Barre Basics
A slower class that teaches the positions, the props and how to use the rail. Best for your first two visits.
Length45 min
Fifty minutes at the barre, no dance steps to learn
Barre is a low impact class built around a waist high rail: ballet positions, Pilates style core work and light strength, set to music. New to it? Start with the intro pack, three classes for $45.
50 minfor most classes
18places at the rail
0jumps in any class
What barre is, in plain words
Barre takes its name from the wooden rail dancers hold while they warm up. You hold it too, lightly, for balance while you bend your knees, rise onto your toes and hold small positions borrowed from ballet. Between the rail work come Pilates style exercises on a mat for the middle of the body, and short sets with light hand weights or a soft ball.
The movements are small and slow, your feet stay on the floor and nothing jumps, which is why barre is called low impact. You do not need to have danced, and nobody will ask you to point your toes beautifully.
- No dance experience needed
- No jumping and no running
- Hand weights of 0.5 to 2 kg
- An easier option for every exercise
Words you will hear in class
Teachers use a handful of ballet words and explain each one as they go. Here they are in advance, so the first class sounds familiar.
- Plié: bend the knees
- Relevé: rise onto the balls of the feet
- First position: heels together, toes apart
- Second position: feet wide, toes turned out
- Parallel: feet side by side, toes forward
- Tuck: tilt the pelvis under
- Pulse: tiny movements up and down
- Arabesque: one leg reaching back
Turning the feet out should always be gentle and come from the hips. If a position strains your knees, bring your feet back to parallel; teachers show this in every class.
Four classes on the timetable
Every class keeps the same low impact rules. They differ in pace, in how much time goes to weights and in how long the stretches last.
Classic Barre
Warm up, legs and seat at the rail, arms with light weights, core work on the mat and a long stretch.
Length50 min
Barre with Weights
More sets with hand weights and a resistance loop, still low impact, for regulars who know the positions.
Length50 min
Slow Barre and Stretch
Longer holds, deeper stretches and slow breathing, a calm class for Sunday morning or a tired evening.
Length55 min
This week's timetable
Book up to 14 days ahead. Barre Basics is marked for first timers; any class has an easier option if you start elsewhere.
| Day | Time | Class | Teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 06:45 | Classic Barre | Ines |
| Monday | 18:30 | Barre Basics (first timers) | Rosa |
| Tuesday | 12:15 | Classic Barre | Kemi |
| Wednesday | 07:00 | Barre with Weights | Ines |
| Wednesday | 19:00 | Slow Barre and Stretch | Laila |
| Thursday | 18:30 | Classic Barre | Rosa |
| Saturday | 09:00 | Barre Basics (first timers) | Kemi |
| Sunday | 10:00 | Slow Barre and Stretch | Laila |
Class packs and memberships
Packs suit people who come once or twice a week; a membership suits anyone who comes three times or more.
Intro pack
3 classes$45
- Any class on the timetable
- A pair of grip socks included
- For your first visit to Pointe only
Five classes
a pack$95
- $19 a class
- Book 14 days ahead
- Any class, any teacher
Ten classes
a pack$175
- $17.50 a class
- Book 14 days ahead
- One four week extension if you are ill
Unlimited
a month$159
- Every class, every day
- A guest pass each month
- Hold it for up to eight weeks a year
Cancel up to 12 hours before a class to keep it in your pack. Doors close five minutes after the start, because the warm up protects knees and backs.
Your first class at Pointe
Most people feel at home by the second class. These are the four things that happen at the first one.
Book Barre Basics
Choose a Basics class for your first visit or two; the pace is slower and the positions are taught one by one.
Arrive ten minutes early
Collect your grip socks, meet the teacher and mention any injury, pregnancy or recent operation.
Set up your spot
The teacher shows you the mat, the ball, the hand weights and where to stand at the rail.
Take the easier options
Every exercise has a smaller version. Use it whenever you like, and rest whenever you need to.
Above the flower market
Morning light, a long oak rail and the props used in every class.
Asked at the rail
Is barre a dance class?
No. It borrows ballet positions and the rail, but there are no routines to learn and no steps to remember. People who have never danced make up most of every class.
Why do muscles shake during the holds?
Long, small holds tire muscles in a way daily life rarely does, and a gentle shake is common. It is not a sign of harm, and you can ease out or rest whenever you want. Sharp pain is different: stop and tell the teacher.
Can barre be done during pregnancy?
Many people continue with changes, but check with your doctor or midwife first and tell the teacher how far along you are. Teachers offer other versions of some core exercises and positions, and you can stop at any point.
Who should get medical advice before starting?
Anyone with a heart condition, recent surgery, a joint or back problem still being treated, or any doubt about exercise. Low impact does not make barre right for every condition, and teachers cannot give medical advice.
What should people wear?
Leggings or shorts and a fitted top, so the teacher can see knees and hips line up. Grip socks are required on the studio floor and sold at the desk for $14; the intro pack includes a pair.
Is barre only for women?
No. Barre suits anyone who wants strength, balance and stretching without impact, and men come to classes across the timetable.
Heard at the rail after class (example reviews)
Never danced a step and was nervous about the ballet words. Barre Basics explained every one, and by the second class the plié felt normal.
Knee trouble rules out running, so a class with no jumping matters. The teachers always show the smaller version without making a fuss about it.
The 06:45 Classic Barre is the calmest start to a working day. Fifty minutes, small movements, and the shaking legs in the long holds are oddly satisfying.
Book your first class
Pick a class and a day from the timetable. You will hear back inside a working day with your place confirmed, another class if that one is full, or answers to your questions.
- Nothing is booked until the studio confirms
- The intro pack is paid at the desk or as the studio arranges
- Injuries and pregnancy are talked through with the teacher before class
Visit the studio
Phone during studio hours or email any time; the desk replies within a working day.
Studio desk
A first floor studio above the flower market, a short walk from the tram stop
Studio hours
| Monday to Friday | 06:30 to 20:30 |
| Saturday | 08:00 to 13:00 |
| Sunday | 09:00 to 12:00 |
Getting here
The studio is up one flight of stairs, with a lift through the market entrance. Lockers and showers are by the changing rooms, and towels are provided.
Book a first class