Barre Classes in Iowa City
Ballet-inspired barre that blends Pilates, strength, and grace, scaled to every body. Low-impact, expert-led classes in our woman-owned Iowa City studio.
Start with an Orientation Book a Class
Ballet-inspired barre that blends Pilates, strength, and grace, scaled to every body. Low-impact, expert-led classes in our woman-owned Iowa City studio.
Start with an Orientation Book a ClassOur barre is built for real bodies, not just dancers. Small, controlled movements at the barre tone and strengthen from head to toe while staying gentle on your joints. You do not need ballet experience, flexibility, or a certain fitness level to begin, just a willingness to start where you are.
Full-body tone
Long, lean strength from head to toe.
Better posture
A stronger core and a taller, aligned stance.
Balance and control
Steadier, more confident everyday movement.
Low-impact
Real results without pounding your joints.
Barre at Serenity brings together three disciplines in one low-impact class, the precision of ballet, the core focus of Pilates, and light strength work. Using the barre for support, you move through small, deliberate motions that fatigue and tone the muscles everyday workouts tend to miss.
Every class is kept small and scaled to you, so beginners and seasoned movers work side by side at their own level. No dance background required, and modifications are always on offer.
See Barre Class TimesYour first visit is a relaxed, one-on-one new-student orientation for $35, so we can learn your goals and any limitations before your first class. We will walk you through the moves, the modifications, and how to get the most from every session. Beginners always welcome.
Curious what a barre class actually looks like? Take a look inside a real class at our Iowa City studio, the pace, the energy, and the kind of guidance you will get from your very first class.
Movements are modified to your level and any limitations, so barre works for real bodies, not just dancers.
You get personal, hands-on attention at the barre, never lost in a crowded, fast-paced room.
Marcie blends Pilates, strength, and movement science into every class she leads.
Marcie has been teaching mind-body fitness and wellness since 1999, after coming through a 25-year battle with autoimmune disease. Her specialty is helping clients build new strength, flexibility, and neural pathways that lead to pain-free movement, and making sure that movement carries into daily life, sports, work, and the activities they love.
Her students range from age 13 to 100 and include stroke and cancer survivors, autoimmune patients, and amateur and professional athletes. As the only Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) in Iowa City, Marcie brings a depth of training few studios can match.
Marcie Evans, MA, ACSM EP-C, C-IAYT, E-RYT, BCES · Certified Yoga Therapist
Read Marcie's Full StoryNew to barre, or new to Serenity? Here is what most people want to know before their first class.
Yes, and most of our students start with no dance background at all. Barre is built for beginners, every movement has a modification, and the barre itself is there for support and balance. No one is watching or judging where you are starting from.
Barre is a low-impact class that blends ballet, Pilates, and light strength work. You use the barre for support while moving through small, controlled motions, often with light weights or bands, to tone and strengthen the whole body and improve posture.
Yes. Barre is designed to be joint-friendly, with controlled movements and no jumping or pounding. It is a popular way to build strength and tone for people who want results without high-impact exercise.
Start with a $35 new-student orientation, a relaxed one-on-one session where we learn your goals and any limitations and introduce you to the basics. You can book your orientation online anytime.
Wear comfortable, fitted clothing you can move in, and grippy socks, since barre is done in socks rather than shoes. We have a pair available if you need them. Appointments are required, so booking ahead makes sure there is a spot ready for you.
Whether barre is brand new to you or a long-time favorite, there is a spot at the barre with your name on it. Start with a $35 new-student orientation at our Iowa City studio, serving Coralville, North Liberty, Solon, and West Branch.
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