that I could do to firm my lower abs? I realize that a firmer lower stomach/ab area will help strengthen my lower back.
10. Agnes says:

    March 4, 2010 at 11:35 pm

    Dear Elise,

    greetings from germany!What a joy to see yor success. Ballet conditioning is the most intensive and greatest workout I´ve ever made. Your workout change the body of a lot of women in the world, after such a short time. Ballet is so graceful, like you say it in your dvd. I`ll check your new dvd of course, but I hope you make more ballet workouts too. I think, the time is good for that, because it is so effective!
    Thank you and sorry for my bad english

    Kind regards,
    Agnes