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Fitness Background and Skills Linda Minarik has been continuously certified to teach Group Fitness by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) since 1993. Her teaching specialty is Aerobic Dance. This unique form of aerobic exercise—learned from her mentor, Dale Stine—uses full-body movements and builds dance combinations throughout the class. The workout progresses through warm-up, low impact, mixed-impact, and finally, when the group is really ready to work at maximum intensity, high-impact bouncing. Cool-down follows, and a concluding stretch. It is a balanced, safe, and well rounded workout for the student of fitness. For the participant, a class format such as this incorporates learning many elements at once: coordination of upper- and lower-body movements, moving rhythmically to a musical beat, extending the body fully with each movement and, of course, cardiovascular fitness. In addition, the participant must use mental energy to execute the combinations, and will gradually become proficient at translating the verbal cue into immediate body motion. Linda has also taught many other class formats, including water aerobics, step aerobics, body conditioning with resistance training, stretch--and even slide, during its brief heyday. Linda is certified to teach GYROKINESIS®, a system of exercise created by Juliu Horvath that has been utilized with good results by dancers, and that is now starting to make inroads into the fitness world. Linda teaches this class format at the new Cooper Square branch of the New York Health & Racquet Club. Linda has worked at Canyon Ranch in the Berkshires, as well as at many fitness clubs in New York City. She currently teaches at the New York Health & Racquet Club, which has a number of branches in Manhattan, and the Equitable Athletic & Swim Club, located on 52nd Street between 7th and 6th Avenues.
Ballet Training Linda is engaged in the study of that rigorous discipline—ballet (including pointe work)--with Kirill Matveev, who graduated from the Vaganova Academy of St. Petersburg, Russia; was a principal dancer with several European companies, including the Eifman Ballet; and has 15 years of international experience as a teacher and choreographer. Kirill now teaches at the Ballet Arts Studio, attached to the New York City Center. Linda’s ballet training includes attending class as well as private lessons. The discipline of ballet takes coordination, strength, and artistry, scaling heights well beyond those of the exercise world. Such training, while of course helping Linda to advance in proficiency in the art of dance itself, spills over into her fitness work and marks her as a unique presence in the world of fitness training. |
