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Jan 17
Barre Retreats Header Image

Stunning Barre Retreats Worth Registering For in 2024

By Barre Culture, Barre3, Lotte Berk, Pure Barre 5 Comments

Despite inflation, demand for travel is not slowing down. People are looking to get away, and many want to add wellness to their vacation. Whether you’re looking for a beach retreat or somewhere on land, somewhere abroad or something close by, all-inclusive or pay your own way, there’s a barre retreat for everybody on this list.

Here are some must-do barre retreats for 2024 and beyond.

 

Lab Studios’ Barre Training Retreat 2024

Host: Lab Studios

Location: Bali, Komune Resort, Keramas
Dates: July 19-25, 2024 (6 nights/7 days)
The accommodations: Komune Resort, Keramas
Price: Twin Room – $3088 each, single – $4188

What’s Included:

  • Welcome dinner on the first day
  • Breakfast on the last day
  • Daily barre classes
  • Delicious and hearty meals that cater to all dietary needs
  • Barre Lab Teacher Training course and manual
  • Post-training class observations and practice-teaching
  • Goodie bag
  • Use of resort facilities, including the gym and beach

What’s Not Included: 

  • Airfare and airport transfers
  • Alcoholic drinks
  • Optional day trips, spa services, surfing
  • Extra meals and room service
  • Flights
  • Tips

What to expect:

If you’re going to take an instructional barre course, why not do it in an idyllic tropical setting. Singapore’s Barre Lab has assembled a retreat that marries the best of both worlds: instructor training and a fabulous getaway. You can expect daily barre classes in addition to the training, which includes post-training feedback and teaching practice. You’ll also receive a Barre Lab Teacher Training course, manual, and goodie bag.

 

Women stretching at the barre in Bali

Source: labstudios.com/barrelabacademy

 

Source: labstudios.com/barrelabacademy

 

The Barre + Yoga Experience Luxury Wellness Retreat

Host: The Barre + Yoga Experience

Location: Sapodilla Bay on Turks and Caicos Island
Dates: October 10-14, 2024 – 4 nights/5 days
The accommodations: La Mer Villas
Price: CAD $5,088.10 pp or approximately US $3,772

What’s Included:

  • Daily meals prepared by an in-house private chef
  • Daily wellness workshops
  • Daily barre, yoga and Pilates classes overlooking Sapodilla Bay with The Barre + Yoga Experience instructors.
  • Morning group meditations and journaling
  • OFYR Grill Dinner Soiree
  • Complimentary use of paddle boards and kayaks
  • Snacks and refreshments offered throughout the day
  • Round trip transfers from/to Providenciales Airport to/from La Mer Villas
  • Gratuities included

What’s Not Included: 

  • Optional activities: half-day catamaran & snorkelling tour, bodywork session, wakeboard and waterskiing.

What to expect:

The Barre + Yoga Experience is back at it again with the 2024 version of their luxury retreat. The New England-based fitness brand, a Barre Fitness Alliance-recognized company, is pulling out all the stops for its guests. Leave your worries behind because this retreat takes care of just about everything for you, including gratuities.

The itinerary for the 2024 edition is very similar to last year’s, with the addition of Pilates classes.

Turks and Caicos resort

Photo courtesy of retreat.thebarreandyogaexperience.com

Enjoy daily barre, yoga and Pilates classes overlooking Sapodilla Bay, wellness workshops, morning meditations, and other planned activities such as a grill night soiree. The villa even has a private in-house chef with Michelin Star restaurant experience. Last year’s retreat sold out, so reserve your spot early.

 

TLM Spring 2024 Long Beach Retreat

Host: theLONDONmethod

Location: Long Beach, California
Dates: April 21-26, with optional instructor training April 26-28
Price: TBD

Email hello@thelondonmethod.net with LB RETREAT as the subject line to reserve your spot. Registration opens in early February.

What to expect:

California’s theLONDONmethod has been hosting twice-annual retreats for a few years. Side note: I finally went on a retreat after many pandemic delays. I must say my expectations were quite high, thanks to years of built-up Instagram FOMO. It was even better than I had hoped, thanks to a great itinerary in the most idyllic country setting and an amazing group of women who felt like great gal pals after a few days.

Here’s some sad news: with the announced closure of their Hungerford outpost, it’s not known if future retreats will be held in the beautiful English countryside again. However, the tLm crew are hosting their inaugural Long Beach retreat, where their home studio is and who wouldn’t enjoy a few days in sunny California?

Though details about this retreat are still unknown, you can expect daily classes taught by theLONDONmethod instructors. Known for their teaching of the “original” Lotte Berk technique as taught to them by Lotte’s daughter, Esther, tLm is carrying on the Lotte/Esther legacy by sharing the origins of the barre workout with the world.

If you want to learn more about the theLONDONmethod, you can tack on an optional training weekend from April 26-28. Follow theLONDONmethod on Instagram for more updates.

The Barre Blog in front of theLondonMethod's Hungerford Studio

In front of tLm’s Hungerford studio.

 

Pure Barre at Sea: A Tropical Retreat

Host: Pure Barre (Xponential Fitness)

Location: Sailing to the private Bahamian resort of Princess Cays, St. Thomas, and San Juan, Puerto Rico, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Dates: June 8-15, 2024 (8 days/7 nights)
The Accommodations: Princess Cruises’ Enchanted Princess cruise ship
Price: Prices range from double occupancy in an interior room for $1,554 to $2,152 for double occupancy in a Mini Suite.

A $100 deposit is required to reserve a spot. The final payment is due March 10th, 2024.

What’s Included:

  • Daily Pure Barre classes (Classic, Define and Pure Barre Align)
  • Excursion credit to use for on-shore experiences or your own adventure
  • Taxes and Port fees
  • Welcome event
  • Barre on the Beach
  • Pure Barre on the Piazza
  • Sunrise and sunset outdoor classes
  • Mixology and themed dining events
  • Other on and off-ship Pure Barre group activities

What’s Not Included: 

  • Additional optional activities

What to expect:

Mega franchise Pure Barre is hosting its inaugural Pure Barre cruise, following the success of fellow Xponential Fitness brand Club Pilates’ first-ever branded cruise in 2023. This is also after the parent company announced a partnership with Princess Cruises in 2022, giving Princess Cruises an exclusive licensing arrangement for the use of their brands’ content aboard their fleet of ships.

Announcement video

The weeklong cruise will leave from Fort Lauderdale and travel to three ports, including the private Bahamian resort of Princess Cays, St. Thomas and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Guests can take daily Pure Barre classes that feature a mix of their branded offerings, including Classic, Define, and Pure Barre Align. When not doing these on-board low-impact, full-body workouts, other planned activities include Pure Barre-themed group events and excursions, Barre on the Beach, Pure Barre on the Piazza, sunrise and sunset outdoor classes, mixology and themed dining events.

 

Barre + Buti in Tulum

Host: Barre Centric

Location: Tulum, Mexico
Dates: November 13-17, 2024 (5 days/4 nights)
The Accommodations: Maya Tulum
Price: Prices range from $2150 per person for a triple room to $2950 for a single.

A $1000 non-refundable deposit is required to reserve a spot. The final payment is due no later than August 13, 2024.

What’s Included:

  • 1-2 daily workout classes
  • Cenotes and ruins adventure day
  • Daily nutritious breakfast
  • Three group dinners plus one free night
  • Roundtrip transportation from Cancun (CUN) airport to/from the hotel
  • Daily resort and environmental fees are included

What’s Not Included: 

  • Additional optional activities like the Temazcal ceremony or spa services
  • Offsite dinner at Kin-Toh

What to expect:

Buffalo-based businesses Barre Centric and Raw Renewal Yoga have been teaming up for a few years, retreating to sunny destinations like Costa Rica, Belize, the Bahamas and Spain. Now, they’re heading to the beachside town of Tulum, Mexico, for their 4-night/5-day 2024 retreat.

Women on the Barre + Buti retreat eating at a dining table.

Photo: ketangafitness.com

 

Women sipping drinks out of a pineapple on the beach.

Photo: ketangafitness.com

 

This retreat will balance physical activity with fun adventures, all while making sure you have time for relaxation and restoration. You can expect daily classes featuring a mix of barre and yoga. When you’re not in class, you can snorkel the turquoise waters, explore the local shops and cafes in Tulum, sign up for a spa treatment, or experience a traditional Temazcal ceremony. Planned excursions include visiting the well-preserved ancient ruins of Coba and swimming through natural sinkholes.

 

Barre Studio’s Key Largo Retreat

Host: barre.studio

Location: Key Largo, Florida
Dates: April 26-28, 2024 (3 days/2 nights)
The Accommodations:  Reefhouse Resort & Marina 
Price: TBD. Prices will be based on double occupancy.

Registration opens on January 24, 2024. Follow @barrestudio4u on Instagram for more updates.

What’s Included:

  • Daily barre classes
  • Beach walks
  • Digital “detox”
  • journalling and self-growth opportunities
  • Hawaiian “talk story time”
  • Core strength test paddle boarding
  • Full resort access
  • Daily breakfast

What’s Not Included: 

  • Optional swim with dolphins activity

What to expect:

Here’s another inaugural retreat to tell you about. The business simply known as the Barre.Studio hosts barre and Pilates classes in two southwest Florida locations throughout the year, and now you can join them for a weekend retreat. The 3-day/2-night event will be just a few hours south of their home base, down in the beautiful Florida Keys.

There will be 10 spots available for the retreat, making it nice and intimate if that’s your jam. You’ll also do barre classes on the beach and by the pool with their new Sound Off Experience headsets. Since the owner Andrea is also trained in theLONDONmethod, she infuses the “original” Lotte Berk classes into her repertoire of offerings which means you always get the best of the American barre and original Lotte Berk/Esther Fairfax classes.

 

Reefhouse Key Largo promotional images

Photo: instagram.com/reefhousekeylargo

 

 

 

Escape to Tuscany with Barrefly London

Host: BarreFly London

Location: Tuscany, Italy
Dates: May 12-18, 2024 (7 days/6 nights)
The Accommodations: Villa Cecconi
Price: Standard single occupancy: £3200, shared: £2400, suite upgrade – single: £300, or shared: £150. All prices quoted are per person.​

What’s Included:

  • Sunrise and sunset barre and yoga classes
  • Wine tour and tasting
  • Day trips to Siena and to Radda in Chianti
  • Daily continental breakfast with fresh juices and healthy smoothies
  • Meals and snacks throughout the day
  • Airport transfer – see website for details

What’s Not Included: 

  • Optional personal training sessions with nutritional consultant Nesse

What to expect:

The sweeping hills of Tuscany are where you’ll find this retreat hosted by BarreFly London. If you like your fitness classes with savoury meals, wine, art, history and exploration that only a retreat in an Italian villa could bring, then this 5-star retreat is for you.

 

Villa Cecconi in Italy

Photo: Villa Cecconi (via Barrefly London)

Villa Cecconi dining area

Photo: Villa Cecconi (via Barrefly London)

Villa Cecconi pool

Photo: Villa Cecconi (via Barrefly London)

 

 

 

NRG Retreat

Host: NRG Barrebody

Location: El Goute, Marrakech
Dates: May 16-19, 2024 (4 days/3 nights)
The Accommodations: Villa El Goute
Price: TBD​

  • Details are limited as of the time this post is being published, but you can email the owner through the website to get more information about registering. Also, visit their Instagram page to see what past retreats looked like.

What to expect:

UK-based Fitness trainer Nathalie Errandonea and her NRG Barrebody business are returning to Marrakech after a successful 2023 event. From the looks of it, last year’s event looked dreamy. The location, the home-cooked food, and not to mention the fitness. Also, look out for their Sevilla NRG Retreat, which will take place from October 7-10, 2024.

Villa El Goute

Photo: retreats.nrgbarrebody.com

 

 

More Upcoming Retreats

Barre3’s Annual Retreat

No details have been announced as of today, but check back in May for exciting updates on where they’re headed next.

 

 

Do you know of any barre retreats planned for 2024 that we don’t have on our radar? Drop a comment below to let us know.

Nov 11
Barre Holiday Gift Guide 2021 Cover Image

The Holiday Gift Guide for the Barre Lover in Your Life

By Barre Culture, Barre-inspired fashion No Comments

The holidays are just weeks away and it’s time to update the annual barre gift guide. If you have every intention of getting your shopping done early, now is the time to take care of the barre fans in your life, or cough, cough, yourself.

Use this curated list below to get a head start on your shopping. Below you’ll find some of my favourite brands and some items that would make any barre fan pleased to receive this year.

 

Access to a video library or subscription to online classes

There are so many options to choose from that we thought it would be better to just let you see the options yourself. Check out the post on different virtual classes and subscriptions to find one that works for you.

Price: Prices vary

 

 

 

 

Countdown to Christmas with this TELETIES Advent Calendar

Advent calendars aren’t just for kids. This adorable 7-day countdown calendar has a variety of limited-edition holiday TELETIES items. Not to spoil the fun, but you’ll uncover hair ties, clips, brushes, headbands and more behind each of the 7 doors.

Price: $29.99

 

TELETIES Advent Calendar

Image source: teleties.com

 

 

Bring the studio to your home with at-home barre options

If you’re interested in investing in an at-home barre solution, there are lots of options on the market, from portable and freestanding barres to wall-mounted options.

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. For that, I don’t want to play favourites and would rather have you find a solution that works best for your budget and the amount of space you have in your home. Here’s a link to a recent article I posted that compares different options.

Price: Prices vary.

 

At-home barre options

 

 

Festive cheer in the form of grip socks

This adorable Holiday Cheer Pack from Pointe Studio will get you in the holiday mood. It includes a mix of their full foot and ankle styles.

Price: $42.00

Pointe Studio Holiday Cheer Barre Socks pack

Image source: pointestudio.com

 

Keep your feet warm with this iconic barre symbol

When you’re not working your peach in class, keep your feet cozy and warm at home with a pair of these adorable peach slippers from Wilder Home. Available in shoe sizes 36-45, the slippers come in pink, orange, purple or navy. The Australian company ships worldwide.

Price: $37.00 AUD

 

Image credit: wilder-home.com

 

 

The bra that has us all-a-flutter

If you’re into fun details on your activewear, you’ll love the ruffle detail and cap sleeves on this Flutter Bra from Tavi Active which is both functional and flattering.

Price: $68.00

 

Image credit: taviactive.com

 

Brush up on your knowledge of barre

Maybe you love barre class so much that you want to know more about the mechanics behind what you’re doing in class. There are not too many public-facing manuals on the market that allow you to take a deep dive into the barre exercises. At least in my experience, if I ever wanted to get my hands on a Pure Barre or Bar Method training manual I would need to go through their proprietary training.

The good news is that Barre Variations offers a downloadable manual that anyone can access. This is not meant to replace teacher training but will help give you a better understanding of different exercises and modifications among other things. If you want to take your love of barre to the next level but are not ready or interested in becoming an instructor, this manual might be for you.

Price: $20.00

Barre Variations Manual

Source: https://barrevariations.com

 

A gift set for the barre lover

Go all out with this animal print gift set from MoveActive. The Barre Lover Pack includes a Black Cheetah Yoga Mat from the Varsity Collection, a pair of core sliders and a medium/heavy resistance band combo.

Price: $149.95 AUD or $100 USD

 

Move Active Barre Gift Set

Image credit: moveactive.com.au/

 

 

Level up your barre workout with the addition of this barre ball

Another helpful addition to your at-home barre studio is the squishy playground ball, just like you would use in the studio. This pretty teal-coloured one from obé is 9 inches in diameter and no pump is required.

Price: $18.00 from shopobefitness.com

 

Obe barre ball in teal

Source: shopobefitness.com

Aug 29
A Zoom call video screen featuring the Barre Fitness Alliance

What You Need to Know About the Barre Fitness Alliance

By Barre Culture, Barre News, Lotte Berk, Resources for Barre Instructors, Resources for Studio Owners, The Dailey Method No Comments

Pilates has the Pilates Method Alliance and yoga has the Yoga Alliance but up until now, there was no comparable alliance for the barre industry. Introducing the Barre Fitness Alliance.

Since barre went mainstream, anyone using a ballet barre as a prop was describing it as a “barre” class, although methods and choreography could be markedly different from one class to another. There was no oversight committee in the barre industry so anyone could put a certification course together and charge money to “certify” instructors.

It seemed fitting that someone or a collective group of people needed to come along and identify what barre is and isn’t and offer some oversight.

It has been a long time coming, according to BFA President, Lara Foldvari of Barre On the Go (formerly The Bog – Barre Over Garage.) She is joined by some industry heavyweights including Andrea Isabelle Lucas, Founder & CEO of Barre & Soul, Jennifer Maanavi, CEO and co-founder of Physique 57, Betsy Royster, co-owner of Bayou Barre and Jill Dailey, Founder of The Dailey Method. They are supported by barre pioneers Elisabeth Halfpapp and Fred DeVito of Core Barre Fit and also formerly of the Lotte Berk Method and Exhale.

 

 

In a nutshell, what is the Barre Fitness Alliance?

The BFA was hatched from a desire to assign a richer standard to barre certifications, classes and instructors.

“Our mission is to bring barre professionals together without bias to any one particular barre training,” says Lara. “We want to uphold the history of Lotte Berk both the human and the Lotte Berk Method studio in New York City and we want to ensure the quality of today’s instructors and really the integrity of the industry now and into the future. We want to ensure barre going forward remains not watered down for years to come.”

If you’re a barre teacher training organization, barre studio, instructor or even an enthusiast, the alliance is meant to be a resource for you.

 

What does the Barre Fitness Alliance consider to be the gold standard of barre?

If you’re familiar with the rich history of barre, then you know that there was Lotte Berk who famously invented the first iteration of what we know as barre today, and then everything that evolved from her original technique since. Considering barre fitness classes today are wildly different from what Lotte originally taught, there are actually two standards that the BFA uses as their bellwether. They are the teachings that came from the now-shuttered Lotte Berk Method in New York City, and Lotte Berk’s original technique as taught to Esther Fairfax her daughter and subsequently other trainees that carry on her legacy today like Long Beach’s theLONDONmethod.

“We’ve set the barre industry standards going back to the Lotte Berk Method in New York City for our members to uphold. Through these measures, the quality of barre instruction is maintained, which benefits those in our industry and the communities we serve,” says Lara.

 

A Barre Fitness Alliance Instagram post featuring Lara Foldvari, President of the BFA

A Barre Fitness Alliance Instagram post featuring Lara Foldvari, President of the BFA

What you receive when you become a member.

  • Members receive access to partner discounts on everything from retail to fitness equipment, certifications, apparel, AV equipment, liability insurance and more.
  • If you become a BFA-certified instructor, studio or training program, you can display the corresponding virtual badge on your website for everyone to see.
  • Anyone who visits the BFA website will be able to identify you in the public-facing directory.
  • You will be able to network with other highly qualified instructors through virtual and in-person workshops and events.
  • You will have a voice on what future industry standards should look like.

 

What you’ll get as a founding member.

All of the partner programs offer 20% off their training. There will be more opportunities for continuing education among partner certifications.

Pointe Studio offers product discounts. Vita Barre offers discounts on barres and other fitness equipment. AV Now offers discounts on audio-visual equipment.

 

An Instagram post from the Barre Fitness Alliance introducing Andrea Isabelle Lucas, VP of the BFA

An Instagram post from the Barre Fitness Alliance introducing Andrea Isabelle Lucas, VP of the BFA

How to apply to be a founding member.

You can apply on the website. To become a BFA-approved instructor, there is a one-time processing and registration fee of $140. An annual membership (at the time of writing) in subsequent years will cost you $130. To become a BFA-approved teacher training organization, membership and processing fees for the first year cost $599 and the limited founding teacher training organization rate is $549 for the first year.

If you have any questions, send an email to barrefitnessalliance@gmail.com or a direct Instagram message to instagram.com/barrefitnessalliance.

 

What are the requirements for a certification to become accepted by the BFA?

Certifications must be a minimum of 100 hours in training and cover:

  • The history of barre
  • Anatomy
  • Exercise science
  • Musicality
  • How to put a class together
  • Modifications/variations
  • Hands-on adjustments
  • Practice teaching
  • A written and practical exam
  • 25 of the 28 exercises listed in the syllabus criteria.

You can see the full breakdown here.

 

A post from Jennifer Maanavi's Instagram, Treasurer of the BFA

A post from Jennifer Maanavi’s Instagram, Treasurer of the BFA

What you receive when you become a BFA-certified teacher training organization.

  • You’ll be able to display the BFA barre teacher-training badge on your website and be listed as an approved teacher training organization in the BFA directory.
  • You will have a voice in future industry standard discussions.
  • You’ll be able to offer discounts on training to other members.

 

Will in-house training programs from franchises like Pure Barre, The Bar Method or Barre3 be recognized?

Any certification program whether it is public-facing or not is invited to submit an application for review. Barre3, one of the world’s largest and most popular barre franchises for example auditions instructors before they go through their in-house training.

In order for a certification to be properly vetted by the board, the company hosting the training needs to provide a syllabus and training materials for review. Since some franchises are known to keep their training materials close to their chest it is yet to be seen if any of the franchises will be willing to disclose (at least to the board) their proprietary information.

If you’ve been trained through a franchise that isn’t already a BFA education partner, the BFA encourages you to speak with your managers or write to the heads of the company where you were trained to see if they would be interested in applying.

 

Bayou Barre's Betsy Royster

BFA Secretary and Bayou Barre’s Betsy Royster is introduced on the Barre Fitness Alliance’s Instagram account.

What are the requirements to become a BFA-certified studio?

To become a BFA-certified studio, you will need at least two of your instructors to be certified by a BFA-approved Barre Teacher Training Program. If not instructors, then a Director, Owner, Master Trainer or Manager of the studio. Also at least one of those instructors needs to be BFA approved, so they need to show proof of certification in the year they applied and with yearly renewals.

 

Is it necessary to join the Barre Fitness Alliance?

Like any exercise discipline with a professional association, you are not forced to join it in order to run classes. It all depends on what you’re looking to get out of becoming a barre teacher, opening a studio or offering a certification program. If you’re looking to build credibility among your clientele and peers, joining the alliance is a good way of establishing that.

If you’re a fitness instructor, having a BFA-approved certification behind your name can be an easy way to fast-track job offers, especially when busy studio owners don’t want to spend more time than they need trying to assess your skill level.

Both the Pilates Method Alliance and the Yoga Alliance weren’t built overnight. It will take time for the credibility of the BFA to grow and not everyone in the industry will be on board with this particular group of people deciding what should and should not count as barre. In my opinion, this is a remarkable who’s who of the industry. You have some of the most sought-after owners, teachers and business people on the board, and I believe they know what they’re talking about.

 

The Dailey Method's Jill Dailey

The Dailey Method’s Jill Dailey is introduced as BFA Director on their Instagram.

What does the future of the BFA look like?

In a Zoom call with members back in early August, the board of directors was pressed on whether certification criteria might evolve in the future to reflect the changing barre landscape. In response to that question, BFA Vice President Andrea Isabelle Lucas had this to say. “Yeah absolutely. We should all admit that we’ve all evolved the method. It will be a challenging and really productive exercise for us to start to evaluate more trainings that are maybe a little bit less similar.”

When speaking with Lara Foldvari in a separate follow-up call she seemed optimistic yet realistic about what the future could hold. She has hopes of growing the BFA base to rival industry counterparts like the yoga and Pilates alliances, while also knowing that the Yoga Alliance has 100,000 certified instructors in their base and barre does not have as much mainstream influence as yoga or Pilates. “We know how barre has evolved, we anticipate barre industry standards to evolve and grow as we do,” says Lara.

The BFA plans to host a mixture of in-person and virtual events throughout the year with the hopes of hosting at least one in-person event annually. I for one can’t wait to see what’s in store for the alliance and all involved.

 

Elisabeth Halfpapp and Fred DeVito of Core Barre Fit

Elisabeth Halfpapp and Fred DeVito of Core Barre Fit are Supporting Partners of the BFA.

Aug 07
Barre and Copyright Featured Image

Why You Can’t Copyright a Sequence of Barre Poses and Other Legal Facts You Should Know

By Barre Culture, Exercises, Resources for Barre Instructors, Resources for Studio Owners No Comments

When you think about it, one of the first interactions you have with a new fitness studio involves legal paperwork. One of the first things owners or administrative staff will have you sign is a legal waiver. It often includes paragraphs of jargon that you quickly skim over, but have you ever stopped to think about what you’re signing? If you’re a client who instructs, how do you make sure that what you’re learning in class and then teaching elsewhere isn’t stepping on any toes? If you’re a studio owner, do you know what all your rights are, and how to protect yourself?

Since I can’t help answer those questions, I turned to lawyer extraordinaire and self-proclaimed fitness enthusiast Caroline Mankey, a partner at Akerman LLP. Below is a full interview I did with her to help us break down everything from intellectual property laws when it comes to exercises to reposting other feeds’ social media content. Before we jump in, here is the legal disclaimer!

This is not legal advice. This is a general discussion about legal concepts that apply in some, but not all, jurisdictions and circumstances. Caroline recommends seeking the advice of legal counsel in your jurisdiction to advise you specifically on the law applicable in your jurisdiction and to your unique circumstances.

 

Students at The Bar Method's Rittenhouse location exercising.


What protections do you have when it comes to exercises, class formats and choreography?



Melissa: How do studio owners protect their classes from being stolen?

Caroline: This is very difficult to do using intellectual property laws.  Copyright law protects creative works.  However, copyright law does not protect ideas.  It protects the creative expression of ideas, but only where the expression is in a tangible form, such as a book, video, sound recording, photograph, painting or sculpture.  Works that are not recorded tangibly (such as a poem or play that is recited audibly only, or exercise sequences taught in a classroom, and not written, recorded or video recorded) are not protected.

The following are examples of works that are protected by copyright:

      • a book about Pilates (Ross-Nash v. Almond, No. 219CV00957APGNJK, 2020 WL 6947691, at *1 (D. Nev. Oct. 28, 2020))
      • a choreographed dance routine (17 U.S.C. section 102(a)(4)), which is comprised of dance steps, dance movements, and/or dance patterns (Pellegrino v. Epic Games, Inc., 451 F. Supp. 3d 373, 388 (E.D. Pa. 2020))

The following are examples of work that copyright does not protect:

      • a sequence of yoga poses and breathing exercises (Bikram’s Yoga College of India, L.P. v. Evolation Yoga, LLC, 803 F.3d 1032 (9th Cir. 2015))
      • meditation exercises (Palmer v. Braun, 287 F.3d 1325 (11th Cir. 2002))

Melissa: Sounds like the lines are pretty blurred.

Caroline: The line between what is protected choreography and what is simply exercise that is not protected can potentially be blurry.  Barre exercise, however, can be analogized to ballet.  Individual ballet moves and poses are not protected by copyright.  Even a sequence in which the poses are taught is not protected by copyright.  It is not until the poses are combined in such a way as to create an original and unique work, such as The Nutcracker, and recorded in a tangible form of expression, that the sequence is protected as a choreographed routine.

Another method to legally protect an exercise routine would be to enter into contracts requiring students not to teach the exact sequence that the studio owner teaches.  This presents multiple problems, however.  First, will your students agree to sign such an agreement?  Teacher trainees might, but class students might not.  Also, how do you police it?  It’s difficult to track what others are teaching, particularly outside your area.  Finally, how do you enforce it?  It would be prohibitively expensive to file lawsuits against other teachers and studios.

Ultimately, the best way for a studio to protect its classes is to be the best at what it teaches and offer a safe and beautiful space, and a supportive and positive environment that keeps people wanting to come back, even if a competitor is teaching the same material elsewhere.

Melissa: How do studio owners know to the best of their ability that their choreography is not infringing on anyone else’s?

Caroline: It’s unlikely that studio owners would be infringing on any other studio’s rights in the sequences, since exercise sequences (whether yoga, barre, Pilates, or others) are not protectable through intellectual property laws.  Unless the studio owner has entered into any agreements prohibiting their use of certain material, then the studio and its teachers are free to teach any material they want.

Melissa: What recourse does a studio owner have if they think their work is being taken without permission? For instance, a former student teaching elsewhere with the same materials and class formats the studio taught them?

Caroline: If a former student is using a studio owner’s actual written or recorded materials, such as class handouts, worksheets, workbooks, audio or video lectures or videotaped sequences, then the studio owner might have a claim against the former student for infringement of the copyrights to those materials.  But just teaching the same subject matter and/or in the same style is not prohibited.

 

A woman works out at home while studying for a Barreworks barre certification.

Working out while studying for a Barreworks certification.
Photo credit: instagram.com/barreworksto





What to know about photography and promotional materials



Melissa: If a studio is hiring a photographer to take promotional photos for marketing materials including social media, are there any general guidelines that they should be aware of? For instance, what is the proper way to credit the photographer?

Caroline: A photographer owns the copyrights to the photographs they shoot.  Purchasing the photos does not necessarily transfer the copyrights unless there is an express written agreement to transfer the copyrights to the purchaser.  You should always have a clear written agreement with every photographer stating expressly:

  • Who owns the copyrights to the photos
  • How the party who does not own the copyrights may use the photos in the future
  • For how long the photos may be used
  • Whether the party who does not own the copyrights may give other third parties permission to use the photos (such as if a magazine asks you for your headshot or photos of your studio for use in the magazine)
  • What credits must be given to the photographer for approved uses
  • How the parties will respond to requests to use the photos in ways not addressed by the contract
  • Payment terms
  • What the consequences are for unapproved uses of the photos
  • Any other terms that are important to the parties

 

What are your rights when it comes to social media content?



Melissa: What should studio owners and the people doing their social media know about posting other people’s content?

Caroline: Posting someone else’s content is risky.  Someone owns the copyright to every photograph.  For example, there are lawsuits all the time by paparazzi photographers against celebrities who post a paparazzi photographer’s photo of the celebrity on the celebrity’s social media page. If you did not take the photograph, or buy the copyright with a written contract, you do not own the copyright and your use of the photo could expose you to liability for copyright infringement.

Melissa: What about if you credit them on Instagram?

Caroline: You should always seek permission to use someone else’s photograph or other content.

Melissa: What do you suggest if another studio is re-posting your photos or creative without crediting you?

Caroline: If someone is using your content, and your content is original and wholly owned by you, then you could have a valid copyright infringement claim against the party using your material.  In order to file suit, you first need to register your copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office, which is pretty easy and inexpensive to do online at copyright.gov.  Filing lawsuits is very expensive and is a very slow and labor-intensive process.

Melissa: What if you just want someone to stop reposting your content who isn’t crediting you?

Caroline: If you simply want the other person to stop using your material, the best approach is to start with a letter explaining that their use of your materials is copyright infringement in violation of federal law and asking them to stop and to take down all copyright protected materials of yours.  Usually, a letter from a lawyer is more effective than a letter from a non-lawyer.  Also, you don’t want to misstate your position when you are asserting your legal rights, so I recommend seeking the advice and assistance of a lawyer if you think your protected materials have been used without your permission.

 

In conclusion, copyright can be a tricky thing to navigate. The barre world is filled with stories of people stepping on each other’s toes. Just look into the history of barre and you’ll find countless stories of deceit, terribly-written legal contracts, and copycats.

We don’t want you to go down the wrong path, so when in doubt it’s always best to check with a lawyer first if you can.

Oct 06
Women dressed up in a unicorn halloween costume for barre class.

12 Exercise-friendly Halloween Costumes You Can Wear to Barre Class

By Barre Culture, Barre-inspired fashion, Just for Fun No Comments

Is your barre studio throwing a Halloween-themed class? If you’re encouraged to get dressed up but don’t know what to wear, here are some easy-to-make Halloween costumes for barre class that will work seamlessly with your workout clothing.

*Full disclosure!* This post contains a couple of affiliate links when appropriate. If you make a purchase after clicking on them, I make a small percentage from the sale. This helps me maintain the site, so thank you for contributing to my piggy bank!

 

 

Unicorn

Unicorns can be beautiful and strong! The unicorn outfit is a lot of fun and also makes use of your most sparkly or shiny leggings, (if you have them).

Woman dressed up for a barre class as a unicorn.

Source: instagram.com/purebarrefayetteville_ar

What you’ll need:

  • Leggings: Your shiniest, sparkliest or most iridescent pair.
  • Top: A tie-dye, sparkly or iridescent top.
  • Socks: Your most sparkly pair.
  • Accessories: Unicorn hairband and furry cuffs and leg warmers (optional).

 

 

Workout Barre(bie)

This is a really easy outfit to put together because just having leggings and a workout top, you’re at least halfway to achieving the workout Barbie look.

Women dress up in aerobic costumes at a barre class.

Source: instagram.com/barrecentric

What you’ll need:

  • Leggings: Any colour of tights, but a bright pair may be more fun.
  • Top: A leotard or tank top of your choice.
  • Accessories: Leg warmers, a giant belt, wristbands, sweatband
  • Socks: Pink, pastel, or brightly coloured pair.

 

 

Wonder Woman

Be it Wonder Woman or any superhero for that matter, it’s a lot of fun to dress up as an action star at the barre.

A woman dressed up as Wonder Woman for barre class.

Source: instagram.com/barmethodridgewood

What you’ll need:

  • Leggings: Red leggings, or a pair of Wonder Woman leggings if you have them.
  • Top: Red tank top or Wonder Woman corset from a Halloween costume store.
  • Accessories: Red cape, Wonder Woman headband.
  • Socks: Red.

 

 

Starbucks Barre-ista

This is a really fun one if you’re a fan of Starbucks, or coffee in general. Get crafty with your supplies at home by making either a barre-ista or drink outfit.

Two women dressed up as Starbucks employees for a barre class.

Source: instagram.com/kimlaw28

What you’ll need:

  • Leggings: Black or dark/army green leggings.
  • Top: A black, white or dark/army green top.
  • Accessories: An apron, a white or black hat with a Starbucks logo you can attach or stick on.
  • Socks: Green, black, white, or tan/neutral.

 

 

A “Big Cat”

Unleash your inner animal with a fun animal print pattern.

A woman dressed up as a big cat at a Pure Barre class.

Source: instagram.com/purebarrepearland

What you’ll need:

  • Leggings: A pair of animal print leggings (spotted, striped etc.) like these from Goldsheep Clothing.
  • Top: Neutral colour like black or white, or an animal print.
  • Accessories: Cat ears hairband, face paint with a whisker design.
  • Socks: Animal print, gold, black, white or tan/neutral.

 

 

Mermaid

Another easy-to-put-together costume if you have some iridescent or mermaid patterned leggings is the mermaid outfit.

A woman dresses up like a mermaid for barre class.

Source: instagram.com/venturabarreandfitness

What you’ll need:

  • Leggings: Mermaid pattern or iridescent ideally. Even a shiny pair of leggings would do. These mermaid leggings from Emily Hsu are perfect.
  • Top: White tank top with two shells on your you know whats. Or if you have a tank top with mermaid shells on it already, even better.
  • Accessories: Seashell clip in your hair.
  • Socks: Green, iridescent, turquoise, blue, aqua or black.

 

 

Skeleton

No bones about it, you should be making your way to the barre in this easy-to-create skeleton costume!

Women dressed up for Halloween at the barre.

Source: instagram.com/purebarredenville

What you’ll need:

  • Leggings: A pair of skeleton leggings like these from Goldsheep Clothing. If you don’t have skeleton leggings, you can always wear a black pair and attach white paper cutouts on top.
  • Top: A black tank top, with white paper cutouts, taped or glued on.
  • Socks: Black.
  • Face: Optional face makeup to complete the look.

 

 

Witch

The classic witch costume is pretty easy to put together. Plus those signature stripe K-DEER leggings you might have lying around the house can finally be repurposed into a costume.

A woman dressed up as a witch at a Pure Barre class.

Source: Instagram.com/purebarregrossepointe

What you’ll need:

  • Leggings: Striped leggings, or knee-high socks on top of black leggings.
  • Top: A black tank top.
  • Accessories: A witch hat, black tutu (optional).
  • Socks: Black.

 

 

Minnie Mouse

Any Disney heads out there will appreciate this super cute costume. Plus those Minnie ears are always so fun to wear.

A woman dressed up as Minnie Mouse at Pure Barre

Source: instagram.com/purebarreknoxville

What you’ll need:

  • Leggings: Black leggings.
  • Top: Black or red and white polka dot top.
  • Accessories: Red tutu, Minnie Mouse ears, white gloves.
  • Socks: Black or red and white polka dots, or solid yellow (like her heels).

 

 

Holly “Go down an inch, up an inch” Lightly

The Breakfast at Tiffany’s character is easy to recreate with a few fun accessories.

A woman dressed up as Holly GoLightly from Breakfast at Tiffany's for a barre class.

Source: instagram.com/lindsayb1504

What you’ll need:

  • Leggings: Black.
  • Top: Black
  • Accessories: White or black gloves, tiara, pearls.
  • Socks: Black.

 

 

Barre Ball Baby Bump

Here’s a fun one if you’re pregnant, or even if you’re not. Dress up your baby bump with a stick-on “ball.” Is your-go to studio a barre franchise? Have some fun with their branding by sticking on an iconic logo.

A woman dresses her baby bump up for Halloween.

Source: instagram.com/purebarrewexford

What you’ll need:

  • Leggings: Black.
  • Top: Black tank top.
  • Accessories: Felt or paper to recreate the ball.
  • Socks: Black.

 

 

Sticky Pair of Barre Socks

This costume is a little more time-intensive but you can get really creative with it. Do you have a go-to pair of sticky socks that you would like to recreate? Have fun by designing the dots and text on the front or back of your shirt.

A woman is dressed up as a pair of Pure Barre sticky socks.

Source: instagram.com/purebarrewheaton

What you’ll need:

  • Leggings: Match your leggings to whichever colour your top is.
  • Top: Decide which colour sock you would like to be, then find a tank or shirt in that colour.
  • Accessories: Decorate the shirt with t-shirt paint, felt or paper.
  • Socks: Match your socks to whichever colour your top is.

 

Do you get dressed up for Halloween at the barre? What is your go-to Halloween costume for barre class? Leave a comment below.

Sep 01
Students training at The Barre + Yoga Experience

These Overlooked Qualities Could Be Your Secret Weapon to Standing Out As a Barre Instructor

By Barre Culture, Resources for Barre Instructors No Comments

So you have a barre certification, you are well-versed in the terminology, have the anatomy down pat, can cue exercises effectively and have great timing. However, there’s so much more to teaching barre than explaining exercises. If you’re looking to get hired as an instructor, or are currently instructing and want to increase your value, have you thought about what other unspoken or overlooked qualities studio owners might be looking for?

If you want to stand out as a barre instructor, here are some things to think about to help you land and maintain the gig of your dreams.

Students training at The Barre + Yoga Experience

Source: The Barre + Yoga Experience



Have You Taken One of Their Classes Before?

This may seem simple but have you actually sampled their method before applying for a job there? “As a studio owner, whenever someone applies or reaches out looking for a teaching gig, the first thing I do is look up their account and see if they’ve taken classes,” says Angela Vieira of The Barre + Yoga Experience.


Making a Connection Is Everything

According to Angela Vieira, there’s so much more to being a barre instructor than being well-versed in the exercises and teaching the class. Creating a lasting relationship with your students is paramount to ensuring your class numbers build and your community grows.

She suggests breaking down the connection into three parts. Before, during and after class.

Before Class – One of the easiest but maybe overlooked things an instructor can do before class (even if it’s online) is to greet them using their name. “Introduce yourself and ask the student if they’ve taken barre before, if they have any injuries and maybe something to really develop a connection like ‘do you live around here?'” Angela suggests. “If your student is a regular still connect with them before class. You can ask how their weekend was or how they’re feeling after their last class.”

During Class – “It’s important to remember this is their workout, not yours,” Angela says. “So often I see teachers with their backs to students or face down in the mat. At that point, we’re not teaching anymore – the focus gets taken away from students and there’s nothing more disconnecting.”

She suggests making eye contact and telling students they’re doing a great job. Motivate them by using their names. Something, I personally think works really well.

After Class – Setting aside a few moments for housekeeping at the end of class is important. When the class is wrapping up, Angela suggests reminding everyone of your name and when they can take a class with you again. Answer any questions they might have too, follow-up is just as important as the introduction and the connection you make in class.

Lastly, Angela suggests checking in with as many students as you can. “I never let a student leave without saying goodbye, if I miss them, I often yell to them in the parking lot – it seems excessive but it is important!”

A class being taught at The Barre + Yoga Experience in Plainville, MA.

Source: The Barre + Yoga Experience



Mindfully Challenge Body-shaming Language

We might not even realize we’re doing it sometimes, but body-shaming language can creep into our dialogue, especially in a world with narrow beauty ideals. According to Adrienne Rabena of Barre Eclipse, one of the main things all instructors should learn is to be aware of body-shaming language. “In my online barre teacher training program, we have an entire module dedicated to ‘waking up’ to the myths we’ve been fed about health and our bodies,” Adrienne says. “In this module, we discuss how to create a truly empowering environment for students and how to use inclusive language in our instruction, too.”

Body-shaming language can be very subtle that we might not even notice that we’re making back-handed compliments. Something like “you’re so brave for wearing a crop top to class, I could never do that,” might come off as insulting. It implies that despite their size, showing skin is an act of bravery when really they should be allowed to wear whatever they feel most comfortable in.

Students at The Bar Method's Wayne, PA location exercising.


Always Be Furthering Your Education

So you have a barre certification. Maybe you’ve also been trained in related disciplines like yoga or Pilates. What about advanced training? According to Lori Winter, the Director of Operations and Master Trainer for BarreAmped®, instructors who are motivated to continue their own education can give them an edge over other potential hires.

“Clients can tell when an instructor is simply phoning it in, as opposed to the fresh energy and new skills they bring to class after taking a workshop or advanced training,” says Lori. “If you’re an independent contractor hired by a boutique fitness studio, this is the kind of edge you want to ensure you’re the in-demand teacher who can fill up classes.”


Taking Care of Yourself Is Just as Important

In addition to your physical health, are you taking care of your mental health? “No one can pour from an empty cup,” says Lori Winter. “We teach the importance of warm-up, cool down, rest days, nourishing and fueling your body for activity, breathing well and deeply, etc.”


You Won’t Be An Effective Teacher If You’re Burnt Out

Here’s some good news! Worried that you have to take the entire class along with the clients? That can cause you to burn out and is not the best way for clients to get the most out of the class. “Overtraining can easily creep in and take over if instructors are taking the classes they’re teaching. We encourage our trainees to demo exercises, but to also come away from the teacher barre and focus on the clients in the room,” says Lori. “Do your own more intense exercise as a student when you can fully connect your mind to your body and be present.”

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