One of the things I love most about physie is how inclusive it is. People (girls and women in most physie codes) of all ages and abilities can step into a class and feel welcomed. Not every dance style offers that same sustainability which is why I decided to explore other styles in (and a bit before) my physie hiatus. Cross-training has also helped my confidence with attempting "seniors". Each practice offers technical, physical and artistic differences to complement each other.
✨ Jazz
Keeping up with the high‑paced teens was overwhelming at first. I’m not a huge fan of the rapid rolling around on the floor or multiple jazz turns. (With that being said, I loved the controlled positions in what used to be called “floor drill" in BjP.) Jazz helped my mental sharpness.
👠 Cabaret Heels
High kicks and pirouettes instantly got harder when you add heels. Weight distribution becomes a whole new puzzle. But I’ll admit there were moments I felt like a Rockette.
🎪 Circus Flow Arts (Hula Hooping, Fire, etc.)
These styles teach flair, calmness under pressure and improvisation. You learn to read the audience, adapt on the spot, and keep moving even when something doesn’t go to plan.
🎶 Tap
It's percussion on your feet. I absolutely adore tap. I started with YouTube basics, joined a tweens class, and now I’m in an adult class. I find it very methodical with forward planning of where and when weight needs to be placed. After you gain muscle memory, calculated steps flow into artistry. The only frustration is when your brain knows the step but your feet refuse to cooperate.
🧘 Yoga & 🩰 Ballet
In my opinion, these two overlap with physie the most eg. clean lines, balance, posture.
- Warrior 2 is looking great thanks to physie.
- Warrior 3/aeroplane is still humbling, but I’m glad I get to practise it.
- Mirrors in yoga and ballet are a bonus since physie classes don’t always have them.
- Ballet elements like relevés, pirouettes, and expression translate directly into physie strength and elegance.
💃 Zumba
At first it feels chaotic, but once you learn the core steps, they repeat across routines. Instructors use non‑verbal cues to cross language barriers, which is fascinating. Zumba is about volume since it's cardio heavy and continuous, but doesn't focus on positions, rather dancers can do what they're capable of bigger, dramatic or smaller actions don't matter.
🎡 Aerial Arts
Dancing in the air while manipulating an apparatus challenges strength, coordination, flexibility and proprioception. Being adaptable is a must since you might not spin exactly the same each time, grip gets affected by weather and you might even need to perform on the venue's gear that you've never practised on.
