Like many young girls, I was thrown into ballet class when I was very young. Growing up with dancing I found it to be one of the many cohesive extracurricular activities as I made friends, moved in ways I didn’t think I could, and relieved stress. .

When I was 8 years old, my teacher, owner of the studio, asked me to be his assistant teacher for ballet, tap dance and even gymnastics lessons for the 3 year olds. Then at 15, when I got my work papers from school, I started teaching my own classes.

Taking up and teaching dance (ballet, tap and contemporary dance) was an established routine in my schedule since childhood. After getting my undergraduate degree in dance, I went to graduate school to study arts administration, letting dance become a hobby and taking classes in my spare time. I quit teaching and took regular dance lessons so that I could focus on my graduate studies while training to be a yoga teacher.

A few years later, I found myself almost wanting the feeling of routine of standing by the bar. I had always known that barre lessons were one thing, but I didn’t think it could compare to a ballet lesson.

After joining Equinox I decided to try a barre class as I had always been curious to see if the class would look like a ballet class and in my mind I needed to get my subscription to worth it by packing a variety of courses into my schedule. Read on to learn more about why I love the bar, and for tips for anyone who wants to try it out.

Beginner’s Tips for the Barre Class

My love for the barre is more of an appreciation for it than an unconscious devotion to some type of training. I like being able to work to increase my flexibility, core stability, and overall strength in a class. Using the actual bar is really great too. We put our legs on it and use it as something solid to hold onto during part of our glute work. The experience of a barre class really mixes elements of ballet with a glute workout.

If you’ve never done ballet in your life, you can still do the barre. Here are some tips from me to you:

• Be sure not to put all of your weight on the bar when holding it. He must be a support but not carry you.
• Remember to engage your heart to help maintain a high spine, unless you are asked to round the spine.
• Warm up before the start of the class. Although most instructors will walk you through a warm-up sequence, it will be very helpful to do additional stretches like a low-lunge twist, a forward bend, and an arm stretch to the chest to make sure you don’t have any unexpected. muscle cramps.

What is the difference between barre and ballet?

The biggest difference is that a barre class is a workout designed using elements of ballet, yoga, and Pilates. It focuses on working each muscle group until exhaustion with small, controlled movements.

Ballet is a form of dance that was created during the Italian Renaissance as entertainment for the royal courts. He then solidified his technique during the 15th and 16th centuries in France.

So while you may recognize a second position and a reading during barre, know that it won’t be like a full ballet class. Best of all, you won’t have to go individually across the room to practice the combination you just learned in front of each other – in other words, not across the room. ground !

What should I wear to do the barre?

Comfort is the key! Make sure everything you wear is stretchy and that you feel held back. Personally, I don’t like to wear anything loose when taking the barbell so that my feet or weights accidentally get caught in a fabric. As for shoes, you don’t need shoes for the barre, so feel free to walk barefoot or wear socks. Tip: If you want to wear socks, take a pair of bar socks or sticky socks as they have some texture on the bottom so they won’t slip on the carpet or floor.

What equipment do I need for the bar?

If you are going to a bar studio, all you need is your water bottle. If you want to have your own supplies at home, grab a pair of one to three pound weights, a small exercise ball, mat, and a ballet bar. Don’t have room for a ballet barre? Instead, use the high back of a chair.

Usually I take barre classes at a myriad of Equinox locations, but I also turn to online platforms like Equinox, Peloton, and Obé Fitness for classes I can take at home. If you’re not yet ready to commit to a gym or online platform membership, try some of these home barre classes available on YouTube.