Attention, Black Swan wannabes: with the recent openings of Pure Barre and The Bar Method — two new ballet-fusion studios — even the stiffest among us can achieve sylphlike bods. We went to both to get the skinny on each.

Origin
The Bar Method: Created by former journalist and fitness buff Burr Leonard in 1991.
Pure Barre: Developed in 2001 by dancer and choreographer Carrie Rezabek Dorr.

Backstory
BM: Buds McKenzie Howarth and Sarah Kuzniar left finance careers (they met at UBS) to open their studio.
PB: Sudbury native Rachel Roberts swapped her big-firm lawyering gig for franchise proprietorship.

Approach
BM: Unrelenting, with leg-shaking reps and hands-on adjustments.
PB: Fast paced, music driven; copious amounts of thigh-ball squeezing.

Music
BM: Bieber, Britney, Train.
PB: Club remixes of David Guetta and Natasha Bedingfield.
Both: Rihanna, Gaga.

Bonus Amenities
BM: Showers, free coffee.
PB: Low-cost parking lot, mood lighting.

Killer Move
BM: Waterski diamond thigh — raising your heels high while hinging back diagonally from the bar; works thighs, glutes, and abs simultaneously.
PB: Back dancing — doing the butt while flat on your mat for max trunk dejunking.
Shared secret weapon: Push-ups.

Pure Barre, 1300 Centre Street, Newton Centre (617-332-7873 or purebarre.com); The Bar Method, 234 Clarendon Street, Back Bay (617-236-4455 or boston.barmethod.com). Both studios offer new clients 30 days of unlimited classes for $100.

Photo: Courtesy of Bar Method