Meet the Barre Tender: Olivia

We’re thrilled to announce the addition of two new barre tenders to the B Team: Lisa and Olivia!

We asked them to tell us a little bit more about themselves in their own words. Without further ado…meet Olivia!

 

What are you most looking forward to in your new role as B Present Studio barre tender? 

I believe what I am looking forward to the most is being able to push the dynamic, incredible, and strong women (and few brave gentlemen) that attend our classes to help them set and reach goals they may never have thought were possible (whether it’s doing one push-up on your toes, staying in relevé during the entire barre series, or rocking every tuck jump after those burpees).

Being a barre tender is truly about leading class FOR our Beauties. I am so excited to be able to encourage and show our clients that they are stronger than they may have ever dreamt of–in not only their bodies, but minds and spirits as well.

Any funny stories to share from your experience as a B Present student?

So there was that one time in 100 Club when I face planted while doing eagle push-ups and the sweet Beauty next to me stopped to ask if I was alright….but I mean, who HASN’T done that?!

What do you like to do when you’re not working out?

I work part time as the coordinator of the Youth Leadership program at Leadership South Bend/Mishawaka, which keeps me busy during the week. I am also a mom to two lovely littles, Max (6) and Evy (2.5), and will be training for my fourth marathon this October.

What is something most people don’t know about you?

I almost hit a deer one day, while RUNNING down a country road on a beautiful fall day. I don’t know who was more scared, me or her! I was fussing with my phone, trying to check a message (most likely from my husband) and looked up just in time to stop myself from running smack into the side of a doe. A deer. A female deer. (You can’t make this stuff up!)

Aside from your cute barre booty (which you totally have), how has B Present made an impact on your life?

B Present has truly helped me step out of my comfort zone…on so many different occasions and in so many ways. I am a firm believer that the true magic in your life happens when you are out of your comfort zone. From first walking in to doors two years ago as a fitness/cardio junkie who had no idea what class was going to be like, and was scared and uncomfortable at first (then quickly an addict) to placing a microphone on my left ear and leading others though my first full barre class (Tammy’s Barre Blast, no pressure!! Haha!)–I have grown so much within the walls of those two studios.

 

What do you want all of your future Barre Beauties to know coming into your class?

I want to challenge you. Class will be hard but it will be SOOOO worth it and yes, you CAN do it! You will always have modifications available to suit your body BUT I want to push you (safely, of course) and then CELEBRATE with you when you meet your goals. …..And there will probably be burpees involved (unless it is a low-impact class of course, then we can modify them. 😉 )

Meet the Barre Tender: Lisa

We’re thrilled to announce the addition of two new barre tenders to the B Team: Lisa and Olivia!

 

We asked them to tell us a little bit more about themselves in their own words. Without further ado…meet Lisa!

Best College Bar{re} in Town

We love so many things about the South Bend/Mishawaka/Granger area, but right at the top of the list is that it’s such a fabulous college town. Our local colleges and universities bring so much to our hometown: opportunities for lifelong learning, football Saturdays, beautiful campuses to explore, and–best of all–interesting people from all over the world who come here to work and study. Plenty of area college students have found their way through our doors over the years, and though they may only be here for a short time, these young women are a valuable part of the B Present community.

 

We love our local colleges and universities!

B Present Wellness Retreats: Your Ticket to Paradise

B Present Studio’s mission has always been to serve the whole you: mind, body, and spirit. Sometimes that means taking a respite from our day-to-day responsibilities and routines to reflect and recharge. It was with that in mind that the studio organized our very first wellness retreat to Costa Rica in January of 2016…

…and just a few weeks ago, our second wellness retreat of 2016 took us to the beautiful Red Mountain Resort in St. George, Utah. This award-winning resort property offered the perfect mix of adventure and relaxation: guided hiking and biking excursions, a huge variety of fitness classes, a full-service spa, swimming pools, gorgeous scenery, and three healthy (and seriously delicious) meals per day.

Meet the Barre Beauty: Lucy B.

If you’ve been hearing about B Present Studio for awhile now but have yet to try a class, you’re in good company: that’s exactly how Lucy’s journey started too. “I first heard about B Present through our neighbors and had always wanted to try it out, but I was always in golf season, or recovering from some type of surgery,” says Lucy, who was then a high school senior. But when her mom came home from her first class in February of 2016 raving about her newfound love for the barre, Lucy finally had to take the plunge. “I was determined to recover from my latest surgery and get cleared to try a class before I headed off to school!” And as any barre addict knows, trying “just one class” is usually only the beginning…

The Barre Digest: Kara and the Cheeky Charleston

“I love how graceful Kara is with both her movement and her words. She is so sweet you almost don’t realize she’s trying to kill you.”

We asked you to tell us what you thought of Barre Tender Kara and one of her most infamous signature moves:

Meet the Barre Tender: Stacy

Stacy has been an instructor at B Present Studio since January of 2015. We sat down with her recently to learn more about some of her favorite things (chocolate chip cookies and wiener dogs), how she came to love the barre, and the moment that she found out she’d been saying “plie” wrong this whole time…

Enjoy!

 

How did you first learn about B Present?

I first heard about it from a friend in my book club. She had been telling me about this studio, and I thought,”Who works out with a ballet barre? That sounds…kind of easy.” Also–I’m the farthest thing from a dancer. I have no rhythm; my husband makes fun of me it’s so bad. Ballet, and really any kind of dance, is very intimidating to me. But working out, getting a good sweat on, I’m all about that. And I’m always up for a challenge, so I thought, “Why not try it? What’s the worst thing that could happen?”

Barre With Baby on Board

***Always speak with your doctor about beginning or continuing a fitness regimen while pregnant.***

A gaggle of geese.

A murder of crows.

A colony of penguins.

A pride of lions.

We’re not sure what the right collective noun is for a large group of pregnant women, but whatever it is…we’ve got that. Something must be in the Granger water, because as of late we’ve seen one expectant mama after another sashay through the doors here at B Present–and we love seeing so many baby bumps at the barre!

2015 Year in Review

As 2015 winds down, we can’t help but marvel at what a ride it’s been at B Present Studio. It’s hard to believe that at this time last year, our team and our studio were about half the size that they are today. The new year brings with it a chance for both reinvigoration and reflection; as we look ahead to all the promise that 2016 holds, we also look back in gratitude for all that 2015 had to offer:

Barre Beauty Stories: December 2015

Check out this truly inspiring story from barre beauty Ginny Vanderbeek, featured in our December 2015 newsletter:

 

“My first experience at B Present was with my MOTS group from church.  I wasn’t looking for a new place to work out. I was already attending classes that I really enjoyed, but this place was different. I remember coming home and telling my husband how hard and awful it was, but that I was thinking of buying a 10 pack. He just looked at me and laughed. This was almost two years ago. I didn’t know at the time how this place would challenge and change me at the same time.