Rules? Overrated!
As a longtime art writer, I was always drawn to Dadaism, the avant garde art movement that rejected conventions and wasn’t afraid to break all the rules. (A “ready-made” urinal sculpture? Why not!)
So it makes sense that now, as a wellness writer, I became intrigued by Body Dada, a barre fitness studio with locations in Highland Park and Silver Lake. Was the name just a catchy coincidence? Or was the workout attempting to reinvent the low-impact exercise with new rules?
The workout is good for strengthening muscles, increasing flexibility and honing balance and coordination. Not to mention celeb sightings.
(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)
“We’re trying to shift the classical barre workout to be more contemporary through the music and the environment,” owner Kim Thompson says. “The punk rock ethos of Dadaism really resonates with me — breaking down the barriers of something in order to find the real essence of it. That’s what we’re trying to do in class.”
On a recent weekday morning, Body Dada’s signature class — aptly named “Body Dada the Class” — was mostly full, with about 10 participants. One of them happened to be my favorite pop star at the moment(!), whose very album I was listening to as I pulled up to the studio. Next to her: another, lesser-known celebrity from the world of burlesque.
The class promised a classically-based, full-body barre workout, which typically includes a gentle warm-up and isometric (static) holds in combination with targeted, small movements to strengthen muscles, increase flexibility and hone balance and coordination. I was expecting a spare space with nothing more than a mirror and ballet barre. Immediately upon stepping into the studio, however, the Dadaism of it all — a hint of contemporary reinvention — was apparent. Shimmering silver foil curtains hung from the front windows and the adjacent workout room, equipped with a mirrored wall and barres, was bathed in soft bubble-gum pink light. It was a soothing and relaxed space that suggested fun on the horizon.
“It’s a very community-based atmosphere,” says instructor Camila Arana.
(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)
A ballet barre is used for postural support and balance during the workout.
(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)
Music factored in heavily. Our instructor, Camila Arana, played a mix of contemporary pop, EDM, ‘80s classics and alternative rock and the class began with an aerobic dance-like warm up, to get our blood flowing. At one point, admittedly, it was a bit of a mind-melt working out to one of my favorite songs (“Heart of Glass”) by one of my favorite ‘80s artists (Debbie Harry) next to one of my favorite contemporary music artists, IRL. But I digress.
Most of the moves throughout the class were timed to the music — the workout may be low impact, but it has moments of high intensity. We did rhythmic pelvic tucks and low pliés, within which we performed a range of micro-movements including pulses, rotations and deep thigh work. Don’t be intimidated, however: the moves are simple and the pace is steady.
Which is not to say easy. I drove home with my legs burning (in a good way). Not to mention a certain pop star’s lyrics on repeat in my head.
Vibe: Body Dada feels hip but neighborhoody, with a whimsical edge. The Silver Lake location (there’s also one in Highland Park), I’m told, has become particularly popular among celebrities. But most of its members are just everyday folks looking for a safe, low-impact way to strengthen and stretch “that’s livelier than yoga or Pilates,” Thompson says. Still, the workout — the whole Body Dada experience, in fact — felt chill and unassuming. Arana was easy to follow, offering modifications to each sequence. The participants were a diverse mix of different skill levels (a few even seemed to be barre beginners), lending a feeling of inclusiveness.
“It’s a very community-based atmosphere,” Arana told me afterward. “And the workout — because the movements stay so small and because it’s low impact, it really is good and safe for everyone.”
The vibe in the class is hip but neighborhoody, with a whimsical edge.
(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)
Effort: The 50-minute workout hits every muscle group in every region of the body. Which is why, Thompson posits, busy celebrities are drawn to it — it’s efficient. We alternated between mat and barre work, using light weights and an exercise strap and ball. Sure, the movements were thoughtful and precise, with the ballet barre providing postural support when needed. But Arana amplified the moves, increasing the difficulty within sequences. And pulsing is no joke — one exercise left my calves shaking. In addition to the barre work, we did a plank series, light push-ups and arm work, as well as glutes and core work on the mat. Expect to sweat.
X-Factor: Despite the ballet bar and focus on a “music-driven experience,” as Thompson calls it, no dance background is necessary for this (or any) barre class. However: Because Body Dada was founded by Thompson, a dancer who graduated from Cal Arts and performed with the L.A. Contemporary Dance Company for six years, music is particularly integral to all the Body Dada workouts. The playlist changes instructor to instructor, but the moves are always beat-driven. Participants rave about the studio’s Body Party class, an ‘80s-style, aerobics dance class. There’s also Ballet Dada, which focuses on strength building, and the slower-paced Stretch and Chill class, to lengthen sore, tight muscles, among other classes.
“The energy in the room, it’s so alive,” Thompson says of Body Dada the Class. “We exercise from a place of compassion, not punishment. It’s a joy-first mindset.”
Body Dada
Where: 5709 N. Figueroa St., Highland Park
3037 Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake
Cost: $35 for a single class
Info: bodydada.com
