The Barre Diaries Part 1 - Kailey Thiessen
Photo by Mackenzie Gaultier Photography. Edited by Jodi Hiebert
Introducing “The Barre Diaries,” a monthly series in which we share the stories from Aura Studio clients and what barre means to them.
Almost four years ago, I tried barre. It’s crazy how much time has flown by when I look back at my very first barre class with Michelle Carrillo (Kidd at the time) at the old KiDDance Physical Arts studio in Carman. I was really excited, but honestly, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. The pulsing, tucking, shaking, exhaustion- it all hit me so hard. I remember thinking at one point how nuts I was to agree to not only take the class, but to later start teaching it.
Shortly after, I was on my way to Winnipeg for my first barre course to become certified to instruct.
I spent two years instructing with Michelle under The Carman Barre. Thinking back to my first class I led in the old studio, it’s amazing to see the change in not just the style of class and the moves we do, but how I am as an instructor too. The confidence, the enthusiasm, the passion, the creativity, and the enjoyment - all of these things grow with every class, every week.
Now, almost half a year into owning a barre studio, I still look forward to every class and the impact they have on my life. What’s really changed, though, is how much I enjoy seeing (and hearing) the positive impact barre has on my client’s lives.
This is my Barre Diary - The Ups and Downs of Instructing and Owning a Barre Studio
The Physical Side
I often get asked how I manage to teach all these classes in one week. The truth is, I don’t always survive it.
Instructing barre has definitely improved my physical health, allowing me to keep on leading high-intensity classes. It’s also made me more aware of my health in general. Now I pay closer attention to what I’m eating to ensure I’m getting the protein and nutrients needed to maintain the high-pace lifestyle.
What you don’t see some days, though, is me laying in the tub half-asleep soaking sore and exhausted muscles, getting my husband to dig into my shoulder muscles because I should not have used weights in back-to-back classes, or deciding to stay home on the weekend because I’m just too tired from the classes all week.
Is it worth it? Absolutely.
But everything I just said in that paragraph above happens less and less as the months go on. I’ve also learned the hard way a few times to take it easy, which I now strongly promote throughout class too.
I am physically strong, more confident in my body than ever before, healthier (I don’t get sick nearly as often as I used to- maybe a coincidence but hey, I’m sure barre helped), I’m able to do more things around the house without hurting myself, and just feel better. All of this, and then some, has come from barre.
The Mental Side
I’ve said it before, but barre seriously helps not just physically, but mentally as well (along with other benefits that you can read here). Being around other people who encourage others and laugh at the shakes is contagious. It’s hard to not feel good when you’re in class.
Storytime - I think back to last January to one specific class. Those of you who took that class likely saw there was something wrong. An old friend from back home took his life and my girlfriend called to share the news roughly an hour before class. It was devastating for many reasons. Michelle offered to cancel so I could head home, but I figured this would be good to still go through with. I’m glad I did.
During that hour, all the sad and negative thoughts that were swirling in my head right before, disappeared. My focus was solely on the class and it helped ease the pain and relax the mind.
I sometimes hear comments from clients that the last thing they wanted to do that day was to come and workout. Then after class, they comment on how much they needed it, because their day was extremely stressful. This was their hour to forget about reality and have some fun focusing on themselves. All it takes is one class to change your mindset for the rest of the day.
Barre = physically and mentally stronger.
It’s Not All Fun and Games, Though
As much fun as I have, there are those moments of doubts - why am I doing this; was that a good class; why didn’t that client ever come back; am I qualified enough to lead a workout class? These are the questions (and any more) that often circulate through my mind.
I’ve battled with mental illness the past few years and it’s definitely played a role in the stress of instructing classes, and now owning a barre studio. Often times my anxiety takes over and those questions penetrate my mind over and over again. Some days the anxiety finds it’s way into my head during a class, and the self-doubt cycle of whether or not I had a good class kicks in.
As for owning, the anxiety of ensuring you have enough clients to keep the doors open is a constant battle. If you receive a text because there are not enough people signed up for a class, you can guarantee I’ll be thinking about that for days to come. Those days can easily bring up enough concern that it drives me crazy to find new ways to keep barre fun and fresh.
Then, I have that class where I see someone beat their goals, the whole class is laughing and having fun together, the comments on how shaky they were, how great they feel after, and all that stress and anxiety simply fades away.
So, there you have it - my diary entry on being an instructor and owner of a barre studio. It’s been a rollercoaster, to say the least. However, I’ve never regretted hopping on, and I look forward to continuing riding it with my hands waving in the air.