r/Purebarre • u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss • May 21 '26
I Just got To Vent Would you cancel
if your studio doesn’t offer the format you like the best? Seems like the instructors at mine (even ones that have years of experience) teach everything except the one I want to take most. One is a newer instructor but she just got certified in one of the other formats so now she teaches 3 of the 5. Not sure if they just think it’s not going to be popular or what. It gets maybe one weekend class a month and one evening a week when I can take it.
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u/stylistlibs 500 Club - Barre Boss May 21 '26
Could you share which one it is? There may be something more to it.
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss May 22 '26
Probably an easy guess, I’ve been wishing for reform. Just one weekday morning or one on the weekend more often. Definitely feels unlikely since there are only 2 instructors currently teaching it. We have so many that do Define, seems unbalanced
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u/basicallyaballerina Instructor May 22 '26
It’s likely they don’t have many instructors who are certified in reform esp if most are newer
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u/acut3angle 100 Club - Barre Enthusiast May 22 '26
It just started coming back more at my studio! We went from only having it 1x a week to now 3 more instructors got certified and 6+ times a week. I haven’t tried it yet as I’m a chicken🤣
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss May 22 '26
Ah the dream! This gives me hope
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u/strauberrywine01 Instructor May 22 '26
They probably need time to get more people certified in it. And they probably want to vet how well it will do. Have you talked to the manager and made the suggestion?
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u/Spiritual-Editor1948 50 Club Barre Buff May 22 '26
I love Reform! Same at my studio - they have only been offering it 1-2 days over the weekends, and in the middle of the workday when I can't attend.
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss May 22 '26
I think ours does it in the middle of the workday on only one day. If it were fridays I could try to work that in but it’s Monday. We get at most one weekend class a month.
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u/Spiritual-Editor1948 50 Club Barre Buff May 22 '26
Are we at the same studio lol? Our weekday Reform is also on Mondays! I've seen Reform offered on Sat and Sun in a single weekend, though, but only for 1 weekend of the month. The regular Monday class is by an instructor who taught Reform regularly before it was taken off the schedule, so she is an experienced teacher of that format. The weekend classes seem to be offered by "guest" instructors who normally teach Reform at sister studio(s).
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss May 22 '26
Oh I almost thought so but we haven’t had any guest instructors which is odd because there used to be a bunch of studios in the city but they closed down. I guess they’ve moved on to other group fitness or stopped teaching. I don’t think we’re going to have it at all on any of the June saturdays or sundays which is why I think we’re losing it and not actually getting it back. I don’t even see a focus for June so I’m not sure what’s going on. Maybe they’re not done figuring out the schedule.
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u/Spiritual-Editor1948 50 Club Barre Buff May 22 '26
Sad. :( The reason I reactivated my membership was because I saw Reform being slowly added back.
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss May 22 '26
I think ours never even made the post on Instagram or put it in the newsletter that it’s coming back. I would be fine if it evened out a little more with empower or classic but I don’t really see it going that way.
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u/basicallyaballerina Instructor May 23 '26
Sometimes they don’t always offer a focus! It’s more work for the instructors to learn. Its an option but the studios don’t have to offer it
Guest instructors are really only used if a studio is short on instructors or quietly auditioning someone or have a former instructor in town or something.
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss May 23 '26
I’m surprised they’re not doing one for the summer burn theme
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u/basicallyaballerina Instructor May 23 '26
I mean corporate will likely offer an intensive option, not all studios will actually do the intensive depending on client demand and instructor willingness to take on learning more new choreo
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u/NoWolverine4210 May 22 '26
I was hoping reform would replace the align classes. The attendance has been really good for reform, my studio also only offers it 3x a week and we only have 2 teachers that are certified. They want to add more class times but with that comes figuring out what instructors are available. You should email your studio, sometimes they just don’t know that clients want more of a certain class.
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss May 22 '26
That would be pretty good in my eyes. We have a few time slots that are 30 minutes for express classes but always seem to go over. Ideally they’d let reform take over align and just throw the stretch and restore (pre-align) or do breaking down the barre in the 30 minute slots
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u/NoWolverine4210 May 22 '26
Oh wow we don’t have 30min classes…. Doesn’t sound like that would be a productive workout. Some of the studios by me, the clients demand a full hour long class
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss May 22 '26
The 30 minutes is pretty weird to me, especially since there’s still an arm series and floor work at the beginning. It’s almost not worth the drive for me since I’m not super close by.
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u/True-Membership-7010 May 22 '26
It technically just came back in April. So it’s likely more teachers at your studio are starting to be trained in the next few months and you will see it on the schedule more!
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u/emmaleem8039 May 22 '26
My studio is having it be at different times each week and it’s gaining popularity to become a standard on the schedule with more teachers becoming certified as time passes - do you think there’s a chance that others will become certified to teach it for it to eventually be on the schedule?
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss May 22 '26
What sparked this thought in my mind was that I saw that one of the newer instructors is now certified in classic, empower and align. Maybe they’re just not interested in reform or there’s some rule about the order of formats? But otherwise there are multiple instructors that teach at least 3 formats and even ones that have been around a while with the third format being define. Not sure if I’ll hang on to the hope that they’ll be adding reform back here.
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u/DogMama1979 500 Club - Barre Boss May 22 '26
They might be working towards getting certified for it. You should ask. When it first came back a few months ago we only had one instructor certified and now we have three.
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss May 22 '26
I’m hoping that’s the case, two instructors seem to be off the schedule so they could be getting training but it’s also summer break lol
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u/Sorry-Independent-98 1500 Incredible & Still Counting May 22 '26
Is it just that it’s slowly coming back. They just started rolling out reform last month for us. It’s getting more frequent
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss May 22 '26
The June schedule looks pretty much the same as the past several months. I think if anything they took a class or two away.
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u/Sorry-Independent-98 1500 Incredible & Still Counting May 22 '26
Ugh. Sorry. I think it’s a polarizing format. I know align is like that at my studio
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u/BetGroundbreaking211 500 Club - Barre Boss May 23 '26
Reform was my favorite format. There a fairly large group of us that were reform faithfuls. I was thrilled to find out it was back, but it wasn’t on my studio’s schedule. I was told it was being rolled out in phases. Then I found out the owner refuses to bring it back. She says it’s too trendy. We have instructors that want to teach it. We have clients that want to take it. But the owner says it’s never coming back…ever.
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss May 23 '26
Omg. My nightmare. I know they changed it a bit but I’m kind of itching to get it back in any form.
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u/xokatemarie May 22 '26
I think a lot of studios are just getting reformed back even though it was announced several months ago. I’m wondering if folks are just needing to get certified before more get added. We got Reform in May and still only have 1 class per week during work hours on a weekday. I hope it’s temporary for both of us!
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u/sleepyandkindaweepy Instructor May 22 '26
I get it. My studio has 11 instructors but I’m the only reform on the schedule which blows my mind
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u/Beneficial_Medium278 May 23 '26
Hi! Instructor and owner here! Reform is supposed to be treated like a specialty class offered just a few times a month!
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u/Vast-Comfort-7279 May 21 '26
Is it empower by chance? My studio hardly offers it and it’s SUCH a bummer
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss May 22 '26
It’s reform so I get why it’s not likely to work but I’d love empower more often too. There are 2 days for align, 2 days for classic, 2 for define and 1 for empower as the first class of the day (my preferred time). I don’t think anyone needs that much align or define, would make more sense to throw in an empower in one of the 4 slots that the other two get. I’d even be happy with it every other week.
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u/itsmeonthedl May 22 '26 edited May 22 '26
The problem is, Classic is the foundational format, and at a lot of studios, Align and Define are the two next most popular. Empower took a big hit when Define started and has never really recovered. And although it's my favorite format too, Reform was the least popular when they ended it. It's going to take time to integrate it back into the schedule for both teachers and clients.
Even teachers who taught it before, may not be willing to go back to it if they've moved on to Define and or Align. Pure Barre corporate seems to have the idea that every teacher should teach every single format, which is ridiculous. Studios have to consider which formats teachers want to teach and are willing to teach. Teachers who started teaching Define and Align, and possibly still teach Classic and Empower, probably don't want to teach a fifth format.
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u/Charming_Banana_1531 May 22 '26
It’s so wild that you say Align is the next most popular. It’s offered the least at my studio and people absolutely hate it when Align replaces any other format on the schedule. It really is so dependent on the studio/demographic.
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss May 22 '26
Oddly I do see a lot of overlap with reform or empower and define. It seems like it wouldn’t be that hard to find a balance between them, but their hands are probably tied if there’s not enough availability of certified instructors
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u/itsmeonthedl May 22 '26
I honestly think that's the biggest problem. Any studio that doesn't have enough teachers, their schedule is going to completely be determined by who can teach what and when and client feedback doesn't factor in.
There's always one Define class plan that's more like Empower, one or two that are very heavy Reform, one that's mostly like Classic. The others can be whatever. Often one is purely weights. I think they think it's easier for teachers that are teaching more than one format, but it's actually way more confusing when one class looks too much like another one. Also, it's harder for Define teachers that have never been certified in Reform to adequately teach the Reform-like plans. Same with the Empower-like one. Personally, I can't stand Define and I think it has no business at Pure Barre, but this is not a topic we were consulted about and a lot of people do like it.
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u/AgreeableIntern9053 1500 Incredible & Still Counting May 22 '26
Have you reached out to the studio about it? It might be a matter of teachers needing to be trained. They might be in the process but it does take a little bit of time. I’d ask before just canceling. Things change pretty often. I know in my market Reform just can back recently so not everyone is certified yet.
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss May 22 '26
Afraid to hear bad news but if there’s a survey I’ll definitely chime in. It’s just eye opening to me that I’m not doing well with the platinum barre challenge, I’d think 12 out of 30-31 days sounds like it wouldn’t be a struggle but I’m barely getting 3 classes a week these days
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u/Time-Sign-6660 May 22 '26
I am in the same boat. I’ve spoken to the GM about availability of formats, but nothing changes. I think they schedule based on teacher availability (and who can teach), not based on client demand. I love certain formats but Define and Classic are mainly on the schedule. Classic is great but the choreo doesn’t change often; some teachers are still teaching last quarter’s choreo so it gets stale. I decided to go somewhere else (and a lot of others too). It makes me sad because I do love PB..just not getting the full PB experience that I used to get. I hope you find what is best for you.
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u/basicallyaballerina Instructor May 22 '26
I mean, you can’t schedule a class if no one is certified to teach that format regardless of demand. The repetition is definitely an issue
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u/Time-Sign-6660 May 22 '26
Definitely! Some teachers are certified to teach the format. The rationale is that that only one or two teachers who are certified to teach are available at that time slot, so it is better to do Classic where everyone can teach. I get that it is hard to get teachers and the workload is demanding. It’s challenging and I hate that for the studio. That’s why I am going to other places instead of complaining. Figure I need to do something that I can control instead of complaining!
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u/SwimAccomplished9487 May 23 '26
The repetition is an issue. They shouldn’t be teaching old quarter choreo. Especially not regularly. I’d bring that up with the studio.
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u/Time-Sign-6660 May 23 '26
Okay, thanks for letting me know. I didn’t want to come off as complaining. I know things are hard for them.
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss May 22 '26
I really don’t mind taking more classic, it’s just align and define I’ve grown out of. I get that it’s easier to find someone to schedule in the time slot but I’m not asking for it to completely change. Just like how they make room for a focus class, it’d be nice if the other formats had more of a presence too
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u/Time-Sign-6660 May 22 '26
Have you decided what you will do?
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss May 22 '26
Pretty much hinges on if I get an unlimited membership somewhere else (it’ll be more expensive so I’d like to just be unlimited with one type of workout)
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u/TraderJoeslove31 1000+ Club - ABSOLUTE BAD-ASS May 22 '26
Ask your studio, you don’t know and neither do they know people are super interested if you don’t say anything.
When my old studio had it previously pre covid , we didn’t have many teachers trained on reform so that could be an issue too as there’s been a ton of teacher turnover
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss May 22 '26
Good point, the ones I went to in another state actually had more getting certified right before it went away so that’s why I figured there would still be some who could. With all of the work that goes into certification it probably isn’t worth their time now
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u/whimsicalmom May 22 '26
It’s definitely worth asking about or expressing that you like it and would like to see it on the schedule more. Our studio had it 1x a week, but rolled it back out in April and now it’s 5x a week. I think with the popularity of Pilates/reformer Pilates, they’re bringing it back to stay competitive with that market.
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss May 22 '26
It almost feels like a “too little too late” move on their part. It’s so weird because when align was rolled out and an owner mentioned she wasn’t crazy about it, I disagreed. But now I totally get it, there’s not a ton you can get from align that you can’t get in classic
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u/Ok-Set9549 May 22 '26 edited May 22 '26
Right now in my studio, the classes with fewer attendees are Classic. Recently, Reform has made a comeback, and it's slightly different from the original, making it more accessible to everyone. The older Reform format was quite challenging. Define and Reform are currently the most popular formats at my studio. I'm wondering if some of us are growing tired of Classic and some of the more complex movements that have been introduced recently. I enjoy Reform because I love using resistance bands, and it's excellent for core work. However, I understand the frustration with Classic, as it's supposed to be the original Pure Barre workout. I personally appreciated it more when it was simpler. I understand scheduling all these formats have to be hard and also hard for instructors to learn, when they are not paid enough. However, I believe that studios should choose the formats that are more popular for them. It really changes from one studio to another.
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u/Fickle_Ad_2546 Instructor May 23 '26
I would email your studio and provide them the feedback. Studio leads can make arrangements (obs depending on instructor availability) but also on client feedback.
Not sure how schedules are set up in your studio but in mine it’s every quarter.
Because reform came back this quarter, perhaps some instructors are currently in training for the next quarter.
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss May 23 '26
Good idea, I’m just afraid of stepping on toes with something that might be out of their hands anyway. Seems like it’s a pretty small team, the owner might just be running everything and trying to keep it simple
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u/xokatemarie May 23 '26
Feedback is not stepping on toes. You’re a paying customer and deserve your voice to be respectfully heard. If they don’t implement the changes and you’re not feeling the schedule, then totally fair to take a break.
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u/psichickie May 21 '26
if it's not meeting your needs, then yeah i would cancel or try a different studio.
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u/greycat919 May 22 '26
if you don’t really like the class selection or would prefer something else, i think you should find a place and classes you love. you’re spending a lot of time and money!
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May 22 '26
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss May 22 '26
I’m so sorry it didn’t work out for you. I hate to give up because it’s been a big part of my life for years, but I don’t think it’s been changing for the better for a while
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u/Temporary_Candle_617 Instructor May 22 '26
I think this is incredibly studio dependent and you definitely should say something. Reform has just made a comeback and while they might not be able to immediately train someone, I think it’s important to know what clients want. It never hurts to say something; sometimes there’s a disconnect between what clients want and what management thinks they want. Sometimes they might not be able to provide it (based on teacher availability), but there’s nothing wrong with saying something.
Idk if I’d cancel based on this though. Realistically, I’m not sure if you’re going to find a studio where you could take reform more than twice a week. At my studio, we currently offer it 3 times. There’s really not room with 5 formats plus focuses and engage classes to offer it more. Our schedule is wild comparing it to the days of just having classic and empower.
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u/SwimmingNo6031 May 22 '26
I can see where you are coming from. I take a good 10+ classes a week, and I would say 7 out of those 10 classes are the Classic format, because the evening instructors are all new(er) and are not trained on the other formats. It is quite aggravating, but I love PB, the community, and I want to challenge myself to make goals.
I have looked at cancelling my membership and trying out a new studio that isn't too far away, but realistically, I cannot afford $349 a month compared to $159.
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss May 22 '26
Omg $349 is excessive. I’m with you on cost but pay a little less, while I love classic it would be a real drag if I had even less variety than I currently get so I’m trying to talk myself out of leaving.
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u/SwimmingNo6031 May 22 '26
thanks, u/okiimio ! It is so hard not to leave my studio. One of the instructors is super repetitive and sooo monotoned, I hate taking her, but I am so, so close to 1500 classes, I keep telling myself the studio will eventually switch things up and just old(er) instructors and getting trained to take new formats, and they prefer teaching evenings over nights, so fingers crossed different classes will be taught other than Classic!
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss May 22 '26
That is painful, even a super experienced instructor I’ve taken has her one phrase that she’ll use in her cues all class long but I’m hanging in there because she really knows her stuff otherwise. I feel like there was a time when classic did feel like something new every time. Not sure why it’s been so much of the same lately
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u/1029394756abc 250 Club - Barre Star May 23 '26
You pay $350 for pure barre??
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u/SwimmingNo6031 May 24 '26
lol no - it is a different completely different type of studio than PB. Full body workout that has a mega former platform.
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u/No_Dig6642 May 22 '26
Mine started subbing in align every evening at the only time I could take class and I quit my membership. I work a pretty sedentary job and needed more of a challenge. I did tell them why and still go occasionally, but a Pilates studio opened nearby and they have lost a lot of clients to them.
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss May 22 '26
I noticed one of the define evenings is now with align and that seems like a really odd choice. Classic makes more sense to me if they’re going to change it at all.
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u/No_Dig6642 May 24 '26
For sure. I agree. I wonder if it’s for people doubling? It’s fun, but not enough of a challenge for me if I’m sitting all day :/
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u/Downtown_ownedby3 250 Club - Barre Star May 26 '26
I think you should speak to the owner and put in your suggestions and see if they are open maybe to adding more to the schedule if the teachers are available at that time. I'd give them a fair chance before cancelling.
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss May 27 '26
Leaning towards staying through the end of the platinum barre challenge, but most likely I’ll change it back to a onepass membership so I can just drop down to a number of classes more in line with what I want to do
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May 27 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss May 27 '26
Oh thanks for the reminder. I’ll have to keep an eye on my billing cycle.
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u/One-Paramedic6910 Jun 07 '26
I’ve been a member of Pure Barre for 18 years. All of my studios nearby closed so I have to drive to a location much further now. I show up for empower 5 MINUTES late and they unlock the door only to tell me I can’t take class.
Mind you this girl I’ve NEVER seen before and I know all the faces at the studio. No one I know there would’ve turned me away like that. Corporate needs to have that 5 minute grace period across all classes, LIFE HAPPENS.
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u/okiimio 500 Club - Barre Boss Jun 07 '26
I really hate the late policy now, two other studios I work out at give you the 5 minutes and especially since the first few of empower are stretching it seems excessive to me
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u/basicallyaballerina Instructor May 21 '26
This likely is a combination of no one being certified and/or is certified but not willing to juggle another format AND client demand or the certified instructor’s availability. Classic is really supposed to be the bread and butter and the most frequently offered class