Julio Horvath
THE GYROTONIC® METHOD
The Gyrotonic Method is an original and unique movement method that addresses the entire person by opening energy pathways, stimulating the nervous system, increasing range of motion, and improving strength and movement efficiency. With Gyrotonic exercises, each movement flows into the next, allowing the joints to move through a natural range of motion without jarring or compression. These carefully crafted sequences create balance, efficiency, strength and flexibility.
The Gyrotonic Method utilizes specialized equipment to guide, assist, and challenge the mover.
People from all walks of life take Gyrotonic classes, including fitness enthusiasts, senior citizens, accomplished athletes, and people recovering from an injury or dealing with a disability. Gyrotonic exercises help athletes improve their performance, and rehabilitation clients recover more quickly and fully post injury.
THE GYROKINESIS® METHOD
The Gyrokinesis Method is a movement method that addresses the entire body, opening energy pathways, stimulating the nervous system, increasing range of motion, and creating functional strength through rhythmic, flowing movement sequences. It is an original and unique method, which coordinates movement, breath and mental focus.
The Gyrokinesis Method is practiced on a mat and chair, without equipment. Without the feedback and guidance of equipment, participants in a Gyrokinesis class are more dependent on their own proprioception to explore movement sequences.
THE SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT
The human body is designed to work as one harmonious system, to follow arcing and spiraling paths of motion, and to transition from one movement to the next smoothly and efficiently. Gyrotonic Method creator, Juliu Horvath, designed a specialized line of equipment around these natural movement patterns. Because Gyrotonic equipment is highly adjustable, it can be customized to fit each person's unique physique and ability, adapting for things such as height, arm/leg length and range of motion.
All four pieces create versatile three dimensional movement environments to challenge the body, yet each piece has its own “personality.”
The JUMPING STRETCH BOARD was, as the name suggests, invented to mimic jumping movements without the impact of gravity. With the addition of parallel bars, sliders, swivels and a propeller, the exercise possibilities have been vastly increased. Resistance is mainly provided by the weight of the body. High tech bungees are present for additional load. All these features are assembled within a cuboid shaped space. This space provides freedom for both, open and closed chain movements.
The GYROTONER was developed to provide three dimensional adjustment capabilities for the handle unit. 360 degrees adjustability in any plain and dimension. The advantage is full range articulation of all joints of the arms and legs. These deeply expressive movements echo all the way into the spine as well and provide new possibilities for spinal articulation. The resistance comes from a mechanism within the handle joint. The Gyrotoner is ideal for therapeutic applications as well as athletic workouts.
The ARCHWAY evolved from the design of a generic painter’s ladder. By opening the inner space of the ladder and stream-lining the design according to his three dimensional approach, Juliu transformed the ladder into an Archway. It made the equipment more user friendly and allowed for a significant expansion of the movement vocabulary. This piece is probably the most strengthening out of all five Gyrotonic machines, as it uses the body weight for load and resistance. The Archway also provides an ideal environment for fascia training.
The LEG EXTENSION UNIT was designed as a tool to create coordinated strength through out the legs, from the tip of the toes up to the hips and from the hips into the torso. Juliu built this piece with the ballet dancer in mind. His approach evolved over time. The “Wingmaster” was added to include the upper body, resulting in a whole body workout. Again, movements are designed in a three dimensional manner, challenging the mover from as many directions as possible. The repertoire is reminiscent of the Gyrokinesis Method.
The GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® was created by Romanian-born Hungarian Juliu Horvath. Juliu Horvath was born in 1942 in Temesvar, Romania.
Juliu’s love for movement was apparent from the time he was a small child. During his youth he excelled at swimming, gymnastics and rowing. He began to study dance when he was 19, and by the time he was 21 he was a principal dancer for the Romanian National Ballet Company.
While on tour in Italy in 1970, he defected from Romania. He subsequently lived in a refugee camp in Italy for six months. After receiving political asylum in the United States, he moved to New York City.
While with the Houston Ballet, Juliu ruptured his Achilles tendon, bringing his dancing career to a sudden halt. After this injury, Juliu moved back to New York City for a short time, where he began a regular yoga practice.
As he got deeper into his movement and meditation practices, he began having profound energetic experiences. In an effort to learn more about these experiences, he moved to the island of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands in 1977. There he built a small, one-room hut in the mountains and spent the next six years studying yoga and meditation. During this time he gained new insights into movement and healing, and from these insights he began to create his own unique exercise method.
Juliu returned to New York City after his stay on St. Thomas. In the 1980’s he began teaching a new movement system that was based on what he had learned in St. Thomas. He called this system “Yoga for Dancers.”
Initially Yoga for Dancers was taught at Steps on Broadway and at Juliu’s own location, White Cloud Studio.
In the beginning, most of Juliu’s students were professional dancers. As demand for his classes grew and the diversity of his clientele increased, Juliu refined Yoga for Dancers, creating a class format that almost any person could perform regardless of age or state of health. He named this refined version of Yoga for Dancers the GYROKINESIS® Method. The original Yoga for Dancers movements are still taught as part of the Gyrokinesis Level 2 Program.
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All photos by: Lesly Hall Photography, Chris Ekstein and Brenda Nieto. All rights reserved.
GYROTONIC®, GYROTONIC® & Logo and GYROKINESIS® and GYROTONER® are registered trademarks, and ARCHWAY™ is a trademark, of Gyrotonic Sales Corp and are used with their permission.
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