I created Barre & Be because I wanted movement to do more than change the way our bodies look. I wanted movement to help us feel at home inside of them. For years, as a Division I Track & Field athlete, I understood fitness through the lens of performance: get stronger, push harder, improve your body, reach the next level. And while physical strength mattered, I eventually realized there was another part of wellness I had never really been taught to address: the mental and emotional relationship I had with my body. My collegiate track career ended early because of an eating disorder. Through recovery, I began to understand that the struggle wasn’t solely about my body. I was carrying a broken relationship with myself mentally and emotionally, and my body became the place where that pain showed up. In 2018, I was introduced to mindful movement, and it completely changed the way I related to fitness. Movement stopped being something I used to control, punish, or constantly improve my body, and became a way to listen to it, reconnect with it, and care for myself from the inside out. That shift is a huge part of why I created Barre & Be. Sometimes we don’t need another workout simply to “tone” or “burn.” Sometimes we need effective movement that helps us feel grounded when life feels scattered, awake when we feel disconnected, clear when our minds feel foggy, softer when we’ve been holding too much, or able to release what our bodies have been carrying. That’s why Barre & Be brings together MOVE, BREATHE, and BE. The movement strengthens the body. The breath helps us regulate and reconnect. The reflection helps us carry the practice into our actual lives. As result, we show up stronger and more present both on and off the mat. Because I don’t believe wellness should require us to check out of ourselves in order to get results.