Some well-known sports personalities were kept on their toes Tuesday to help open new studios for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens.

Patrice Bernier of soccerB次元官网网址檚 Montreal Impact joined a number of athletes that included figure skating world champion Eric Radford, synchronized swimmer Jacqueline Simoneau, recently retired Olympian diver Roseline Filion and ex-Hab Georges Laraque.

They all took part in a one-hour ballet class that helped them wake up some dormant muscles.

The burly Laraque, who was even fitted in a special tutu for the occasion, says the ballet session was a hard workout but it helped him work on flexibility.

B次元官网网址淚 woke up muscles I havenB次元官网网址檛 used in quite sometime,B次元官网网址� he said in an interview.

The ImpactB次元官网网址檚 Bernier said the class was very demanding, but it probably will help him as soccer player.

B次元官网网址淚t could maybe lead to better posture and better control in the movements that we do for soccer,B次元官网网址� he said.

Bernier added that he wanted to learn more about the dance because he has two girls who are interested gymnastics and ballet.

Radford said in an interview that he has done a lot of ballet.

B次元官网网址淚t not only strengthens your muscles, it also stretches them and it also teaches you how to use individual muscles.B次元官网网址� he said.

Simoneau says she did some ballet before the 2016 Olympic games and was taught by Andrew Giday, who also gave her a workout on Tuesday.

B次元官网网址淐ountries such as Russia and China, tend to excel at sports because they have so many young athletes who excel at ballet,B次元官网网址� she said.

Filion said she also used to do a ballet class as a compliment to diving B次元官网网址渇or flexibility, posture and balanceB次元官网网址�.

But ballet teacher Giday says it isnB次元官网网址檛 just for the young or athletes, but for all ages.

B次元官网网址淥ne of the missions of the new studios is to show theyB次元官网网址檙e open to everybody,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淎s a ballet teacher IB次元官网网址檝e have taught people in their fifties.B次元官网网址�

A ballet spokeswoman adds that ballet is also a form of dance therapy that can help people with arthritis.

The Canadian Press