Announcing Our Be Well Philly Studio of the Month: Barre3 Rittenhouse

The owners of the downtown barre studio are taking their low-impact workout to Cherry Street Pier.


studio of the month barre3

Barre3 Rittenhouse is Be Well Philly’s May partner studio of the month for our free monthly pop-up workouts and membership program. / Photograph courtesy of Stephanie Maas

In Philly, it feels like everything transitions at once. The cherry blossoms started blooming at the same time the patio chairs came out right as the outdoor fitness events began showing up on calendars again. Yoga On The Pier and Center City Fit, for instance, have both kicked off their 2019 seasons already, and KG Strong’s Bok Rooftop Yoga comes back two Tuesdays a month starting May 14th.

Barre3 Philadelphia-Rittenhouse Square is one of the studios leading the charge to ensure Philly sees its fair share of free barre events in creative outdoor spaces, too. In the past, co-owners and mother-daughter team Stephanie Maas and Sandy Grimes have held classes at Cira Green, Bok Bar, Commerce Square, the Comcast Center Plaza, and the Logan hotel’s large lawn.

studio of the month barre3

Barre3 Rittenhouse’s recent event at Cira Green. / Photograph courtesy of Stephanie Maas

Maas says these events allow the two-year-old studio to grow its community but also make it possible for more Philadelphians to move their bodies. “We totally get that getting into the studio isn’t always the most realistic thing, whether it be time-related, financially related, what have you,” Maas says. “Being outside in the community is something that is feasible for most people.” “Of course,” she adds, “we encourage people to come in and experience an in-studio class, too, because that’s our bread and butter.”

Now you’ll have the opportunity to try both Barre3 Rittenhouse’s in-studio and pop-up formats, courtesy of Be Well Philly. This month, our free Be Well Philly Underground workout will feature a Barre3 class at Cherry Street Pier, the historic warehouse and shipping pier that the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation recently turned into a mixed-use space featuring art, food, and gardens. (Watch for the email announcing the date, the time, and more details in your inbox to snag your ticket; if you’re not already on our Underground email list, sign up here.)

 

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For all you Be Well Philly members: You do not have guaranteed spots in the Underground session, BUT, if you are able to grab a ticket and attend the workout, you’ll receive extra swag. (For $9 a month or $99 a year, Be Well Philly members receive a free class at our partner studio of the month, a 20 percent discount to Be Well Philly Boot Camp, a subscription to Philadelphia magazine, our custom-designed tote, and more. For additional details, go here.) You’ll also be able to redeem a free class at Barre3 Rittenhouse as part of your membership.

This touches on one of the best aspects of Barre3, according to Maas: It’s versatile enough that you can do it outside on a concrete pier, a grassy lawn, or a gleaming wood floor and reap the same benefits. That’s not intuitive; you’d think you’d need, at minimum, a ballet barre to execute the movements, and the studio version does incorporate additional accessories ranging from weights and core balls to resistance bands and sliding discs. But the format also involves plenty of cardio and basic movements that are transferable (think: crescent lunges, opposite arm and leg balances) to a lot of different settings.

You know we’re all about that adaptability, so bring on those modified movements — and let’s get sweating.

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