FitnessWorkouts

The Barre Studio Primer

A coast-to-coast guide to all the major barre studios on the country’s boutique fitness scene.

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What you need to know before heading to barre class
Published Apr 12, 2013

Written by 

Melisse Gelula

It turns out that taking the ballet barre into the fitness studio was a smart move. Barre studios have become the most prevalent (and fastest growing) type of workout on the boutique fitness scene, with some barre brands pulsing their way past 100 locations.

While pretty much all of the barre studios use similar props—like the ballet barre, toning balls, and free-weights—each brand has its own vibe, ethos, and method to get you long, lean limbs.

Here’s our coast-to-coast guide, in no particular order, to the sculpting-and-toning barre studios that will hook you up with a dancer’s body (with some effort and sweat). —Melisse Gelula

Photo: barre3

Pure Barre

This 55-minute workout is growing at lightning speed, and many studio franchisees and teachers were formerly obsessed students. From her barre HQ in Colorado, founder Carrie Rezabek Dorr issues new moves and music to accompany classes across the country. Each follows a standardized strengthening sequence—upper body, thighs, seat, then abs. Pure Barre uses the heck out of props—we even pinched a padded yoga mat between our thighs instead of a ball while doing crunches. Still, Pure Barre is probably the easiest barre class for beginners, according to Rezabek Dorr, who says if you can hold onto the barre, you’ve got this. (200+ locations) www.purebarre.com

Photo: Well+Good

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The Dailey Method

Founder Jill Dailey is a Swiss watchmaker of movement. If you thought you knew plank, for example, think again. She will likely tick off five-plus things you didn’t even know you needed for a great “foundation.” Ditto, pretty much every other exercise you might do in class. The workout includes tough arm- and core-strengthening moves, like lying on your back with outstretched arms and pressing your hands into free-weights to lift yourself up. (Good luck with that one.) And at the barre, the constant focus on “hugging muscle to bone” (or activating the muscle) makes you break a big sweat. Dailey, who studied kinesiology and taught Pilates for a decade, says in-depth cueing is like a working meditation. “You’re getting to know your body, where your shoulder blade is supposed to be, where your pelvis is supposed to sit,” she says. “The workout gets harder each time, not easier, because you can go deeper and deeper.” (48 locations, including France and Mexico; none in New York) www.daileymethod.com

Photo: daileymethod.com

The Bar Method

Little subtle movements, not flashiness, rule this popular bicoastal method, where the well-coiffed work hard on their body awareness and nailing the punctilious practice. The instructors are geeks about alignment and safety, whether they’re teaching flexibility or lifting light weights. A Bar Method no-no? “Squatting all the way down to the heels and back up, which puts the knee joints at risk,” says founder Burr Leonard, who drew from physical rehab, plus isometrics and dance conditioning when creating the workout. It’s a satisfyingly efficient workout when you can get the hang of it. And we love multi-tasking moves like the Standing Seat, “a favorite because it lifts your seat, elongates your thighs, flattens your abs, and improves your posture—all in one exercise,” says Leonard. (81 locations, including two in Canada) www.barmethod.com

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Photo: www.freshjess.com

Core Fusion Barre

Core Fusion, which you’ll only find at Exhale, was one of the pioneering methods that took barre from the ballet studio to the fitness studio, and made people obsessed with the workout. Its co-founders Fred Devito and Lis Halfpapp are both first-generation Lotte Berk Method teachers (Berk is the barre’s pulse-and-point fairy godmother). In class, you’ll get your heart-rate up in the center of the room, lift some weights, then spend a lot of time at the barre—then under it with core-activating moves. Overall, expect demanding flexibility work, and long range-of-motion moves that might make you swear under your breath. A signature of Core Fusion is its slow-burn: “When you speed things up, you sacrifice form,” says Devito. He’d advise taking another of their innovations, like Core Fusion Cardio, Sport, or Bootcamp, if you want a good sweat. (22 locations) www.exhalespa.com

Photo: www.exhalespa.com

barre3

Sadie Lincoln’s white-hot workout builds strength, flexibility, and balance in your body—and your brain. It pulls more from “the alignment and wisdom of yoga” than the other barre workouts, so you feel Zen, not frenzied, during and after class. That said, you’ll be working hard from the get-go. After barre push-ups and taxing your big muscle groups, you’ll focus on harder-to-reach ones, like the transverse abdominals and inner thighs. (A head’s up: You’ll put the core ball to use as a toning tool in ways you’d never creatively imagined.) The workout choreography feels fresh, fun, and cool (a factor of its Portland, Oregon, roots?). And there’s a smart mix of dynamic movement and isometric holds—some hail from dance and Pilates, some are uniquely Sadie Lincoln genius. (26 locations; 4 in the works) www.barre3.com

Photo: barre3

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FlyBarre

This super-athletic barre class, created by Flywheel, shares the indoor cycling workout’s belief in motivating music and an energetically upbeat instructor to entertain and push you. And you’ll be glad for it. FlyBarre includes a lot of upper body work—push-ups, plank variations, and triceps dips, plus a section called Dynamic Arms, a dance-cardio-esque sequence that distracts you when your 3-pound hand-weights start to feel like 10. Then, you’ll lie on your back, tuck your feet under the barre, and do curl-ups with the weights for Barre Abs—a novel move we’ve never seen elsewhere (and still can’t complete a set of). Of course, in addition to all this strength and stamina training, there are plenty of tiny isometric “pulses” that you do over and over at the barre and on the mat, often with a toning ball pinned between your legs. Bonus: You can book your preferred spot at the barre. (11 locations; 2 in the works) www.flywheelsports.com

Photo: www.flywheelsports.com

PopPhysique

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With a best-selling DVD called “Butt School,” you might not think Pop takes barre very seriously. But it does, and you’ll have to work hard to get an A at this California-based barre brand. The hour-long class is fast-paced yet graceful, and owes something to the ’80s music video vibe. You’ll spend a lot time squeezing your seat, with an overall class goal of maxing out your glutes and thighs. For extra credit: Use your breath to make shush-ing sounds to “help activate your core.” And at this institution of higher (booty) education, the music, the ‘80s Flashdance-meets-American Apparel branding, and the hip crew of teachers and students make studying at the barre super fun. (14 locations, none in New York) www.popphysique.com

Photo: www.acme-re.com

Cardio Barre

Dancer/choreographer Richard Giorla borrowed from his ballet and classical training when creating this barre class that famously tones and tightens. Fortunately for you, no Julliard application is required. To get a lean dancer’s body without pointe shoes, you’ll practice and repeat ballet poses (some literal, some modern riffs). Class kicks off at the barre—expect thigh-quaking, quick-tempo relevés and flexibility training—then zaps you with cardio, light weights, and floor work. And a celebs page lists nearly 100 Hollywood darlings as its clients. (14 locations with two in the works; none in New York) www.cardiobarre.com

Photo: www.lajollalight.com

Go figureGo Figure

This Greenwich-based brand dominates the southern Connecticut landscape—its studios are where commuting professionals and hedge-fund wives tuck and tone. Founder Cindy Sites’ Figure Method features more classical ballet moves than the average barre class, and you’ll need slightly more grace and agility to perfect them (which regular classes will help you do). Sites is also a stickler about posture, so you’ll get lots of cues and exercise to help you straighten up. In addition to mat work with a ball and light weights, painful pulsing at the barre is amplified with props like resistance bands that make it nearly impossible to lift your leg. (11 locations; none in New York) www.gofigurestudio.com

Physique 57

In the fitness world, Physique has serious cache. Studios feel like the place to be, and they have a fashion editor following. Their tiny frames testify to the results of the intense thigh-and-glute sequences, followed by elongating stretches. Classes have an amazing momentum, with super fast transitions, and stand-out music that’s mixed by a DJ and sound quality. Instructors are charismatic and follow founder Tanya Becker’s sequencing, which draws from her Lotte Berk and jazz dancing background. It’s a fun-loving method that mixes in push-ups and heavy weights with sexy yet super challenging Thigh Dancing. Another testament of its innovation, Physique also has more barre class variations than most, including a new cardio class. (5 locations) www.physique57.com

Photo: travel.nytimes.com

Barre Pro

You’ll be breaking a sweat during this full-body workout, offered at Pilates ProWorks, where the spunky instructors alternately coach you on getting a dancer’s flexibility and a gym rat’s stamina. They’ll break you out of plié squats and barre pulses for “dynamic bursts” of jumping jacks or other heart-rate-ramping moves. It builds a kind of strength that comes in handy for a series of balance poses. The toughest? A standing split with one hand on the barre, and the other on a ball on the floor. (Six locations, with two in the works) www.barrepro.com

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Photo: myfashdiary.com

Figure 4

Former prima ballet dancer Kate Albarelli, who created Figure 4 for Pure Yoga, is a barre brainiac. Proof: Classes start with the biggest muscle group—quads—to get your heart rate up, so you get a bigger caloric burn, and slim down while you sculpt. Alignment cues galore keep you moving smartly, and a high-energy playlist drives you along. Many of the instructors are from ballet or Broadway, wouldn’t you know it, every move is done on the beat. (And many of the moves, we’ve noticed, attack the glutes.) To perfect your personal posture, the studios have three barres at different heights and Memoryfoam bolsters for core Cushion Curls, or crunches. Hot-yoga-lovers rejoice: Figure 4 is also offered in a 105-degree room. (2 locations in New York City, at Pure Yoga) www.pureyoga.com

Photo: nytimes.com

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FitnessWorkouts

Adult Ballet is on the Rise—And Yes, You Should Totally Try it

Here's what to know before your first class.

Published Feb 26, 2025

Written by 

Lauren Wingenroth

Maybe it's the reemergence of balletcore, or maybe we're all just trying to discover our inner child, but ballet classes for adults are majorly on the rise. 

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Former Miami City Ballet dancer Miriam Landis has seen the adult ballet boom firsthand in her adult beginner classes at the Pacific Northwest Ballet School in Seattle. “My classes have grown up to the point where I’ll have 50 people in one class,” she says. “Especially since COVID, people really have this need for connection and shared sense of purpose. It’s really different from going to an exercise class—it’s a little bit of a meditation.” 

While many adults are finding community, creativity and purpose in ballet classes, there can also be an intimidation factor. After all, it’s an art form often depicted as elite and exclusive. But Landis says the vibe of most adult classes couldn’t be further from the cutthroat worlds of Center Stage or Black Swan. 

“People do feel like it has an exclusive aura,” she says. “But we’re really trying to include rather than exclude. I’ve had students say they were always too scared to come, but they were so glad they did. When people discover it, it really becomes something meaningful in their life.”

Inspired to hit the ballet barre? Here’s what veteran teachers and adult ballet regulars think you should know before you go, plus the benefits you can expect to get out of ballet as an adult. 

What to know before your first adult ballet class

“Beginner” doesn’t always mean beginner.

Confusingly, just because a class is labeled “beginner” doesn’t mean it’s appropriate for first timers, says Landis. Instead, look for classes called “absolute beginner” or “fundamentals” to learn the basics. “It’s like a language,” says Landis. “It’s not like a yoga class where you can go in and follow along.” 

If you aren’t sure, call the studio to ask if a class is intended for first timers. Or, some studios will even let you observe a class before you try it, says Dawn Hillen, who teaches absolute beginner ballet at The Ailey Extension in New York City. “Go see the teacher, and watch how they interact with the students,” she says. “That’s the single best way to know if it’s a good fit for you.”

It isn’t a fitness class.

Yes, ballet is a form of exercise. But a ballet class is not a fitness class. Plenty of first timers come in with that mindset, only to have their understanding deepen over time, says Landis. “There’s a real artistic aspect to it that doesn’t exist in an exercise class,” she says. “You’re going to be thinking about every part of your body, not just executing a step, but how you execute the step; the quality of it.” (FYI: Though barre classes often claim to be ballet-inspired, real ballet classes are actually very different.) 

Expect your ballet teacher to speak in metaphors and imagery more than you may be used to. (For instance, Landis might tell students to hold their hand as if they have “a million diamonds on their fingers.”) There’s also the focus on moving to the music, and on performing for an imagined audience. “Everything is taught based on how your audience is going to receive it,” Landis says. “How are you going to offer your cheek to the person sitting in the third ring so that what you’re projecting reaches them?” 

Though you’ll likely gain strength, coordination and flexibility from a ballet practice, ultimately ballet is about learning a craft, says Landis. 

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You don’t have to splurge on leotards—unless you want to.

If your adult ballet dreams involve a leotard, pink tights and a ballet skirt, that’s great. Hillen says for some students, feeling like they look the part enhances their experience. But if you don’t feel comfortable in traditional ballet attire—or you don’t want to spend money for an activity you aren’t sure you’ll stick with—she says anything you can move in is fine to wear. Form-fitting activewear is ideal, she says, so that teachers can see the alignment of your body, but she understands that some beginners might feel better in looser clothes. 

Shoes are a different story. Street shoes are typically not allowed in dance studios, so you’ll either want to invest in ballet shoes (jazz shoes are also fine, says Hillen) or wear socks. But be aware that socks can be slippery, says Landis, who often sends new dancers to the school’s lost and found to try and find a pair that’ll work for them.

Be respectful, but don’t worry too much about “ballet etiquette.” 

If you’ve watched enough ballet movies, you may be familiar with the concept that ballet culture contains countless unspoken rules and etiquette norms. While there’s some truth to that, in the low-stakes world of an adult ballet class, you don’t need to worry about much that isn’t common sense or similar to what you’d encounter in a fitness class.

For instance, you’ll be in close proximity to others, so be mindful about personal hygiene and not wearing heavy perfumes, suggests Landis. Arrive early, try to avoid having to leave and reenter the class, and keep your phone in your bag and on silent. 

Spatial awareness is key: Avoid standing too close to anyone else, or standing directly in front of anyone while working in the center of the room. Landis says that it’s common for regulars to use the same barre spot during every class, so it’s a nice courtesy to ask someone if a spot is available before parking yourself there. And when you’re doing steps that travel across the floor, “maintain the traffic pattern, even if you mess up the steps,” says Hillen. “If you come to a dead stop and people are traveling behind you, people can get injured.”

It’s customary to thank your teacher (and pianist, if there is one) at the end of class, but Hillen recommends also saying hello before class begins, to introduce yourself, explain that you’re new, and flag any injuries you may have. 

Embrace the corrections. 

Unlike in a yoga class, where you may get one or two hands-on adjustments, or a fitness class, where the coach may give some general form suggestions, in ballet, teachers give individualized corrections near-constantly. 

When a teacher gives you a correction, rather than dwelling on the fact that you’re doing something wrong, try to see it as an opportunity to learn and grow, says Hillen. Often, she says, teachers give corrections because they see potential and they want to help you reach it. “If a teacher turns their eye to you, it’s a gift,” she says. That said, if you feel the environment of the class is such that corrections aren’t well-intended or are making you uncomfortable, you may want to find a teacher who is a better fit for you.

“I always tell students that they can mess up in front of me; that this is a safe space and I’m here to support their journey,” says Landis. “Even if teachers aren’t skilled at communicating that, their role is to help you learn the skill you’re there to learn.” 

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The benefits of adult ballet classes 

Practicing ballet as an adult has myriad benefits, depending on what you’re hoping to get out of it. First, there’s the physical: A ballet class is a form of anaerobic exercise, says Hillen, meaning there will be short bursts of movement that get you huffing and puffing, followed by rest as you learn the next combination. She says ballet also develops strength, flexibility, mobility, coordination, balance and good posture. 

There are also the mental benefits, she says, like greater spatial and body awareness. “You’re constantly being asked to remember new things,” Hillen says. “So you’re making a healthier brain by learning something quickly and producing it physically.”

For Beverly Lippman, a regular at Hillen’s class, ballet helps her “focus on the moment,” she says. “Everything else goes away. It’s a very restorative space.” Landis agrees. “The ability to slow down, listen to music, be in your body and be present is incredibly valuable,” she says. “That is so missing from our general lifestyle.” 

Often, adult ballet classes are highly social, welcoming spaces, says Adrienne Chan, who takes Landis’ class at Pacific Northwest Ballet School. “I’ve made a lot of friends—it’s been wonderful,” she says. “Everyone cheers each other on.”

For Melissa Castañeda, who teachers adult beginner ballet at the Ballet Hispánico School of Dance in New York City, there’s power in learning that you are capable of something new as an adult. “It’s always a joy to see students discovering something they didn’t know about themselves,” she says. “It’s common for people to discover that their bodies are able to move in ways they never thought they could move. Your confidence will increase if you’re training with a good instructor who allows you to discover that in yourself.”

“They’re just immeasurable,” says Hillen on the benefits of ballet. “It expands your life.”

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