My Story:
My name is Claire and I escaped to the country from London seven years ago looking for a more mindful way of living and found just that, here in Cirencester in The Cotswolds.
Despite always being one of the last to be picked in PE at school (which didn’t feel so bad after Kylie Minogue said in an interview that she was always picked last too ), I have always enjoyed group exercise classes and trained to be a fitness instructor whilst at university (YMCA Level 2 Exercise to Music Instructor).
It wasn’t until later I discovered the power of exercise to support both my physical and mental wellbeing. Aged 39 following a cancer diagnosis, it was exercise that helped me rebuild, both physically and mentally.
More recently I suffered burnout in a corporate job and my usual style of exercise, spinning and high intensity training, made me feel worse.
That’s when I discovered Barre. The low impact-style meant I could go at my own pace, it didn’t matter how fit I was feeling, some days I had the energy to go for it, other days just turning up was a win. Whilst I started to feel physically stronger, I was really exercising to support my mental health.
This experience and the nature of Barre being accessible to anyone, inspired me to train to become a Barre instructor, completing the Total Barre® Foundation course with STOTT-Pilates creator, Merrithew.
Initially I started to teach at the Cotswold Leisure Centre where I met a wonderful group of women whose support and encouragement planted the seed to launch my own thing. What I love most about teaching Barre is seeing people enjoy it, leaving happier and stronger than when they came in. I chose the name WonderBarre Wellness because I love a pun and it perfectly encapsulates my experience. When I was going through burnout, there was no joy in my life, I was just existing. It was the Barre class, moving my body and connecting with other people that helped bring back the joy and wonder.
My hope is that WonderBarre Wellness will grow into a community of supportive women living a more wonderful life through the joy of movement and connection, to support their overall well-being.
Are you ready to join the movement?
Hello there!
What matters to me:
1. Creating classes and events where everyone feels welcome and supported.
I have been that person stood on their own before the start of class because everyone knows each other. I have sat in classes where everyone sits in silence before it starts.
2. Offering scalable options so no one feels uncomfortable or alienated.
I have been that person who couldn’t keep up in a yoga class so pretended to keep needing a water break.
3. Being mindful and respectful of changing bodies, joints and levels of flexibility.
I have been that person who needed physio because the instructor assumed everyone was flexible enough to do a backbend in their first class.
4. Providing space and empathy for people to talk through any concerns before class.
I appreciate for some people just getting to a class can be like climbing a mountain. I have been that person, going back to a fitness class after cancer. I can still feel the stinging embarrassment I felt when the instructor asked us to raise our hand if we had any issues at the start of class - I had to say in front of the whole class, I was recovering from breast cancer!