We Are ClassPass: Barre 2 Barre
Barre 2 Barre is one of the OGs; they were one of the very first few studio partners on ClassPass. They are also pioneers in the industry in more ways than one, being one of the first few places to incorporate the Barre with bounce. Barre 2 Barre is without a doubt growing and raising the, you guessed it, bar when it comes to the limitations of the barre workout. Their dedication to their goal of expanding the community and strength of their influence can be seen in how they even invest in teacher training in their studios. With barre bases in both Hong Kong and Singapore, we chat with founder and #barrewife, Jess, about how she approached the idea of marrying barre with bounce and how being in ClassPass has helped the studios’ growth.
What was the inspiration behind combining barre and bounce?
We are always looking for ways to offer a fun and dynamic fitness experience for our clients, and bringing BarreAmped® Bounce classes to our repertoire felt like a natural fit. Our regulars love shaking up their workout with the added challenge in stability and balance while doing barre moves on a trampoline surface. This unique combination makes our bounce classes quite popular, filling up early with waitlists in both our Singapore and Hong Kong studios.
Combining rebound fitness with barre will take your workout to the next level. If you've jumped on a trampoline for any length of time, you know it gets your heart rate up quickly, giving you a high-cardio, low-impact, total body workout that protects your joints, increases lymphatic flow and leaves you with a calm energy, ready to take on anything.
How is barre a good workout for not only the body, but also the mind?
There are many types of barre workouts, and we choose to partner with BarreAmped®, ensuring all our teachers are certified and highly trained to provide top quality classes that help our clients achieve that all important mind-body connection. This means that during class, you are always encouraged to keep proper alignment and move with good form. Our teachers provide tactile feedback and adjustments to support this mindful movement and to improve proprioception - a sense of equilibrium and balance, without the use of mirrors.
When you practice with precision and focused intensity, your workout becomes more challenging and effective. When your mind-body connection is heightened, all of a sudden you find yourself moving with better posture and ease, taking this awareness and strength with you from the barre to everyday life. “Strong mind, strong body” is what we often say during class and we believe it!
What are your future plans for Barre 2 Barre?
Along with my fellow co-founders Mylene and Karen, we are constantly working on improving our offerings and growing our business. We launched Barre 2 Barre Academy in 2018 where we provide BarreAmped® Certification, anatomy training and barre teacher mentoring. We love that barre is going mainstream in Asia and we want to be a place for barre teachers to meet and develop their skills with continued education and support. We have graduated many teachers who have gone on to either teach or open their own studios in Hong Kong, Singapore, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Taipei, Chicago, London and beyond. This is a testament to the quality of training we provide along with our BarreAmped® partnership.
We are big on community and we love to collaborate with local brands and businesses where our studios are located in Hong Kong and Singapore, often partnering on campaigns that boost consumer-traffic and business in our neighbourhoods.
Being a women-owned business, we make every effort to work with companies that are owned or run by women, because we know how hard the entrepreneurial life can be. Every little bit helps.
These guiding principles help us create our future plans, and we have a few things in the works that we are not ready to share just yet. Watch this space! In the meantime, we look forward to welcoming barre-lovers and aspiring teachers to our next events:
6-8 December 2019 - BarreAmped® Level 1 and Spine Anatomy Training at Fource Studios Jakarta
30 April - 3 May 2020 - Barre 2 Barre Bali Retreat at Fivelements in Ubud, Bali
What is your most memorable experience in class as an instructor?
There are so many! Everyday is different and I would say it feels like magic every time an “aha” moment happens. Times when I see clients find that mind-body connection and it just clicks and they are killing it at the barre. Seeing happy, exhilarated smiles after a good class. Seeing strength and determination when a client works hard and grows into becoming one of our teachers. Most of our teachers started out as clients, and when I see them rocking it in class, I remember how we started together and marvel at how far we’ve come. It’s all good and building these moments into memories is what life is all about. Keep ‘em coming, I say!
How has ClassPass empowered your business?
ClassPass coming into the Asia market has been exciting. As a founding partner in both Singapore and Hong Kong, working with ClassPass has been empowering in that it has introduced our studio and classes to a new demographic, bringing new clients our way. We also enjoy using the platform where we receive feedback via the reviews, helping us to solidify our strengths and constantly improve where needed.