BY EMILY WILSON



A stroll down King Street is like walking through an obstacle course, complete with headphone-wearing runners and spandex-sporting yogis. The newest addition to this wellness-minded community is Pure Barre exercise studio. This intense, total body workout is not for the faint-hearted. After only 15 minutes in my first class, I called it quits.
     The franchise that emerged in Birmingham, Mich., opened in Mount Pleasant more than a year ago, and this January, it opened a second location on Market Street. 

     As its name suggests, Pure Barre uses a ballet barre, motivating music and small isometric movements to tone thighs, abs and arms. Dancer, choreographer and Pure Barre founder Carrie Rezabek Dorr designed the workout to reach the areas of the body that most women struggle to keep in shape.

     Dorr, whose business is now in 33 states, continues to play an important role. According to downtown Pure Barre teacher and former Rockette Andrea Szember, Dorr creates the music playlists for each class.

     Szember is passionate about the recent addition to the peninsula. “I really believe in it as a workout. It’s low impact, not intimidating and you get the mind-body connection you get from yoga without having to lay in shavasana for 30 minutes.”

     The similarities to yoga stop there, though. Check out this fast-paced workout phenomenon to challenge your mind and body. If you stick with it, unlike me, you’ll see results.

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