#barreamped

1) Tell us about your journey with barre and towards attending teacher training with Barre 2 Barre.

I’ve never considered myself a particularly active or sporty person and I had never stuck to any regular exercise regime. So when a very good friend gifted me a package of 10 barre lessons for my birthday, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The studio was quite near my office so I decided to walk there to check it out. I immediately felt so relaxed stepping into their tastefully decorated studio in Hong Kong Street. It smelt like a spa. I met Jess who taught me some modifications as I had a wrist and shoulder injury. 

After my first lesson, my knees almost buckled as I walked down the steep shophouse stairs! But I found it challenging and continued to return again and again!

What appealed to me was how systematic the exercises were about exhausting one set of muscles before moving on to the next. I had seen how exercising improperly could actually do more harm than good. But barre just involved very small movements so there was no damage or impact to the joints. But could one actually get fit and toned from this? I got my answer a few months later - I could feel myself getting stronger and those stairs down were no longer a problem after class!

After about a year of attending classes regularly, I decided I wanted to deepen my knowledge and practice of barre and signed up for Level 1 Teacher Training in Koh Samui.

2) What new and useful discoveries did you make about yourself and/or your barre practice at the Koh Samui and Singapore teacher training? Any highlights of your experience at Teacher Training in Singapore and Koh Samui?

I signed up for Teacher Training because I wanted to understand what muscles the different exercises were targeting. This was all covered systematically during Teacher Training, and each of the exercises were broken down, including variations for each exercise and how to spot and avoid common postural mistakes when practicing each exercise.

For Level 2, we were each assigned to teach a mini 30 minute class to our own chosen playlist. I found the lesson planning process interesting and after the initial few minutes which were quite unnerving, I actually started to enjoy leading the mini class. Jess and my classmates were extremely encouraging!

3)  Are there things you’ve learned or experienced in Teacher Training that apply to other areas of your life?

Yes, teaching a mini class was definitely a first for me. The first step may seem intimidating but sometimes you can be pleasantly surprised when you step outside your comfort zone!

As with anything you want to get good at; for barre, you only get as much as you put in and there are no shortcuts. Mindful practice and making sure you engage the right muscles for each exercise are so important.

4) Who would you recommend Teacher Training to?

Those who already attend class and want to improve and deepen their practice of barre will find the course useful. There’s only so much you can learn in a 50 minute group class but during Teacher Training, you really do a deep dive into each of the exercises and cover parts of the human anatomy that are relevant to barre practice.

5) What are your future goals with barre and Barre 2 Barre?

Tell us about your journey with barre and towards attending teacher training with Barre 2 Barre.

I'm that person who goes around trying out new stuff. I was exploring what I could try out in dance, being the terrible arm-leg coordinator that I am. I thought adult ballet might be a little less embarrassing for me than say, street jazz. A google search and several clicks later, pictures of super sculpted women in wide second and seated chair poses turned up. The pictures made me a little intimidated, but also all the more curious to experience for myself what a barre class was like. I thought "how hard can it be?" Short answer - Quite. Quite. Hard. But I was hooked and kept coming back for more. The more classes I took, the stronger I became. My friends started commenting things like "Angie, those arms! What have you been doing?" and I also noticed myself getting more toned.

After a year of attending classes at Barre 2 Barre, I decided to take my practice to the next level (and engineer a holiday into it as well) by signing up for the teacher training in Bali. It was an amazing week of learning the intricate details of setting up one in good alignment, giving useful cues, and discussing anatomy so that we understand movement and muscle activation. I am also happy to report that my arm-leg coordination has improved tremendously. 

What does wellness and being healthy mean to you?

It's about treating your body right for all the hard work it does, but not becoming miserable in trying to be healthy. Balance is essential. If you are someone who fundamentally likes wholesome meals all the time, that's great for you! But if you're not, then embrace both the healthy aspects as well as the less-healthy, more indulgent treats. About 70% the time, I seek out delicious and healthy meals, like kale salad with salmon, to nourish my body. As for the remaining 30%, I allow myself to fully enjoy char kway teow, pizza and cocktail nights. Zero guilt, otherwise your mind isn't happy and that's not wellness. Then, apart from exercise, there is also relaxation. Allow yourself some me-time at least once a week. I like to spend mine reading a good book on balmy Sunday afternoons, looking up occasionally to stare at the greenery in the distance and thank God for a healthy body and the blessings in my life.

How did you get into BarreAmped and what are your future plans for barre?

I had started out doing barre at another studio, and later found Barre 2 Barre when I searched for other studios and methods to try out. I chose to get trained in BarreAmped method because I like that it emphasizes on good form and is very much aligned to my regular pilates practice. The great thing about barre is that it never stops being a challenge - there is always room for improvement, something you can work on. I will be sharpening my teaching skills and gradually expanding my repertoire of exercises to keep classes fresh! 

What is your favourite way (aside from barre) to keep fit and find some downtime?

Running is my go-to for decompressing and keeping my sanity. I love being outside, taking in fresh air, exploring new routes, and reliving old ones. When I'm running, I think about everything yet nothing in particular. While thoughts flow in and out of my mind, I focus on my breathing (sound familiar, barrerinas?) and will my muscles to continue working hard as I put one foot in front of the other. When I'm running outdoors and taking in the world around me, I'm reminded of how small I am, and in turn, how minuscule my issues are. It helps me maintain a broader perspective on things.

List your 3 favourite travel destinations, and list 3 more that you want to travel to and why.

My 3 best travel memories are: 

(i) hiking to the crater of Ijen volcano in Indonesia quite unprepared for the sulphur fumes;

(ii) hiking through snow in Finnish national park Vaattunkiköngäs; and

(iii) sipping my way through a wine flight with my gal pals at MONA in Tasmania.

I would love to go to Iceland to see the northern lights (since I wasn't lucky in Finland), the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador to see the native creatures, and do some Greek island-hopping where I will be sun-soaked and eating amazing octopus. 

12 months ago, Barre was just another way for me to stay fit. 12 months later, I find myself having a better and deeper understanding of the BarreAmped method that I have been practicing, and in a position to share this newfound knowledge I’ve gained with other barre-enthusiasts.

How did I get here? Well, let’s rewind back to the start of 2018. I’ve just moved to Rotterdam for a school exchange programme - my home away from home for the first half of the year. I had a tight budget to stick to, so getting a package at a barre studio was out of the question. Instead, I signed up for Suzanne Bowen Fitness for video workouts and made my living room my makeshift studio. Thank God for Decathlon - I managed to get a mat, a ball and my 0.5kg weights for just 20 euros, and that, was my 5 month unlimited package. Hah.

5 months whizzed by, and before I knew it, I was moving to Amsterdam for my last month in the country. Having stayed in contact with Jess throughout my stay there, she encouraged me to take my certification with Mylene while I was in Amstedam and then come back to Singapore to apprentice with her. I figured, why not? I have always been interested in deepening my practice and what are the odds that I’d be living in the same city as one of BarreAmped’s master trainers!  It would be a meaningful way to spend my last weekend in Amsterdam as well. So I said yes, and both Mylene and Jess started designing a training plan that suited my timing/living situation. Next thing I knew, I was taking a barre class with Mylene at PLTS Amsterdam before heading back to her boat house to start my training.

I’d say that my training was slightly different from most. It was separated into two weekends - the first being more anatomy-focused since we lacked a barre on the boat, and the second covering all the exercises that involved a barre back in the Singapore studio.

On top of that, I was Mylene/Jess’s only student, which meant that I had both of their undivided attention. This was awesome of course, but slightly intimidating as well. I was never that kid who liked sitting in the front row back in school. Haha.  

So, about the intensive anatomy training that I got, it was truly an eye-opening experience for me. Having taken barre classes for about 2 years now, I’d always hear the instructors telling us to ‘maintain that neutral spine’ or ‘pull your belly button to your spine’ and make all these tactile cues that cause us to shake uncontrollably, but I never REALLY understood why or how. With this anatomy training, everything clicked. I learned how to determine anatomical movement -- where the movement is happening, which body part that is moving. I learned about the importance of having the balance we need in both our front and back body strength to stand in good posture and alignment. I realised that all these cues given in class were rooted in the extensive knowledge that the instructors received from their training. There were just so many lightbulb moments that weekend.

Through this training, it also made me realise how difficult it is to be a good instructor. I remember the first time Mylene asked me to try setting her up. My mind went INSTANTLY blank. All I got out was “uhhhhhh…. Stand with your feet… hips…hips what? Apart? No that doesn’t make sense.’ There was another time I said ‘bend your ankle’ when I meant the ‘knee’. Haha. Mylene shared with me a teaching formula that I try to adhere to in my classes.

1. Set them up in 3-4 instructions. Get them moving.

2. Alignment

3. Movement & Muscle Cues (Where should they feel it?)

4. Observe.

From giving clear and concise cues, to counting right (giving equal time to both the left and right side), to catching the beat, while spotting and correcting clients in bad form - it’s a LOT of multi-tasking that I did not realise and this realisation gave me a new-found respect for all BarreAmped certified instructors out there.

Fast forward 6 months, I began my apprenticeship. I took classes and I observed classes on top of the practical classes I taught. It was such an amazing journey in so many different ways. The learning never really stops. Even with the intensive anatomy training that I got in Amsterdam with Mylene, putting that knowledge into action really gave me a deeper understanding about how each muscle gets activated differently through each targeted exercise. I also grew more confident to teach in front of a crowd with every class (I’ve this thing where my face turns tomato-red the moment my heart starts racing a lil faster than normal lol).

The best part though, was being able to witness first-hand how my friends have grown stronger with every class I taught. They were doing more reps than when they first started, and doing the exercises in good form - which to me is a testament that I’ve gotten better in guiding and correcting them, and articulating myself clearer so they could better understand and act on my instructions. It was definitely a confidence-booster.

All of which was only possible, through the guidance of Jess and Denise, who came down to give me feedback on how I was doing, and what I could improve on. I am also very thankful to have so many friends who were so supportive of my passion for barre. Never failing to turn up to ensure I have bodies to teach 3x a week. In fact, maybe this is the part I loved most about my apprenticeship. The way my passion for it brought people together. Family, friends, friends of friends. It was such a heartwarming experience seeing my different groups of friends mingle with one another, getting supper at BK Eating House after class (cause they felt they deserved it) haha!

Today’s blog post features an interview with two of our loyal and passionate barrerinas, Magdalene Xie and Lynette Chan. Magdalene and Lynette attended Barre 2 Barre’s recent Thailand Teacher Training Retreat and reflect on the deep physical and mental work they underwent there and their transformational experience. Our next teacher training is coming soon, from June 8th to 11th in Taiwan (in Mandarin Chinese)! Early bird prices are available until May 8th. Read on for inspiration, and see if you too would like to earn a BarreAmped certification this June!

Tell us about your journey with barre and towards attending teacher training with Barre 2 Barre.

Magdalene: I haven’t been the sporty or fit type for most of my life - just slightly lucky to be slim and tall enough for people to assume I don’t need to workout to stay in shape. When you get older, however, being fit is about so much more than looking a certain way. My grandmother and mum do not have the best postures, and I’ve seen how it inconveniences their daily lives. Now, I’m just working towards being healthy and strong so that I am able to enjoy everything that I want to.

I’ve become more aware of having the right form and applying what I have learned in barre to my everyday life (for example, not putting extra pressure on my spine by overarching my lower back to cause pain and discomfort over time).

Lynette: I started ballet lessons at the age of six and continued dancing into my early twenties, which led to lower back pain even after I stopped, probably due to bad form and insufficient emphasis on core-strengthening. When I discovered barre as a workout a few years ago, I was thrilled to return to something somewhat familiar, yet still new and challenging! One class led to another and my interest in the BarreAmped technique grew because of its emphasis on form, alignment, and precision. When the teacher training was announced, I signed up for it wanting to enhance my own knowledge of the method.

What new and useful discoveries did you make about yourself and/or your barre practice at the Koh Samui teacher training?

Magdalene: Everyone’s range of movement is different due to each individual’s body/bone structure, and I’ve learned to push myself to my own limitations. I’ve always known the core holds up our trunk and that having a strong core is important, but I learned that it is also what stabilizes the spine, glutes, pelvic floor, and so much more. We need a balance of both front and back body strength in order for our spine to maintain it’s optimal position. These are facts I wouldn’t have known had I not attended the teacher training!

Lynette: One of the main things I've learned is that being a barre instructor is not easy (don’t take your instructors for granted haha)! From giving the right cues to spotting and correcting bad form, teachers’ skills rely not only on experience, but also on a tremendous wealth of knowledge, which the BarreAmped method has strong foundations in. I became more aware of my own form and understood the barre exercises I have been practicing on a much deeper level, in relation to human anatomy.

What were the highlights of your experience at the Teacher Training?

Magdalene: Anatomy workshops with Steve (our demo skeleton)!

An island snorkeling trip at Koh Tan Island!

TRX class!

The NON-HEALTHY fun dinner at Four Seasons Resorts after we completed our Level 1 exam!

The AM S.I.L.E.N.T T.I.M.E

The bunch of uniquely fabulous ladies who got confused between knee-ups and seated chair!

(in no particular order)

I could go on!

Lynette: There were so many highlights! What I loved most, though, was the sense of community and comradery that developed quickly yet firmly during the trip. Some of us still make it a point to meet for dinner, drinks, and brunch from time to time, and go for classes at Barre 2 Barre together when we can.

What are your future goals with barre and Barre 2 Barre? What does your barre practice mean to you?

Magdalene: I want to continue to deepen my knowledge of barre for my own education and maybe even share with others what I’ve learned one day. I’ve discovered my barre practice to be my only personal time where I experience my mind listening to my body and I’m fully aware and present. I’ve never felt that with any other practice so far.

Lynette: My next goal would be to do my apprenticeship and proceed to the next level of teacher training, so that I can deepen my understanding of BarreAmped and the quality of my instruction. When I started barre, I never thought I would take my practice as seriously as I do now, but my barre journey has come to represent my own personal growth. I look forward to my barre classes as time that I carve out for myself, to strengthen myself both physically and mentally.

Confessions of a Barre Studio Owner

Barre 2 Barre has come a long way since our exciting beginning in 2016. It has been a labor of love, passion, and dedication, creating our lovely studio on HongKong Street, building a team and client base from scratch, creating a warm, inviting atmosphere, and delivering a top quality exercise experience. As the co-founder of Barre 2 Barre Singapore and in light of our upcoming move to a new location, I would like to share about my rewarding learning experiences prior to and during running this business.

My personal barre journey began in Los Angeles where I grew up. A friend invited me to join her at my first barre class in 2008. At the time, the barre movement was booming in LA, and I too quickly became a fan. When I subsequently moved to Hong Kong in 2011, it took me a while to find the right barre practice I was missing and searching for. Before long, I met the co-founders of Barre 2 Barre in Hong Kong, Karen Lim and Mylene Mackay.

I learned that Barre 2 Barre offers the BarreAmped method, a syllabus from the US created by fitness celebrity, Suzanne Bowen. This barre method was the most similar to the one I was exposed to in the West Coast – funnily enough, I discovered Suzanne Bowen actually taught the founders of the barre studio I used to attend in California!

I quickly became obsessed with developing my practice, gaining a lot of mind and body strength through attending class with Karen and Mylene. In 2014, I decided to take the week-long BarreAmped teacher training course. I hadn’t yet considered actually joining the apprenticeship program or teaching; I was just so excited that my training certificate would get me discounts on Lululemon, Sweaty Betty, and Lorna Jane AND discounts on class packages at Barre 2 Barre! The more barre classes I took, however, the more interested I became in the apprenticeship program, and soon committed to it.

Meanwhile, I was accepted to INSEAD’s MBA program in Singapore and decided to move. Before starting my MBA, I organized two pop-up Barre 2 Barre events in Singapore in the summer of 2015, both of which were fully booked and extremely successful. While getting further involved with barre was tempting, I was in no position to run a barre studio while attending a condensed 10-month MBA program.

Instead, I took entrepreneur classes which helped me practically plan and map out what opening a barre studio in Singapore would look like. At the same time, Mylene coincidentally happened to move to Singapore for a short period, so we decided to partner together to open Barre 2 Barre Singapore on Hongkong Street. We thought the street name was perfect given that Barre 2 Barre originated from Hong Kong!

The intention behind bringing the BarreAmped method to our clients was to offer a safe and effective barre workout for women and men of all ages, shapes, and fitness backgrounds. I believed in the method from first-hand experience, since I had once fractured and broke my ankle (the tibia and fibula) and managed to keep in shape by attending BarreAmped classes three times a week. It was the safest way for me to rebuild strength and heal before I could start running again. When I’m ninety years old, I know I will still be practicing BarreAmped.

Building a team from scratch in a new country with a young barre market was difficult. Mylene and I trained Ahilya as our first teacher, given that we were connected through a family friend, that she had attended UCLA, was a dancer, and religiously attended barre classes in Los Angeles too. With Mylene, Ahilya, and myself ready to start teaching, we turned our attention to creating the studio environment we wished to.

My idea was to replicate the same feel and community that Barre 2 Barre provided me during my four and a half years in Hong Kong. I wanted to create a special business and environment for myself in Singapore, a place where I would potentially live long-term and raise a family.

I wanted the studio to feel like a “home away from home” for myself and my clients, so a little feel of California and Hong Kong influenced my studio design. Our yoga mats are from Venice Beach and our yoga mat sprays are the same comforting, evocative, secret essential oil blend from Hong Kong. I believed the scent and quality of the products we used would also be a huge contributor to the atmosphere and aesthetic of the studio, which is when my partnership with Ashley & Co bloomed. I found it very important to provide a welcoming environment to people who might find Singapore intimidating or may be shy. Barre 2 Barre was meant to welcome all people, no matter their shape, size, nationality, age, or sex in a homey environment with a nice scent - we opened our doors to you, unless of course you’re late!

I can address our strict late policy here: I’ve been locked out of Karen’s class in Hong Kong, locked out of accounting class at INSEAD, and learned in business school how 15 minutes early is “on time” and being “on time” is late. Additionally, I’ve had a client pull a muscle without adequate warm up time during our first year of opening, and it is always distracting to our teachers and other clients when latecomers join class. All of this led us to implement our Swiss train policy - or should I say Japanese train policy - to avoid further injuries and create an environment where we respect time.

Our studio at Hongkong Street has been filled with so much love and support, and it has been an honor to meet numerous clients who have been touched by barre to the point that it has become a significant part of their lives. Some clients have gone on to get their teaching certification to teach at Barre 2 Barre or other studios worldwide, while others have taken their certification for their own self awareness in practicing barre with good form and alignment. We are also proud to have introduced barre to men, which T Magazine covered in an article, describing how male athletes like kickboxers find strength and flexibility through attending BarreAmped classes! We have been so fortunate to partner with our lovely neighbors like Punch for Barre & Brunch, Vasco for Barre to Bar, and Box Office for Barre + Boxing among numerous others! HongKong Street has been a really cozy and vibrant home to us, but, as with life, all good things must come to an end for even better things to be welcomed into our lives.

Our new home on Pickering Street will be closer to the Central Business District, will feature parking space underneath the Great Eastern building, is right next to the Hong Lim Complex bus stop, and is close to the Telok Ayer, Chinatown and Clarke Quay MRT exit. There will be more peace and quiet in the studio since we are not facing the street directly, we’ll enjoy a cleaner surrounding area, and clients will get even better attention to detail from our teachers, as we will max at twelve students per class. In addition, we will be getting a second unit right next door to be able to host two classes simultaneously without compromising on quality and the attention to detail, form, and alignment our teachers provide.

Managing a growing staff over the past three years hasn’t always been easy – I’ve hired, fired, engaged in serious talks, and generally learned a lot about communication, clarity of expectations, fairness, and managing people. Though sometimes taxing, the experience has been well worth it and I’ve learned a lot about others and myself. Despite any challenges or obstacles that have come our way, we are so proud of the community we have created and fostered over the past three years, and continue to be dedicated to the growth and success of our team and clients.

From starting with four hundred customers in our first month open, then growing to two thousand by the following year, we now have seven thousand customers in our database. We have grown from three BarreAmped certified teachers when we first opened to seven teachers and two more in training under our apprenticeship program. We also just began offering regular meditation classes at our studio. We have partnered with Oompf! Fitness on 130 East Coast Road to provide Barre 2 Barre classes to clients on the East.

In regard to our Teacher Training program, we began with three in-house courses before opening to the public in Hong Kong, Koh Samui, Taiwan, Jakarta, and soon our upcoming week long teacher training and retreat in Bali! We plan to continue offering BarreAmped training and apprenticeship programs for barre teachers all over the world, and we can’t wait to share our knowledge and passion for barre with everyone in Singapore and Asia.

Thank you to everyone who has stepped into our doors at 42A Hongkong Street. We will forever cherish those memories and hope to create more together. We cannot wait to welcome you to our new studio on Nankin Row, 3 Pickering Street #03-01 and continue to build mental and physical strength at the barre together!

Love Always,

Testimonial from the BarreAmped Teacher Training at Samahita Retreat, Koh Samui:

"An amazing, educational experience in a blissful setting! All of the teachers did such a great job and made it seem so effortless - the teaching, the organisation of everything, their undivided attention to the individual needs and interests of their students, the way in which they all were so positive, inspiring, available and supportive! As for my fellow aspiring barrerinas - a lovely, easygoing bunch of girls. Very enjoyable!" - Camilla Lindberg

Camilla Lindberg: a bit about my personal intentions and my experience of the structure of the training and of the retreat:

BARRE TO ME. I discovered barre 2.5 years ago, when a friend invited me along to a class at the newly opened Barre 2 Barre studio in Singapore, and immediately fell in love with it. More than 300 classes later, I signed up for this 8-day combined Level 1 & 2 BarreAmped course in Koh Samui. My first ever retreat - and my first ever wellbeing-related teacher training course. The idea was to absorb and comprehend as much as possible, theoretically and practically - and to connect with girls equally passionate about the form and method. As for the course elements, I loved the anatomy aspects, the exercise breakdowns, the co-teaching (even if I also kind of dreaded it, haha - it was very useful!) the classes, the way each teacher explained everything, the way their own passion and creativity shone through, and the insights offered by the other students. I loved learning more about myself, my own anatomy, the anatomy of others and what to be aware of. I do wish I'd been less nervous and more confident at the exam, but at the same time I feel that I've now got the tools to connect the dots between what I know and love from my own practice and then the background and structure of everything from the individual muscle engagements to the movement variations to the class formatting. Still so much more to learn, including how to keep my own good form while communicating good form to others, haha :) It's very fascinating!

OUR MONEY’s WORTH. We went through an intense and intensive daily programme, from around 7:30am to 9pm, conducted in an idyllic wooden yoga studios on the beach: exercise classes, lectures on form and alignment principles of BarreAmped, anatomy overview using a skeleton called Steve, exercise dissection, pre- and post-natal and injury modifications, class framework and formatting, teaching skills, practice and code of conduct, co-teaching … THE LOT! A full body workout with traits from pilates, yoga and dance, BarreAmped is all about small, precise, mindful muscle engagements and movements, contractions within contractions, with isometric holds, to really feel a burn, shake and effect in all of the right places, i.e. create long, lean and strong features whilst protecting joints and supporting a good posture. Having happily practised it for over two years, I like to think that I always come to class with a focussed mind, carefully observing myself and each of the teachers, their different styles and cues, their words of encouragement, adjustments and troubleshooting. In this short week, though, I learn so much more, especially the vast difference between being a (passive) student and assuming the perspective of a teacher – and what it means that every body is different. And how much I still slouch although I’ve been thinking about keeping a neutral spine for so long – it’s all a process. Barre has always been a sanctuary for me: the good energy in the Barre 2 Barre studio, the lovely community, the nurturing attention to detail, taking classes at other boutique studios when travelling. When at night, my boyfriend asks me what my favourite moment of the day was, something barre-related often comes in as number one; I’ve brought countless friends visiting from overseas to classes and loved to see how they found it both challenging and invigorating; I’ve felt the positive effect on my own body and mind. The only other types of physical movement I really feel attracted to are running, swimming and yoga, partly because they allow me to completely switch off and focus on my breathing. Now, in order for barre to really feel satisfying, some cerebral effort is needed. Until this week, I never quite understood how much, haha.

CHALLENGE! In one way, it was great to move straight from Level 1 to 2, as it meant I had a good idea of the general format and was in the zone ... In retrospect, though, I am a bit gutted that I was rather fatigued by Thursday night (i.e., one day into Level 2). I wish I'd had a half day of fresh and calm self-study time to slowly let everything settle. That said, part of my intention of going was to interact and socialise with fellow barrerinas and to unwind from months of work-related stress so I am glad I joined the Bootcamp and Fire classes as well as the snorkelling trip and the communal meals, which had been incorporated into our schedule for good measure. And I’m glad I went to bed early and got up to swim in the gorgeous beach-facing pool at sunrise. And even if it wasn't my best test performance in history, I do now have the resources (incl. nicely illustrated comprehensive books!) and memories of everything the teachers taught us to help me immensely going forward, in my own time.

THE RETREAT. Quaint, lush, wholesome eco vibes. Open, airy spaces. Natural, vegan, msg- and refined sugar-free food made fresh for every meal - perfectly matching my inclination to match healthy training with healthy nourishment. A cool salt water pool. Ocean view. Spacious, clean rooms. Impeccable service. It was the first time I’ve ever gone to a place and not left the hotel grounds (except for that snorkelling trip and a dinner out on the last night!). I simply didn’t feel the need - I was so immersed in the feel of it all, haha. Yogis and meditators staying at the retreat observed us with perplexed looks on their faces - what are these crazy people doing working out and studying ALL OF THE TIME??

TIMING REFLECTION! When I signed up for this course in the early spring, I had no idea I’d be leaving Asia and my daily practice at Barre 2 Barre a mere month after the course, which makes it such a sweet way to say goodbye to this, the initial, part of my barre journey. Other than keeping a journal and taking photos, I kept the week free of digital elements. I wanted to be as present as possible. The days were packed full of good stuff, and whether or not I actually passed the exams and got the certificate (I did!) was less vital than the course itself and the self-care and -growth involved. All I cared about was the learning process and the barre community feel and the retreat situation. If I really want to teach, I’ll get there; but for now, the focus was on immersing myself in the process. Then perhaps sometime in the new year, if it makes sense, I might do a barre teacher apprenticeship. For now, I was excited and grateful that this was happening. Flying off alone to a tropical island. The opportunity to gain a deeper insight into and awareness the workings of the BarreAmped method, which I find so easy to love so much even if it makes me shake and ache, not to speak of my own physique and mind-body-connection and those of others. In the company of prima barrerinas from all over the world, but mainly Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia and Singapore.

What does wellness and being healthy mean to you?

To me, health and wellness is the intersection of consciousness and self respect. Always be conscious of whether the decisions you make in life, your career, or in your fitness regime and diet are decisions that will lead to a fulfilling, sustainable way of life for yourself.

Share with us a funny story related to barre.

Teaching barre has now enabled me to get my parents moving again! I've always stressed the importance of strength training or light cardio to help strengthen their joints at this stage of life, but they have not made it a priority. Now that their daughter is an instructor, they cannot say no and have to support! They take frequent breaks and teach me how to teach in class, but training them is worth it.

How did you get into BarreAmped and what are your future plans for barre?

I walked into my first class with no expectations, and ended up loving the challenge it brought in terms of alignment and muscle endurance. It has also helped me perfect my running form and improved my mental strength. I hope to continue teaching BarreAmped for a long time, motivating clients through humor and tough love, and getting them to love their bodies more!

What is your favorite way (aside from barre) to keep fit and find some downtime?

Running to rap music, HIIT exercises, and yoga. To relax, I watch my fair share of Netflix, play with my rabbit (Poncho), and work on illustrations for Tinee Dino - my business and spirit animal.

List your 3 dinner party dream guests, what would you talk about and what dish would you prepare for them?

Van Gogh, Edward Hopper, and David Chang - my favorite celebrities from the art and food world. I would make a recent favorite - kimchi stew with lots of mushrooms and eggs! Plus a strong drink to help them forget about the meal in case they don't like it.

List your 3 favorite travel destinations, and list 3 more that you want to travel to and why.

Three Favorites: San Francisco, London, Venice

1)How did you get involved with Barre2Barre? What is your role within the team?

If you told me a year ago that next year I would be Interning at a Barre Studio in Singapore I would have been overjoyed the way I am now. Coming from Glasgow, Scotland I had grown up around a ballet studio as I used to dance for Scottish Ballet. Therefor when the opportunity sprung to me to choose from various internships I knew straight away that working in a barre studio was the way forward, personally. I would be taking on a Marketing role within the business, including managing social media, helping with events as well as working with the others to create the best marketing ideas and plans possible that could benefit Barre2Barre the most.

2)Is this your first experience with barre? How do you remember your first class?

As I mentioned I grew up doing ballet, however as I began furthering into my teenage years I decided to focus more seriously on my athletics. I could see quite quickly after losing my normal routine within ballet I was losing my form and I certainly became a lot less flexible (I would never stretch properly after running, oops!). Training in high jump would end up leaving me with a bad back in which I would have to do exercises every morning and night to try and mend it. Overall, this made me slightly nervous to come back to a barre even though I still enjoy yoga and Pilates at home! My first ever class at Barre2Barre was Bounce which I will state now I LOVE. I am so glad I tried this first as its super fun and you also feel all the right areas burning as it incorporates everything from balance to cardio. I remember sweating without even realising it which always makes you feel good because you know you’ve had a good work out and you have clearly enjoyed it if you haven’t noticed the trails of sweat running down your back.

3)What physical or mental benefits have you experience in or outside of class since starting barre?

The first thing I think you notice straight away from doing barre each week is the change in your arms. Each class you will use weights at one point in which you do exercises which consist of tiny pulses for long periods of time (30 seconds/1 minute seems like forever!) which really make your arms burn! I love this because I think everyone wants to have toned arms and barre certainly gives it to you. Within barre you are always progressing with everything you are doing in class because whoever is taking the class will make sure your form and alignment is correct which helps target the specific areas that each exercise is specified to. This ultimately builds a much stronger version of yourself. Mentally, it makes you fall in love with exercise and open to try new things. I have been lucky in terms of enjoying exercise however it also makes you focus on not only what you’re doing in class but out of class too such as what you eat and how you feel. When you always find room to exercise you get into a rhythm which you don’t want to break, this means you eat well because you know if you eat badly too often your going to break this cycle as you can’t perform at your best.

4)What else do you like to do for your fitness and well-being?