Barre & Soul® wins Best Barre Studio in Boston!

Best Barre Studio Boston 2018 Boston Magazine

Hello Amazing Barre & Soulmate!

There are no adequate words to express how grateful and humbled I am that Barre & Soul has been chosen for Best Barre Studio 2018 in this year's Best of Boston Awards!!!

Words can't do justice to the extraordinary, hardworking, dedicated, passionate (and frighteningly good-looking) team of barre and yoga teachers and staff who are responsible for this honor, both past and present. For a small, indie company like us to get noticed amid a sea of big brands, you are really doing something special! 

This honor would surely not be possible without our (equally gorgeous) members, we love you more than you know. You make all of our dreams come true and for that, we are forever grateful. Your bright shining faces, dedication to your health and wellness and your commitment to your soulmate community is at the very core of what Barre & Soul stands for. 

We are more than just fitness, we are an empowering, inclusive community of men and women all here to uplift each other all while pulsing and sweating together! 

It has been an immense amount of work these past 5 years and I wouldn't trade it for anything. We've been through many ups and downs as a small independent business, however, every step of the way has been a learning process that has brought us closer to our successes. To our mentors, partners, kids, friends, staff, community, and everyone who has taught us something about how to lead, no matter how big or how small, we thank you.

I can't wait to see what the next 5 years brings us! 

Thank you. Love you. 

Your Barre & Soulmate for life,
Andrea Isabelle Lucas

Barre & Soul goes to the 2018 MindBody BOLD Conference

I’ve been to a lot of industry conferences and trade shows. They’re never amazing. NEVER. There may be a session that you can garner a few worthwhile tidbits, but mostly a lot of filler.

BOLD was nothing like that.

Firstly, the headliners were Michelle Obama and Billie Jean King. NBD.

Secondly, our founder, Andrea, was speaking on a Women in Leadership panel.

Let me just say I was blown away.

The conference was nothing short of incredible. Every session was worth attending. EVERY SESSION. At Barre & Soul, we are always looking to stay up to date on new technology, new trends, and best practices to give our clients the MOST amazing experience at our studios! And the breakout sessions delivered. The speakers themselves had so much to offer in addition to making themselves available for questions, pictures, whatever, they were up for it. There was so much valuable information that I took 3+ pages of notes! Seriously. Not only did I take notes, but I pored over them in the days and weeks following the conference and the presentation decks that accompanied them. Did I mention they had a conference app that was pretty awesome too?

When I asked Andrea to sum up the Women in Leadership Panel , she said, "It was such an honor to be included in the diverse panel of women entrepreneurs. My favorite part was hearing questions from the audience about what the attendees were wrestling with in their own businesses. I was so excited to get to know more about them, and the room was filled with energy as the women gathered were eager to roll up their sleeves and help each other problem-solve."

Then there were the headliners.

Michelle Obama was awe inspiring yet incredibly down to earth. It was a 90 minute fireside chat that felt like 20 minutes and I want to be BFFs with her.

Billie Jean King was a rip roaring good time, full of spunk and some big news (she and a collection of friends had just casually bought the LA Dodgers!) oh and it was the 45th anniversary of her win at the Battle of the Sexes match. She had a ton of wisdom to share with the attendees and it was another inspiring, engaging discussion that had me hoping the time would go slower.

Then there was the food.

That may seem trivial until I mention that I am gluten and dairy free finding food that fits into those specifications that isn’t just a head of romaine lettuce w/ some olive oil and vinegar can be challenging. Did I mention there were 2,000 people in attendance?

The meal options were well thought out and delicious. No hunk of plain lettuce for this girl! WINNING.

Then we won the MINDBODY Visionary Award!

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This award was given to a select group of studios who embody community empowerment and who are in the top 30% of businesses using MINDBODY. Receiving this award was an unexpected surprise, but so exciting!  I know we have curated pretty incredible communities in our studios, but to be recognized for it was pretty awesome.

We are always looking for opportunities to give back, to support members who fundraise for causes they are passionate about, to support women and girls and SO MANY other things. A couple of the biggies this year included EmpowerHer, Cole Haan + Planet Water Foundation fundraising partnerships, and the Africa Yoga Project fundraising and volunteer effort.

2018 has been a big year for Barre & Soul. Thanks MindBody Online for being an excellent partner! We look forward to an incredible 4th quarter and 2019!

We're Doing Something BIG... Online Barre Teacher Training Coming Soon!

ONLINE BARRE TEACHER TRAINING

The barre community has been craving a highly credible, safe, and comprehensive online barre teacher training. A training that shapes YOU into the most knowledgeable, confident and well rounded barre teacher from the convenience of your own home. We've heard you and we are here to provide you with the training you need.

Check out my Facebook Live video below to learn more about what inspired us to offer our signature training online and read on for more info!

Before my Barre & Soul days...

I was a struggling single mom with no credit, no college degree, no job, and no money. In spite of the tough times I faced, there was one area of my life that filled me with excitement.

In the little town where I lived, there was a barre studio, a place where I had seen myself grow and strengthen, not just physically, but also mentally and emotionally. In addition to getting so much out of the classes and the wonderful community there, I had taken on the challenge of training to become a barre teacher.

As I've shared on this blog before, I wasn’t a "good" teacher trainee. I fumbled over my words and feared the sound of my own voice. I was my own worst critic, at a time when the last thing I needed was self-criticism holding me back.

Determined to overcome my circumstances, I took baby steps forward. Little by little, hour by hour, month by month, I found my voice. I became a confident barre teacher and started on a journey that would change my life for the better.

That barre training was just the beginning. I went on to build my career out of this method that I loved, eventually becoming a Manager and Teacher Trainer for the prestigious Exhale Spa before starting my own company, Barre & Soul in 2013.

If you had told me at the beginning of this journey that I would one day be the proud owner of 5 studios, with the most wonderful communities of teachers and students packing the house, or that I'd be traveling back and forth to England to study privately with the daughter of Lotte Berk, inventor of barre, I would never have imagined it!

I am too filled with gratitude to keep it all to myself. After having the finest mentors in the world, I want to share what I've learned over the years and pay it forward as much as I can!

I want YOU to have the same level of joy and fulfillment in your career that I have come to know. 

If you've ever thought about taking the leap into teaching barre, I want to help YOU find your confidence and your voice as a certified barre teacher! 

With that, I am excited to announce that we are working on something really exciting behind the scenes! 

A way for you to pursue your passion from wherever you are, anywhere in the world...

I've got a sneak peek for you: A few inside secrets to share, drawing from my 10+ year barre teaching career.

What is the difference between a good class that draws a few students and a GREAT class that is consistently packed? 

Download your free cheat sheet and learn about the magic I have come to rely on to keep students coming back again and again, so you can lead barre classes your students can't stop raving about.

Thank you for your interest! I hope to meet you and share my passion with YOU!

-Andrea Isabelle Lucas

Are You Ready to Own It All This Year?

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Happy 2018 everyone! As you may have heard, I spent last year working on a book, and I'm so excited to begin sharing excerpts with you!

If you want to make this your boldest and most wildly successful year yet – make 2018 the year you decide to own it all. What does that mean? When I use the word own," what I mean is…

  • Stop waiting for other people to step in and rescue you from situations you don’t want to continue in.
  • Begin taking personal responsibility for your choices, and your circumstances
  • Don’t blame others for your unhappiness, your financial reality, your overly busy schedule, or the way you look or feel.
  • Envision what you do want in your life, and how it will feel to be there – and map out an action plan to get there one step at a time
  • Quit waiting around for a parent, a friend, a mentor, or a fairy godmother to tell you, “Hey, you’re allowed to leave that awful relationship.” “It’s not too late to go back to school.” “You’re allowed to start something new.”

Once you accept 100% personal responsibility for everything you want to do, have, and become – you’ll be amazed at how empowering it feels, and the choices that are available to you.

Owning it all is a promise you make with yourself—a promise you keep renewing and practicing, day after day. There’s no perfection required in the process of doing this each and every day, but there’s continual progress. There’s always another level you can master, and there’s grace, beauty, and joy in the process.

I’m sharing my personal story, rebuilding from a shockingly low place to create a life I am in awe of each and every day. I want to share actionable, concrete steps that you can put into practice to eliminate old ways of falling into the same old unsatisfying routines and catapult your life in the direction of your dreams.

Stay tuned for more on my book, and get ready to own it all!

If you'd like to get exclusive excerpts from my upcoming book, Own It All, sign up here and as an added bonus, I'll send you my Radical Time Design e-course free, so you can start owning your day right now!

Carrying on the Legacy of Lotte Berk, Queen of Barre

Carrying on the Legacy of Lotte Berk, Queen of Barre

I am committed to making sure the classes we offer you at Barre & Soul are simply the best in the world. For the past decade, I've learned from some of the foremost innovators who preceded me in teaching barre and yoga in the US. 

In our barre classes, I’ve worked to fuse all the collective wisdom of the American barre industry, with my own passion for empowerment, social equality and a mindful approach to fitness - to create what has become a phenomenal community of Barre & Soul studios.

This year, I decided it was time to dive deeper – and go straight to the source of where barre was born. Lotte Berk was a ballerina who fled Nazi Germany in the 1940s and then developed an unprecedented method of conditioning and strength training in the UK that was as much a social and community building experience as it was a fitness regimen. Its popularity grew throughout her life, and Lotte mentored her daughter Esther Fairfax in the details, style and philosophy at the heart of what we now call “the Lotte Berk technique”.

Learn more about the most elite barre teacher training here.

Esther Fairfax has now been teaching her mother's method for 54 years. She lives a few hours outside of London and is in her early eighties. She is strong, vibrant and dedicated to carrying on her mother’s legacy. She continues to teach those interested in practicing the purest form of barre.

This summer, I had the honor of traveling to England, alongside our own Crissy Trayner, to spend time with Esther and become certified in the “Pure Lotte” technique, creating a direct connection from Barre & Soul to the source of where the barre phenomenon began.

The workout Esther presented was one of the most challenging I’ve experienced anywhere. I could see clear connections to the movements we teach at Barre & Soul. It was the essence of barre – no props, mats or weights. Just the elegance of precise form and movement - and body weight used as resistance to develop a lean, strong, flexible, agile body.

The trip was enlightening, as I understood more clearly than ever the differences between Barre & Soul and Lotte Berk’s original method.

Carrying on the Legacy of Lotte Berk, Queen of Barre

Sign up to receive updates and deals on our upcoming January barre teacher training here.

Some elements that distinguish Barre & Soul were born from my personal passions – for example, a focus on mindfulness and feminist empowerment as much as physical training, postures and elements from the yoga tradition, and some are standard practice in US barre classes, like the use of light weights, and the fusion of calisthenics like push-ups and planks that invite another layer of full-body strengthening.

Barre & Soul will continue to offer our distinctive method that you have come to know and love! But my time with Esther Fairfax opened my mind to the importance of learning about roots, and continuing a legacy, and we look forward to sharing with you some of what we have learned.

We will be training more of our Barre & Soul instructors in the “Pure Lotte” technique, to help preserve the beautiful, powerful method Esther Fairfax’s mother began. I believe Pure Lotte deserves to carry on even in a world that is obsessed with innovation and change. I see it as a personal and professional duty to keep the legacy alive, and I can't wait to share this timeless method with you in our upcoming Pure Lotte workshops!

See you at the barre!
Andrea :)

Want to try a Pure Lotte class? Join our email list to find out when and where the next workshop will be held here!

Introducing the Barre & Soul Collection, Feel badass and beautiful wherever the day takes you

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Hi! Andrea here! I’m so excited to finally unveil something I've been working on all year - Barre & Soul®'s own clothing collection! The first drop has arrived in our studios and I can't wait for you to check it out. This apparel collection is made in small batches in Los Angeles with ethically sourced/recycled materials, and it's designed by us, for you!

I have personally overseen every detail of the line’s creation from collaboration with our designer (a former top designer for brands like Nastygal, Revolve clothing, and more!), to choosing the materials, to selecting a production house here in the USA, and travelling to LA several times to visit the factory and participate in fittings and design meetings.

The launch of our new collection is something I am proud of not only because of the impeccable details and high quality of the product, but for the values it represents.

Our apparel line is not just for working out in a stylish, ethically sourced way – it will make YOU feel badass and beautiful wherever the day takes you.

The line is inspired by you our community, classic rock, the Feminist movement of the 60 and 70s, with a nod to the grace of ballerinas like Lotte Berk, the original creator of barre. It is a collection with grace and grit. 

I know that Barre & Soul®'s students are busy people. You've got jobs to do, kids to raise, degrees to earn, and workouts to fit in! I wanted this line to look just as good coming to and from class as it feels during your workout.

Here are a few of the pieces you can look forward to.

  • Full-length leggings
    Black, perfect compression, high-waisted, full-length, delightfully flattering and supportive

  • Capri leggings
    Leopard print, recycled materials, brushed soft handfeel

  • Satin "Rebel Rebel" Bomber Jacket
    leopard print lining, gold on black

  • Feminist AF Cropped muscle tank
    100% cotton, breathable fabric absorbs moisture, vintage wash

  • Barre & Soul® Cropped muscle tank
    100% cotton, breathable fabric absorbs moisture, vintage wash

  • High-Low Black Resting Barre Face muscle tank
    100% cotton, breathable fabric absorbs moisture, vintage wash

  • High- Low white ‘Barre Butts’ muscle tank
    100% cotton, breathable fabric absorbs moisture, vintage wash

  • Strappy sports bra
    leopard print, recycled material, lined, brushed soft handfeel

  • And more!

I hope you love it!

:) Andrea

Calling all Runners: Why Yoga Is Just What You Need!

This week, as I reflect on the inspiration the Boston Marathon brings to our community – I’m writing to send a high-five to every runner out there – for your stamina, grit, determination and strength. These are qualities we deeply value and work hard to cultivate at Barre & Soul. Huge congratulations those who ran the Boston Marathon. It takes super-human levels of stamina and endurance to take on a race of this level, and we know you’re feeling it big-time post-race.

We want to reach out to you personally, from another dimension of the fitness universe, and invite you over to learn more. Bring your bib number and your driver’s license to any of our studios for a complementary class in April.

We’ve just been recognized in Boston Magazine as one of the best places to explore a yoga practice in greater Boston, and we want to extend an invitation for you to join us here.

Yoga is often misunderstood as an exclusively meditative, passive approach to self-care and fitness. Yes, there is a mindfulness element, and yes there is the benefit of self-acceptance, meeting your body each day wherever it is on your mat. But there is so much more to learn and benefit from - for runners in particular.

Many runners cite greater flexibility as the primary reason for beginning a yoga practice. This makes sense, because yoga stretches the muscles that are tight, which in turn increases the range of motion in related joints.

Studies have also shown that yoga combats stress, accelerates weight loss, reduces pain, helps people stay consistent with their fitness routine, and even improves running times. The strength and flexibility runners develop on the mat--particularly in the core, quads, hamstrings, and hip flexors--can help them run more efficiently and avoid injury.

What’s more - holding challenging yoga poses builds tenacity and mind-body connection that translates in your runs. And it teaches you to deepen the connection with your breath –a skill that you can leverage to enhance your running as well.

A real breakthrough in embracing Yoga for many runners happens when they learn that fast-twitch muscle fibers can contract ten times faster than slow-twitch fibers. This is the kind of muscle that runners really want to develop to train for speed.

The difference in which muscle fibers you build comes not from your training speed, but your training intensity. If you do an isometric exercise that involves holding a half-full cup of water out at arm's length for four hours a day, you’ll develop lots of slow-twitch muscle because the intensity over time is low.

If, instead, you tried to do a shoulder raise on that same arm at maximal intensity for a fraction of the time, like seven to twelve seconds, you fatigue fast-twitch muscle fibers (all muscle fibers, in fact) much faster. Intensity is key to your speed training, not the speed of the movement itself. This is where a great Yoga practice can transform your running game, and your fitness overall – thanks to the isometric element.

It may seem counterintuitive, but isometric exercises involving very challenging but static holds involving body weight (a foundational element of both Yoga and Barre) can be better than plyometric (like exploding into a movement, like big jumps or clapping push ups) for speed.

Isometric exercises for speed also use a minimum of impact force, and keep the body safe from injury. Great news for runners, and everyone else!

Access Virtual Classes Anywhere - Even on your Smartphone!

Goodbye Skype, hello Zoom! We've moved our virtual classes onto a new platform and it's now easier than ever to get your yoga and barre in, when you can't make it to the studio!

Be sure to check out the Virtual studio page for login details and schedule.

Don't forget, you can use any Barre & Soul class payment options for virtual. That means, if you're an unlimited member, it's free!