In the 1950s, German-born Lotte Berk developed a fitness method drawing from her experience in modern dance. In its modern form, barre fitness contains elements of dance, yoga, pilates and low-impact rehabilitation exercises.
Low impact, however, doesn’t mean easy. Classes target the whole body, specifically focusing on engaging the core muscles. There are many barre fitness studio franchises, each with a slightly different spin on the form.
Pure Barre is the most prominent barre brand, with over 600 studios worldwide.
In November 2023, local residents Kristy Buige and her husband Anthony announced their intention to open a Pure Barre location in the Glass Factory Plaza on University Avenue, Star City.
Buige discovered Pure Barre when on a postpartum fitness journey. “Once I discovered Pure Barre, I knew I found my home,” she said in a post on her studio’s social media. “The classes were consistent yet unique and challenging, and the experience was constantly evolving.”
Each 50-minute Pure Barre session contains a warm-up, a cool-down and some hard work in between, all set to a soundtrack of invigorating music. The small, isometric movements completed with either body weight or light hand weights are designed to increase fitness levels and develop lean muscles.
After six months of palpable anticipation from the local fitness crowd, the Morgantown Pure Barre studio opened in mid-May with an open house and a weekend of free introductory classes. Conveniently, this was shortly after the Glass Factory added 62 new parking spaces to accommodate the increasing number of visitors to the plaza.
Pure Barre classes are available throughout the day, as early as 5:30 a.m. and as late as 6:30 p.m.
Pure Barre is more than just physical exertion — it’s about finding strength, confidence and connection. As Buige eloquently put it, “I didn’t just find a workout, I found a community and a stronger, more confident version of myself.”
Eva Murphy is a freelance business writer for The Dominion Post. She writes a column on businesses, churches and other entities in the city. To suggest a topic, email her at DPNews@DominionPost.com.
