JC Barre Studio

I started going to JC Barre a little less than a year ago to tone up for my wedding and quickly became obsessed — eight months post wedding and I’m still hooked. The classes are challenging and the instructors are so helpful and knowledgeable. They push you when they know you can be pushed and they make classes super fun. I’ve been to a few different studios, and although barre is a great workout anywhere you go, the atmosphere has a lot to with what keeps me coming back to JC Barre. It’s a small studio that’s not stuffy or uptight where you can get an amazing workout with great instructors and have fun while doing it. Each workout is different between instructor, but all of them are amazing, tough and effective.

Love this place The instructors are skilled, patient, kind & funny too. Need modifications? No problem they’ve got your back, or whatever part is troubling you :) I look forward to classes instead of dreading. Prices are reasonable and you simply can’t beat: 1^st AM class on Sat’s & Sun’s are absolutely free to 1^st time new students. Wanna try Barre? Take a free class you’ll be hooked to JC Barre. Btw classes are no joke so you will see results quickly while having fun. Money tight? Great discount packages & add a Tuesday 9am class for only $ 10! My kids are all grown but I took a few Mommy & Me classes recently and OMG what fun! Looking at all those adorable babies took my mind off that lovely burn

Barre has become part of my daily routine, I’ve been coming here for almost 2 years now and I love it. I have back & knee injuries and I have found that Barre is the right answer for strengthening those muscles and keeping me out of pain. The instructors are the real stars though, each instructor has their own style so class is never boring, and they are always looking for different ways to engage the class and keep their material up-​to-​date. They pay attention to the class’s level and will give options for more advanced moves if you are at that level. They work with you on an individual basis, which is important especially with injuries (so speak up). I look forward to waking up early and getting to class and beginning my day. This is a great studio, so take advantage of all that it has to offer!

After 2 weeks of not being able to do anything from a hip injury from running, I started getting antsy and went looking for something low impact to do. After reading that several people took up barre while recovering from injuries, I decided to try out a free class (the first classes on Saturday and Sunday are free for first timers– just show up about 10 minutes early to fill out some paperwork).
I took the 8am Saturday morning B3 class with Paulina as my first class ever, and it was pretty brutal, in a good way. I had been told it would be pretty painful because you work out muscles you normally don’t use, and that was no lie. Class started out with a light warm up of marching in place, and then quickly moved into an arms sequence with 2lbs weights, which sounds easy, but is definitely not (they offer 2, 3, and 5 lbs weights). Once we couldn’t move our arms anymore, we went into push ups, before moving onto legs, glutes, and then we finished with abs. After abs was a nice stretching segment, and then I walked home with my jelly legs.
I started getting sore that same day, and despite being sore for about 2 more days, I was pretty excited about getting back to class. I continued to take classes regularly, with the mind frame that I would stop once my hip healed, but 8 months later, the classes are still addicting and I haven’t been able to stop.
Classes are easy to sign up and cancel on your phone with the MindBody app, but just remember to cancel any classes by 9pm the previous day to avoid the late cancelation fee. There is also a $ 10 no show fee for classes, which has been a great motivator on those mornings I want to sleep in.
Lately, I’ve only been able to make it to Megan, William, and Morgan’s B3 morning classes, and they are all great. Everyone has their own personality, and it shows during class. Megan is silly and fun, and she mixes up the exercises in her classes so you’re working out something a little differently in each class. Megan also does most of the managing, if not all, and she is very approachable and easily accessible through email. William is high, high energy, super funny, and sometimes it’s tough to keep up, but it’s a good challenge, and class goes by quickly. He may even reward you with one child’s pose at the end. Morgan has a very calming energy about her, and she really takes the time to stretch you out, which I definitely appreciate, and a lot of others have commented how much they like ending the week with her Friday class for that reason.
Before class starts, the instructors ask if there are any new injuries or pregnancies they should know about, so that they can give you a modified version of each exercise. During class, they will come around and correct form discreetly. Because this is a smaller studio, the instructors learn your name quickly, which is nice and makes you feel welcome.
Even though I’ve only taken their B3 classes, the instructors are all a little different, so it really mixes things up and classes don’t get boring. I’ve noticed as I’ve continued to go, classes haven’t necessarily gotten any easier, but I feel like I’ve gotten better. Even though I try to go 4 – 5 times a week, each class is still a challenge, and every class feels like a complete, full body work out.
For anyone looking to try barre, I recommend Paulina’s Saturday 8am free class. It’s definitely a tough class to get through, but you’ll get a good feel of what barre is about.

2 Months postpartum, I really needed to get my jiggles back into their proper places which is hard to do with tiny human constantly attached to me. I had found out that JC Barre offers a mommy & me class every Tuesday and Thursday morning, so I was at their door before I felt another jiggle.
I called the studio at 6:45 am inquiring about if the class was on that day and to my surprise, someone answered! The answering service relayed my message to the teacher (Megan) who called me back and answered all the questions I had.
The class was small, about 5 of us, 4 of us had babies ranging from 8 weeks to 5 months. Megan was friendly and accommodating to all the tired mommies and our fussy babies. You can put your baby on a yoga mat next to you while you worked out (my little guy loved the blue bands dangling over him, and I got to do push ups over him giving him a little kiss every rep). If you are lucky and your wee one is asleep through the whole class, leave them in their bassinet or car seat. If your little one is fussing, you can do modified versions of all the different moves while holding them, which as it turns out, gives your arms a great workout. Megan helps to guide you through all of it.
The work out was amazing, it wasn’t watered down from the regular class at all. Trust me, you will feel the burn.
Bottom line: I loved this mommy and me barre class. I got to have a great work out and be with my baby at the same time, who said you can’t have the best of both worlds?

I absolutely love JC Barre. The classes are full body work out that leaves you feeling sore the next day. The good kind of sore that makes you keep coming back. Each instructor teaches in their own way, so that every class is different. Barre no excuses!

I’ve been coming here 4 – 5 times a week for a year now and I can say 1) that the classes continue to be interesting and challenging and 2) I am in better shape now than I was when I focused on cardio and weights at the gym. The B3 workouts provide a full-​body workout, and the moves strengthen and tone muscles from every angle (read: you will feel parts of your butt, abs, quads, etc. that you have never felt before). Another benefit is that my flexibility has improved tremendously. A year ago I could barely touch my toes on a good day, but now I can place my palms on the floor after a workout. The quality of the instructors is high. I love that Paulina, Megan, William, and Morgan all have different teaching styles – it keeps workouts interesting and means that I am always challenged in different ways. In addition, these instructors are good about switching up moves and playlists regularly to keep classes from getting repetitive or too easy. Finally, kudos to the instructors for knowing and remembering names and faces! This helps to create a friendly, fun, and encouraging environment.

I can’t say enough about how fantastic JC Barre Studio is.
It’s my favorite way to start my day, and it’s actually slowly making me into somewhat of a morning person… which I never ever thought would happen!
As a former competition dancer who has long disliked the monotony and lack of structure of working out at the gym, this place is perfect for me. I’ve taken yoga, pilates, barre, zumba and fitness classes in DC, New York, New England and even South America, and I have to say JC Barre Studio’s quality puts them up with the best of the best.
At JC Barre Studio, you have very thoughtful instructors who always ask about injuries/​etc, go around and correct postures, and plan out very challenging exercises. Believe me — your thighs will quiver, your arms will redden, and you will sweat.
But after just a few months of going 3 – 4 times a week, I’m seeing such a change in my body! My arms and legs are more powerful, and planks and push-​ups are getting easier and easier.
I usually go to the B3 class. It’s a combination of yoga, pilates and ‘barre’ moves — a lot of tiny movements intermixed with plank series, stretching and cardio. One of my favorite B3 instructors (love them all!) is William, a professional dancer who’s really encouraging and also really great at pushing you — but in a nice way.
I’ve gone to stuffier, more costly classes before, and what I like about the people who go to this studio is that they’re not judgmental at all. Everyone does their own thing, and works on their own personal goals.
I also LOVE the Hip Hop class with Laura on Mondays and Saturdays. She is an amazing dancer, and the dances are really easy to follow along with. She throws in new dances regularly, and you can also do some dances with weights. I always leave her class invigorated, sweating everywhere and knowing I just had an awesome cardio workout.
My only slight qualm with JC Barre Studio is the price. However, this is mostly because I recently moved to the area from rural New England, where I paid $ 20 a month for a gym and unlimited fitness classes. And I know I can get a gym membership nearby for not much more.
The difference between a gym membership and JC Barre studio, however, is the expertise of the teachers, the lovely, close-​knit and clean studio, the equipment, your supportive fellow barre attendees, and high-​quality classes at very convenient times.
I got a 6 month membership special, that evened out to around $ 116.66 a month. I go between 3 – 4 times a week, meaning that works out to $ 7.29-$ 9.72 a class. That’s much better than paying per each $ 20 class. And it also encourages me to get my money’s worth!
For me, it’s definitely worth the cost. I take the 7 a.m. (sometimes 6 a.m.!!) class, and it is not only physically challenging, but also stress relieving and invigorating. I don’t get the urge to take an afternoon nap anymore, and I’m also having an easier time getting to sleep.
One piece of advice: Know the cancellation policy. If you have unlimited monthly, it’s $ 10 for no-​shows or late cancellations (for morning classes, you need to cancel by 9 pm the night before). Because I have a pretty crazy job that can mean I have to go in for work early or stay very late, it makes knowing when I can go to class pretty hectic. So lately, I try to just sign up one class at a time (sometimes the hour of).

I’ve been enjoying this studio since it opened and the classes are great. Instructors are all different and no two classes are the same. In particular, Paulina’s playlists are always eclectic and her classes are take no prisoners tough! I love William’s ballet based discipline, when he says lower an inch I lower! But honestly they are all great and very professional.
I’ve take barre classes and different types like Pure Barre and Barre 3, I find these instructors and this studio rank as good as or better.
Highly recommend the studio… I like that it’s small and we get to know each other.

I’d had Classpass for about a month and still hadn’t found that hip hop cardio class that I desperately wanted. I had taken another class somewhere else that claimed to be Hip Hop Cardio yet played Taylor Swift (Hanging with Jay-​Z and Beyonce aside, Taylor Swift is as far from hip hop as one can get.) So I was super excited to discover the Saturday morning Hip Fit class. Confusing name aside, it was just what I wanted. It’s a true hip hop cardio class where you dance non-​stop for an hour, not just do jumping jacks while a Big Sean song plays in the background. (If you don’t know who Big Sean is then you probably won’t like the music.)
Laura has preset choreography to a set number of songs so it can definitely be confusing the first time but it’s easy to catch on. Plus, the more you go, the better you’ll get. I’ve been to two classes and it seems like she incorporates new songs pretty often as well.
My only complaints have to do with the space, and even then it’s not really anyone’s fault. As the name suggests, it’s a (kinda small) one room barre studio. There’s literally a ballet bar and pillars smack dab in the middle of the room. I’m sure it works out great for barre classes (I’ve never been) but can be annoying for a dance cardio class.
The other small thing is that the bathroom is FREEZING!
These are small things. I definitely suggest trying out Hip Fit if you are on Classpass and looking for a dance cardio class. If you just want a good dance class, I believe that Laura teaches at other, perhaps more dance friendly studios during the week.
Sneakers: Definitely wear dance sneakers or cross trainers because you do a lot of twisting.

I have taken the classes from this studio and I love them! They are fun and I am always sore the next day. Megan’s classes are challenging and they are always different which I like so I don’t get bored with the same moves over and over. Awesome place!!!

I changed my review because the last time I went to class I got injured.
There were only two of us in that class and yet Paulina was so busy looking at herself in the mirror she didn’t think it important to actually help with the positions.
I read the reviews this studio has gotten and one thing is clear to me, most people don’t know what a barre class is supposed to be like if they actually enjoy this.
A barre class, first of all needs to be planned out, structured very specifically to get the most out of it. The three teachers I had were not that, they would, at the moment decide «uhm, let’s do abs now, or better triceps…» and so on.
The way barre classes work is with very specific positions and very small movements. If you don’t get the position right it doesn’t work and you might actually injure yourself. The teachers here never really explain the positions and they don’t actually go student to student to see if they are doing it correctly.
The stretching they do within the class and at the end is very very poor.
A Barre class is low impact hence you need to be moving from one position to the next seamlessly. They don’t do it like that here, they are so busy either looking at themselves in the mirror (at what, I don’t know because their bodies do not scream out ‘i work out’), or deciding what to do next.
It feels like these ladies woke up one day and decided to open up a barre studio. they did a bit of research, one of them had danced before (maybe), the other who knows… and they just did it.
They do not know how to give a class, how to actually help students or care for them.
They never ever ask if anyone has any injuries nor if anyone is pregnant (a must in every work out class!).
Frankly, if you want a good work out, go to youtube and find some videos. This is not worth it.

I’ve been mixing it up and taking all of the instructors classes– I love them all! You can’t go wrong. They have early morning classes as well as after work classes and weekend classes. Zumba and sl core classes are also offered, and they are implementing more props. They are really expanding! Grips socks, leggings and tanks are offered as well– def check them out!

I love my JC Barre classes! I have been a part of many gyms and have tried many classes/​programs –pilates, bikram, boot camp, curves, boxing gym, CKO… I like to think my review is pretty valid!
I do not have a ballet background nor am I very flexible but somehow the instructors make it work for everybody! Classes are usually intimate as space is comfortably limited. Barre concentrates on core and tones me, without making me look manly. I do miss Mary Helen but JC Barre has many great instructors all around, who pay close attention to detail!!!

I absolutely love this little new gem in downtown JC!
I went last night for the first time and really love the class. Paulina gives you a killer workout, all the areas that you want tightened are covered and I walked out shaking-​but in a good way!
I’ve been taking various barre classes in the city before and can truly say, this one is up there with all of them!

The studio is pretty small but it is probably best so the instructors to get a personal in depth look on how to get the students super sore the next day. I’ve never done a barre work out before and honestly never heard of it until when I showed up for the class for a Unilocal event. I thought it was interesting that I was the only guy for the class. Paulina was a great instructor bringing a lot of energy and worked my ass hardbody! We did warm ups and arm work outs where I started with 5 lbs but ended going lower to 3lb weights. I shouldn’t have written that last part as people might think I am a tiny weakling. Anyway, I also did plié moves for the first time in my life and that was a struggle as my body moved in ways I never thought possible. I was sore in unusual places around my arms and legs that were isolated from exercising.
Barre Studio is a great place for a work out for both men and women to get your sweat on.

«Wow that was hard but I feel like if I kept coming here I’d get really strong.»
That’s how I summarized my first ever Barre class, courtesy of Unilocal’s Fit Club. You can tell Paulina lives and loves dance, and she does a great job of using classical technique as a killer workout. I don’t generally like group classes but didn’t feel self-​conscious. She corrects form discreetly and shows how to modify moves for all levels so everyone can participate for the duration.
Two days later, i’m sore but feeling stronger… it hurts so good.

I came to this studio for a Unilocal event. Not thinking anything of a «dancers» workout; I got my butt kicked by Paulina.
I did some research about a Barre work outs and figured, «Oh, this doesn’t seem too bad». I went about my business and worked out (legs) the day before so naturally I was sore from that. Then by the time we were half way done with our work-​out, my legs were shacking.
Paulina starts off very slow, you’re thinking «I got this» then it slowly starts kicking in. You dont think you’re moving much or doing anything crazy but then you start to feel small muscles and thats what barre is all about, working out your small muscles.
Paulina does a great job of projecting her voice, walking around and fixing form so you can really feel it.
The class consisted of a full body work out I would say. We started with some arm movements with weights. Here I am thinking, 3lbs, thats nothing, 5 minutes later I opted out for some 2lbs (so word to the wise, go with the lighter weights first). Then we did different leg movements, and we finalized with abs.
The studio, is pretty small. I presume its because you don’t really need that much space. Its you, your mat, weights and at some point holding onto the barre.
Overall, great workout with a great instructor.
Thanks JC Barre Studio, I’m walking funny today.

I love JC Barre! I first tried Barre in Hoboken last fall, and as much as I loved it, I am not going to schlep half an hour to work out (not that motivated, OK?).
I went to the rented space at Grassroots in November, and due to an unrelated injury, had to take a long break. I went to the new studio three times so far, and it’s fabulous. I love both the B3 class and the Boot Camp class. Boot Camp is almost like an amped up Pilates, so it’s not harsh and high impact and yelling and all that you might have experienced in other Boot Camp classes.
The prices have gone up since the move, but the space is way better and there are a ton more class times now. Keep an eye out for specials and for fundraising donation classes.

JC Barre Studio is a terrific addition to DTJC! The classes are great and leave you sore in the best way. The instructors are fantastic and really give each student the personal attention they need to make sure they are doing the moves correctly. I’ve recommended the studio to all my girlfriends and really look forward to the classes each week!