The Story Behind Steven McRae's Crazy Workouts
When you spend as much time on the road as The Royal Ballet’s Steven McRae, getting access to a proper gym can be a hassle. To stay fit, the Australian-born principal turns to calisthenics—the old-school art of developing aerobic ability and strength with little to no equipment.
“It’s basically just using your own body weight,” McRae explains. “In terms of partnering, I’m not going to dance with a ballerina who is bigger than me, so if I can sustain my own body weight, then in my head I should be fine.”
Today, McRae shares videos of his workouts on social media (where he has approximately 150,000 Instagram followers). They are often shot in his dressing room, with a chair as the only prop while he does développés from an arched handstand, for instance—a feat of upper-body strength and flexibility.
“I think people are genuinely intrigued and interested in what we do: I get lovely comments offering suggestions to alter the exercise.”
