Moira Stott
This is not a fun tape. You have to be really committed to building powerful core strength. The setting is very clinical - Miriane Braaf demonstrates the exercises (she has amazing strength)on a Pilates table in a room with a lot of wall charts while Moira Stott, a former ballet dancer, gives lots of form pointers in a monotone voice. The music is elevator type music. That said, this is one incredibly tough tape; more tough in my opinion than Balance, Line, Strength with Clare Dunphy and I thought that was a tough tape. The pace is faster than in Intermediate Matwork although Moira Stott does give an overview of breathing and correct posture plus a breakdown of new exercises.
One warning about this tape. It will challenge you far more than the Method tapes and give you great lean strength and flexibility; however, it takes a lot of strength to do this tape. If you can't comfortably do the advanced version of the Teaser in the Method tapes or Intermediate Matwork, then you could injure yourself doing this tape through not having the proper strength to do the exercises with safe, correct body alignment. No equipment is needed to do this tape.
The exercises are as follows: The Hundred, Roll Up, Roll Over (sort of like the plough but you use your abs more to bring you up and down)One Leg Circle, Rolling Like a Ball, Single Leg Stretch, Oblique Single Leg, Double Leg Stretch, Scissors, Spine Stretch Forward, Open Leg Rocker, Corkscrew, Saw, Breast Stroke, Swan Dive, Leg Kicks, Neck Pull, Scissors in Air, Bicycle, Shoulder Bridge, Spine Twist, Jack Knife, Side Kicks, Side Leg Lifts, Teaser (very advanced versions shown), Hip Twist, Swimming, Leg Pull, Side Kick Kneeling, Side Bends, Twist, Bommerang, Seal, Rocking, Control Balance and the Pilates version of push-ups.
Instructor comments: Moira Stott is not the most exciting of instructors but she gives meticulous form pointers.
Sharon H.
11/16/99
