Local community is the special ingredient that turns a city into a home base. We’ve always prioritized celebrating local businesses in the cities we operate, and now more than ever with the recent developments of COVID-19, we want to recognize the individuals and businesses that cultivate community in the cities they are in!
Keep reading for an insightful look at how SHAKTIBARRE’s founder, Corinne Wainer, in NYC is making barre and yoga accessible to all with an inclusive and empowering environment. To donate to their recovery fund during COVID-19, head over to their fundraising page or take a look at our NYC homes to book a virtual tour.
Hi Corinne! SHAKTIBARRE is definitely a counter-cultural concept in the boutique fitness world. How are you making movement and studio fitness accessible to a wider audience?
As much as I love barre classes, I was floored when I learned that a majority of the boutique fitness is white women, and almost half of these individuals make over 50k a year! I knew that there was a need for a fitness studio that would offer quality fitness classes at an affordable price and in an inclusive environment for individuals from all backgrounds, ethnicities, and identities.
From the beginning, SHAKTIBARRE has focused on always having mindful and motivational messaging so that certain body types or backgrounds are not excluded. We offer a sliding scale price program so that varying levels of income can feel welcomed at our studio! Even at our highest price point, we are proud that our classes are on average $13 below the average boutique price range for our area. While this is a no-brainer for us, it is definitely a revolutionary concept in the boutique fitness industry.
How has the SHAKTIBARRE team adapted during COVID-19 restrictions?
At the beginning of the stay-at-home order in NYC, we tried to keep as many classes available as we could through video live streaming. However, due to decreased attendance, we’ve had to cut down our classes to only 4 live streams a day. While this isn’t our ideal schedule, we’re still so happy to be able to offer barre, HIIT, yoga, core, and mindfulness classes to those that need it. As a team, we’ve focused on recovering emotionally as well and strategizing where we want our brand to go in the future to be even more accessible to others.
Since we’ve not been able to receive government funding, our community has rallied to raise funds to save our studio! We’re fundraising to safely reopen our physical studios someday, as well as launch an app we already had planned with Vimeo. With these two approaches, we’ll be better protected for possible future quarantines, too. If anyone wants to help us rebuild SHAKTIBARRE to continue to offer effective, compassionate, and affordable classes to all types of people, they can find us here.
What’re your top tips for taking care of physical and mental health during this time?
I love to tell my students that it’s only a 5-second-decision. It only takes a few seconds to make a decision to prioritize your future self, and when you wait for more than 5 seconds, just get up and do something! Getting your body moving in some way you enjoy is so much more fun than just sitting on your couch deciding what to do.
These are my favorite 5 tips to help get you moving and motivated!
- Remember to choose yourself. Listen to your body and ask yourself what you need to feel your best.
- Plan in advance (if you can). A lot of our anxiety can stem from a lack of plan or structure. Even if it’s just a daily walk, scheduling movement in your day can help you prioritize movement without much effort in the moment.
- Try a community fitness challenge! If you’re motivated by accomplishing goals in a group setting, you can try our 6-week fitness challenge with our virtual community.
- Go outside! If you can get outside in a safe and socially-distanced manner, spending time in fresh air and nature can do wonders for your mental health and help you stay present.
- Prioritize mental stillness. Some of us have more time to be still and reflect, while others are overwhelmed with a jam-packed new routine. No matter where you find yourself, set aside at least 5 minutes a day to quiet your mind and refocus on being grateful for the things that you do have at this time.
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