Barre fitness classes are ballet-inspired classes that include a ballet barre and basic ballet movements like plies and pirouettes. The classes are a mixture of yoga, Pilates, dance and functional training all choreographed to music.
A couple of outlets to experience barre classes include Pure Barre, located on Cotton Mill Drive and Athena Fit, located in Cotton Crossing. Clients can purchase different packages that vary from individual classes to year-long memberships. Another way to experience a barre workout is at the Joe Frank Sanderson Center. The Sanderson offers free Barre classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5 p.m.
Olivia Sanguinetti, communication major, is a member at Pure Barre. She said that she considers herself a Pure Barre addict and she goes six or seven times a week.
“What I love about Pure Barre is that it is impossible to plateau. My muscles can always get stronger, longer, and leaner,” Sanguinetti said. “The variety in movements offers an element of surprise that is always challenging. There is no such thing as an ‘easy’ Pure Barre class!”
Holly Fisher, communications major and barre instructor at Athena-fit, said she really enjoys her job and the most rewarding part of it is seeing the members’ reactions.
“I think my favorite thing about being an instructor at Athena-fit is working with the clients who come in,” Fisher said. “They are all trying to change their body in some way and stay healthy and to hear things like, ‘I’ve lost inches off my waist’ or to visibly see clients bodies getting stronger and them feeling more confident is always encouraging to me as an instructor and what I love most.”
Barre classes tend to have more women in attendance than males. Fisher said this is probably because the workouts are ballet inspired. She said even though there tend to be more female members males are just as welcome.
Pure Barre and Athena Fit offer classes that range from early in the morning into the evening. Schedules and prices can be found online.
Their websites are Pure Barre: http://purebarre.com/ms-starkville/, and Athena Fit: http://www.athena-fit.com/ and their instagram names are @AthenaFit and @Pure_Barre_Starkville.
