VERO BEACH – Beachside residents can now tap into the best workout in town without leaving the barrier island. Barre Fusion (formerly the Barre Method in downtown Vero Beach) is now offered at Riverside Children’s Theatre and continues to raise the bar on fitness with an intensely paced, non-impact program that sculpts the entire body.
Through a sponsorship arrangement with RCT, Instructor Joanna Adamson says the class also supports upcoming theater productions, including Rapunzel and Me: The Muzical in March/April and Winnie the Pooh in June. Adamson says, “The 50-year-old practice is widely popular among savvy fitness enthusiasts in larger cities nationwide, and I’m thrilled to make it available to our community at a great new location while supporting the theater’s productions.”
Originally a blend of ballet conditioning and physical therapy, Barre Fusion has evolved over time into a total-body regimen that combines unique strengthening exercises for the arms, legs and seat, with core conditioning and yoga stretches that produce dancer-like qualities such as power, grace, flexibility and stamina. It has earned rave reviews in many publications including People, Self and Health magazines and has attracted a following of film and television personalities such as Drew Barrymore and Kelly Ripa.
The 70-minute classes are offered Tuesdays at 9:15 a.m. and Thursdays at 11:15 a.m. Barre Fusion offers Vero Beach’s fitness enthusiasts and novices a fresh perspective on familiar principles of strength, flexibility, posture, balance and range of motion. However, Adamson points out, “You are going to get a more rigorous workout and achieve a higher level of fitness that you would from the average yoga or Pilates class.”
Students represent a wide range of fitness levels and accommodations are made for previous injuries and other limitations. Many students find that commitment to the classes can rehabilitate nagging physical challenges. Longtime runner Lisa Buell says, “Barre Fusion has actually made me a better runner. I can increase flexibility, balance and strength in between runs, which has reduced injury potential and improved my overall fitness.”
Unlike boot camps and other workouts, Barre Fusion adjusts to individual fitness levels, and students are challenged to establish their own fitness goals. “Barre Fusion is very challenging, but can be learned at the individual’s own pace. Within weeks students find that they are changing their bodies and reaching goals they never thought possible,” Adamson said.
Adamson was trained and certified to teach the method (formerly the Lotte Berk Method) by Burr Leonard in Connecticut and has been teaching for more than a decade.
Classes are now underway and space is limited. Students are asked to bring a yoga mat and small hand weights. Reservations are not accepted in advance, and the cost is $12 per class or $100 for a 10-punch card. For more information contact Joanna Adamson at (772) 584-0324 or jomichael@comcast.net.
