Led by Houston Ballet Strength and Conditioning Coach Aki Kawasaki, this series offers in-depth Health & Wellness workshops for dancers, teachers and students ages 12 and up. The 2023-24 season workshops will help improve your turnout, find better balance, and introduce cross-training exercises such as Pilates and GYROTONIC®. Join us in-person for $40 each or create your own pack of 3 for $105!
Building Better Balance
Sunday, October 22, 1:00-2:30 PM
Workshop participants will learn how the body gives them cues to improve alignment and create more ease in balance. These techniques improve body awareness and help dancers develop healthier and more efficient movement patterns.
Unravel Tension: A Pilates Fascia Flow, with Michelle Phillips
Sunday, November 19, 1:00-2:30 PM
This class is designed to help create space in the body, to find buoyancy and stability along fascia continuities, and to unwind tension while moving through various Pilates exercises.
Cross Training for Dancers
Sunday, January 21, 1:00-2:30 PM
In this workshop participants will learn to complement and enhance their ballet training to improve endurance, strength and balance.
GYROTONIC®: The Art of Exercising and Beyond, with Beth Everitt
Sunday, February 18, 1:00-2:30 PM
This class will cover the principles of the GYROTONIC® expansion system, helping you find a deeper connection to your body and mind through mat, seated, and standing exercises.
Jump!
Sunday, March 24, 1:00-2:30 PM
Workshop participants will learn to techniques to improve height, speed and power in their jumps.
About Aki Kawasaki
Originally from Ibaraki, Japan, Akihiro Kawasaki holds a B.S. in Exercise Science from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. As a student athletic trainer, he worked with several sports teams including the national championship winning football team at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC). Kawasaki previously served as a personal trainer and strength and conditioning coach for Olympic athletes on the national team of Japan. He is currently the head strength and conditioning coach at Houston Ballet and Houston Ballet Academy. Kawasaki holds certifications in Functional Movement Systems (FMS) – level 2, Y Balance Test (YBT) of FMS, Fundamental Capacity Screen (FCS) of FMS, Rossiter – level 4, Yamuna Body Rolling – Face, Feet, Table Treatment and Animal Flow and Spatial Medicine.