What Exactly Is Barre?

First things first… it’s pronounced /bar/. Just like the word bar. The word “barre” is the French word for bar, like the balance bar used in dance class!

Origins of the Barre Method

The original barre fitness method was created in London in the 1950s by a ballerina named Lotte Berk. After injuring her spine dancing, she created a protocol of conditioning and stretching to rehabilitate her spine, strengthen and stabilize her core, and maintain flexibility to prevent future injury.

Barre methods have evolved a bit since Lotte Berk created her method. What most formats have in common is a combination of yoga stretches, Pilates core work, and positions inspired by dance. The work is more controlled, slower, and smaller range of motion than many other fitness formats, and it deeply targets one muscle group at a time. It’s really great for anyone just getting started in fitness to learn their body and find strength without risk of injury. While it is accessible to anyone, it is still challenging to all levels.

Even after hundreds of classes, your body continues connecting in new ways, working more deeply, and growing stronger.

Is Barre Just For Dancers?

No! Barre is for every BODY, every age, and every stage of life. Former dancers do love how barre lets them move and conditions their body after their dancing years are over, but barre doesn’t require any knowledge of dance.

To begin barre, flexibility is NOT required either. Barre is for people to become more strong and more flexible. We work hard to make classes accessible to everyone at every level, cueing for clients to feel through the work and take whatever variation matches their unique needs.

Instructors offer many options in positions to scale back the work, modify for injury or pregnancy, or ways to make them more challenging. The difference is often just a one inch adjustment.

What Is the Difference Between Different Barre Methods?

The method we use in our studio is the BarreAmped®️ method, created by Suzanne Bowen, a former Lotte Berk method instructor. It is classic barre, mixed with more mind-body connection and pulls expertise from physical therapists to strengthen the body for all stages of life. The focus is on fitness, wellbeing, and longevity from the inside out.

A juxtaposition of calming and energizing, BarreAmped® is a method which takes classic barre moves and amps them up with power, precision, and focused intensity. This electrifying method deeply connects the mind to the body and clients leave BarreAmped® classes feeling plugged in and calmly energized…

Our barre classes are NOT choreographed. While we love a good playlist, the class focuses on intentional movement that adjusts with clients’ needs. We choose music that has a consistent beat and builds energy to match the energy of the class, and then slows it way down at the end to take clients through a nervous system cool down. It’s a magical experience when the music shifts, the lights dim, and the essential oils come out. Your entire body takes a big sigh of relief, proud of the work you’ve done and ready to switch back into recover and repair mode. A lot of clients say they feel taller after class or feel like they have just had a deep tissue massage.

What Training Do Barre Instructors Have?

All of our instructors are trained at different levels (1-3) through the BarreAmped®️ foundations method, Core and Spine program, as well as certified in the BarreAmped®️ Pre/Post-natal program. We are trained to understand the body and have a sharp eye to help clients find the best work for their unique body.

We further our education by completing additional trainings and staying up to date on latest research for women’s bodies, as well as studying more about the connections of muscles and fascia throughout the body. We love and appreciate how our own bodies work and all they do for us, so it’s always going to be part of our classes to pass that knowledge on to you for your own empowerment.

Some of our instructors have completed additional certifications to bring in fun, new class formats and have done additional coaching and passed rigorous standards to be considered a “BarreAmped Partner Instructor”.

As previously mentioned, our barre classes are not pre-packaged, choreographed sets. Each class is thoughtfully designed by the instructor for the specific people that are signed up for that class. We take your needs, feedback and goals to heart and create classes around that. We watch for little changes in the body and clues in how our clients move to determine how to adjust each class. If you mention your knee bothering you, you might notice that the next few classes you’re in have extra knee supporting warm ups and knee strengthening work in them. It’s not a coincidence!

Where Do I Begin?

Foundations is such a great starting place for everyone, no matter the fitness level. The class moves at a very intentional, steady pace, so you can really hear and follow the cues given. Don’t worry if you miss one, the instructor will walk around and give quick, hands-on help. It’s what we’re here for!

As you become more familiar with positions and your own body, you will learn that the work doesn’t get easier or lose its challenge. You don’t outgrow this class. It grows with you!

What’s more important than finding the perfect class to begin with is to JUST BEGIN!

Book a class!