Ballet barres are our lives here at Custom Barres. We hear a lot about fad workouts, but ballerinas have known the value of barre workouts for years. Many moves in the new barre workouts (which of course use a ballet barre) are based on classic ballet positions.

It’s no shocker that this workout was in fact developed by a ballerina herself. A German dancer named Lotte Berk was living in London. She had injured her back and came up with the idea of a barre workout in order to keep up with her conditioning and provide rehabilitation at the same time. Her first studio was opened in 1959 in the basement of her London home. Famous faces like Barbara Streisand and Joan Collins regularly came to participate in workouts in this hidden gem of a studio. In 1971, a woman named Lydia Bach brought the routine back to the United States where she opened a Lotte Berk Method studio right in New York City. Over time, new variations of the workout have developed. Eventually, so many variations were developed and experts created that the original studio closed its doors in NYC in 2005.

The barre workout trend has only continued to grow over the past decade. Barre has gone from a class for nimble dancers to becoming a fitness trend. Studios have appeared everywhere around the US to popping up in international locations.

From gifts for ballet lovers to everything you need to complete the barre workout, Custom Barres has what you need for a fun and fit workout. We even offer portable barres for a convenient workout anywhere you go! Our barres come in a variety of colors, styles and custom designs. Choose your make and material to match your studio or workout area. You’ll be on your way to a ballerina level of fitness in no time!