Avant-Barre

I didn’t know what to expect but after on-​top-​of-​your-​toes squats I left barely able to walk and my thighs were on fire.
Oh, and the ab work will introduce you to muscles you didn’t know existed.
The workout is hard!
The muscle shake is real!
Five Stars!

I come here through ClassPass and I’m so glad I found this studio! The staff is super friendly and the studio is clean. I love how this barre class also incorporates cardio within it. I feel as if I’m truly getting a full body workout! I’ve only taken Cat’s classes and she’s great. I especially love how she takes the time to correct postures or movements during class do you get the most out of your workout. I highly recommend taking a class here.

Absolutely loved Avant-​Barre when I tried it out initially, but I wish they had another location in the city! I moved out of soma (thank god), so unfortunately this isn’t convenient for me anymore.
The studio is very clean, the instructors are knowledgable, and I got a great workout. If this works out for you then give it a shot!

Love the energizing and mindful vibes. One of my favorite barre classes, and had their own unique

This review has been long coming and well deserved. I was a regular attendee at classes at this studio. I only stopped when I moved cross country. I lost 10lbs doing Barre and making some healthy lifestyle changes. I was never the thinnest or fittest in class, but the instructors were always so nice and encouraging. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your help.

I’m a very active person who plays soccer regularly and love boot camps so I’m always skeptical about taking barre classes since I feel I may get bored with the slower pace (since yoga isn’t my forte). Buuut… I love Avante-​Barre.
The studio is in a great location and it’s clean and inviting. The staff are helpful and courteous and the instructor I had (Nini) was great.
My favorite part about the class was the music. It keeps you engaged and makes the class fun. Since this was my first time taking the class I was nervous I wouldn’t be able to follow but Nini was great with her instructions and making sure everyone did the moves correctly. I knew I was getting a great workout when my legs started shaking. What I also loved about the class is you did the moves long enough where it was difficult but then the instructor would change it up before you lost interest. They even incorporated a little cardio routine.
Take this class if you want a challenge in a fun environment!

I like how avante-​barre prepares everything for you — no socks required, matts are ready for you. You just have to walk in and exercise. This barre class is not like the more traditional barre classes (dailey method & the bar method) It’s more of a fusion between barre, yoga, and some cardio.

I took my first class here today through ClassPass and wasn’t sure what to expect; I’ve taken classes at Equinox and at the Dailey Method (which I love) but I knew this would have a greater emphasis on ballet moves and ballet form (which I don’t know much about).
The instructor, Tiffany, made sure to demonstrate the moves and even came next to me to do them when I was getting lost. She also took the time to learn everyone’s name, which was such a good touch because she used it to cheer us on and encourage us when we were doing something correctly. Overall, it was a super great full-​body workout. The moves were challenging but I didn’t experience the muscle fatigue that I usually do when I take class at The Dailey Method. I think this was because we seemed to move fast and usually moved on at the point where I started to shake or have my muscles quit on me.
I didn’t expect the «cardio» portion, but it turned out okay. Essentially, it was a few sets of squats, followed by burpee/​forearm plank-​thingies. It was hard but manageable. Also, I tracked the workout using my Apple Watch (just like another reviewer) and it told me that I burned 600 calories. Take that with a grain of salt, I guess!
The studio is very nice and is accessible via the N train. I’ll be back!

I have a dance and ballet background, so I’m naturally a barre snob. Thus, it is worth mentioning that I absolutely, 100% support this place.
I went in for my first class with Nini, the owner, and she made sure she gave directions and critiques while addressing me by my name, which in my opinion is great client service.
This place seems to place a higher emphasis on proper form and alignment, which makes me happy. I cringe at the incorrect dogma taught at other barre studios.
Also, this is more fun than most barre classes. The energy is great, and the encouraging atmosphere is positive and nurturing.
I really loved Nini’s attitude and look forward to more classes with her. I also can’t wait to take some more class with Tiffany!

Took a class with Nini. She is a really motivating instructor that gently encourages you to try harder. The music is really fun and keeps the mood light. More hip hop please! I was sore for at least two days! Also, no need to bring socks if you are okay with going barefoot.
Even though I came on a Saturday (giant’s game day) I was still able to find parking really close to the studio.
Overall the studio is really modern and clean. If you need deodorant or dry shampoo, look in the «desk drawers» in the make up area.

I purchased the one month unlimited and went to 12 classes with different instructors. I enjoyed the studio and thought everyone I met was really nice. As a background, I went to Pure Barre in Chicago before I moved to San Francisco. This will largely be a compare/​contrast between my two experiences and I hope it’s helpful to some of you.
POSITIVES
Everyone was really nice.
I had a lot of trouble with my hip flexors in Pure Barre and I never had trouble in Avant Barre, so that’s a really good positive.
I also liked how the instructors learned my name before each and every class. The Pure Barre instructors would wait 4 or 5 classes to make sure you they were actually going to see you again before they invested in learning your name
I really like that this is a local business. Pure Barre is obviously a chain and has much more time and resources to perfect the class. So I totally understand and appreciate the amount of work that goes into creating a studio. I don’t mean for this feedback to be overly negative.
NEGATIVES
Overall, I didn’t think that the classes were hard enough. According to my Apple Watch, I would burn a minimum of 450 calories in Pure Barre and sometimes up to 600. At Avant-​Barre, I literally never broke 300, I usually hovered right at 280 calories. Now that doesn’t mean I could perfectly do all of the exercises or finish all the reps or take the harder versions of things, but I couldn’t do those things at Pure Barre either and I still burned more calories. I also took classes for about 10 days straight and I wasn’t even sore between classes.
I think the arms workout is much better at Pure Barre. I am also not so sure that all of the plies and releves were as effective as other exercises. Finally, if I never do another burpee in my life it will be too soon. That’s just one exercise I hate. Not because it’s too hard, I love hard exercises. I just really hate doing burpees. Barre class also seems like such an odd place to be doing a burpee — isn’t it all about feeling elegant and lengthened? I certainly don’t feel that way doing burpees.
At Pure Barre, the instructor would generally put the microphone off to the side when they corrected my exercises. As a shy person, I appreciated that. I know in my head there’s nothing wrong with needing to be corrected, but shy people get embarrassed easily. If a correction would be helpful for the whole class to hear, the instructor would walk away and speak about it more generally, not directed at any one person.
Parking is really hit or miss. I would give myself 20 minutes to find parking. Sometimes I’d get to class 15 minutes early, and sometimes I’d be late to class. It was annoying because it was so hard to predict. Make absolutely sure you don’t sign up for a class when there’s a Giants game. Meters are hard to come by and $ 7.25 an hour on those days. This studio is probably best for people who are going to walk or take public transit.
Ultimately, I won’t be going back to this studio because it’s hard for me to get to (driving is the only option and parking sucks), and because the class wasn’t quite hard enough to keep me interested. I encourage others who are nearby to try it out, though! It seems like the rest of the Unilocal population enjoys it so I am in the minority.

As someone who is normally pretty active, this was a very refreshing workout as it was my first time doing barre. My instructor was Luisa and she was excellent, I HIGHLY recommend her if it’s your first time. Her workout was definitely challenging, however it flowed together very well where I never felt like I was never standing around at any point but I wasn’t overworked to the point of death either. She speaks very clearly, uses everyone’s name, and makes it a point to correct your form.
The class is a good size too, not overly packed but you don’t feel singled out either. Best bodyweight workout I’ve ever had!

Choose Avant-​Barre, definitely 100%, ten-​out-​of-​ten would feel sore and want for return for more!
Prior to attending classes here, I’ve dappled in barre but mostly took kickboxing and pilates for fitness classes. However, after taking a bunch of classes at Avant-​Barre with (I think?) almost all of the instructors, I whole-​heartedly recommend it for anyone interested in barre, group fitness, or any type of fitness regiment in general.
The other barre classes I’d been to somewhat ignored personal form and often moved either too quickly to ensure proper form or too slowly, therefore resulting in general boredom and not enough sweat. Classes here are paced perfectly to allow for enough concentration on form while keeping things moving and not targeting a certain muscle group for too long (by too long, I mean that you could be close to injuring something important like your back to keep up… that said, you’ll definitely FEEL IT in your muscles while performing exercises and be SORE the next day or two). There’s also a cardio portion in each class that you can really take advantage of to get your heart rate up.
Not only that, but the instructors are kind and remember you and aren’t just trying to churn you out of the studio or anything (as I’ve unfortunately experienced at other studios in the city). It’s also immaculately clean (mats are cleaned after every class by instructors) and nicely ventilated (not too warm or too cold).
For sure recommend to any and all.

I have had the pleasure of going to Avant-​Barre three times over a span of 2 weeks. As someone who works for a company whose mission revolves around health and wellness I have been making efforts to be an active participant in my own physical and mental health (insert Avant-​Barre here). I wasn’t quite sure what was in-​store for me. I’d taken ballet for a few months last year (which gave me a newfound respect for ballerinas), and I do cardio at the gym so I thought at the very least I would be OK. Um, yeah, so about that (LOL), the first class kicked my butt and I say that with the most awesome intention, hence the 5 stars. I was incredibly sore for 2 whole days after my first session. But with the 2^nd and 3^rd visit, I was less sore each time.
The 55 minute session was about form, breathing, focus, muscles I forgot I had, hard work, inspiration and of course reward. It feels incredibly rewarding to work hard for 55 minutes and focus on one thing; MYSELF. The class is a good size so you don’t feel overwhelmed and intimidated. The space is clean and is the perfect size. And the staff is so warm and welcoming. I really appreciate that they make a point to know your name so when you need a little guidance or encouragement during the session you feel like a good friend is just looking out for you or cheering you on.
Will I continue to go, yes! Is it a little pricey? Maybe, but then I think about what folks pay for other places: Soul Cycle, Barry’s, etc… and realize the price per class is pretty reasonable.
Hope this helps anyone entertaining giving it a whirl. I say try it, go with a friend or two and then go from there. It’s what I did, and I keep coming back :)

Things to Know:
— Street parking. Took the 4pm (Monday) class and around around 345pm and there was ample metered street parking. It’s 2.5 per hour (maybe different if there’s a Giants game)
— Towels supplied
— Mats supplied
— Socks are optional
The room for the class itself is small, but is optimized for it’s use. The instructor, Tiffany for the Signature class was excellent! She was calm, encouraging and fun. She has a very mellow voice and shows you the moves prior to switching to the next transition.
The class is different than the traditional barre class that focuses on small pulses. This one incorporates some light cardio and fuller movements followed by pulses, which is nice to get a range. It also does incorporate elements of dance as well. No weights were used for this class (not sure if they ever use weights or not), but we did do a lot of arm work outs using our body weight (push ups, etc).
Overall, this was a great class taught by a great instructor and I’m looking forward to more!

I’ve taken barre classes at Pure Barre in Burlingame and working out at home with Beachbody home videos so I wanted to try something new to change it up.
When I attended my first class one Saturday morning, the ladies greeted me at the door (like Pure Barre) and then gave me quick overview of where to put my things, restroom, and where towels are. They recommended me to take a front mat since it was my first class.
Nini taught the class and I liked how she knew all our names and corrected each of us by name. For example, she would come over to me and say, «Aura, raise your leg like this.» Having my name said was definitely a personal touch. I liked that the barre was used for stretching and leg work, not just to hold on to. I also liked that no other equipment was involved. Another thing I liked at Avant-​Barre was that different dance moves were incorporated (even if I didn’t take dance, I heard or have seen these movements). Lastly, I liked the music. Yes, I love hip hop and I love hip hop music and coming in and working out to it was a plus for me.
I just wish they had a location closer to South City because I’d go more often. But when I have a free Saturday morning I will drive the 20 minutes for this barre class. That’s how amazing it is!

Do you hate barre class? Do you have any aches and pains and are nervous to try Avant-​Barre? You need to check this place out. It will change your entire perspective of a barre class. As a former ballet dancer and now a Pilates studio owner it is so hard to walk into a barre class and not want to fix everyone’s form let alone wonder why everyone is pulsing a body part because I have never done that in my ballet training. How is barre class related to ballet???
Nini nails in!!! I came with a friend who told me I needed to check this studio out and I was super hesitant because of my past experiences with Bar Method and Daily Method. This class was perfect, I am literally counting the days down to my next class.
Nini talks about how you want your spine to be in a neutral position and gives modifications on all levels. Making sure everyone in the class is getting the workout they need and keeping your back and hips safe. AND WAIT… FULL RANGE OF MOTION, NO PULSES! Yes that is how the body is suppose to move. Not only have I found a great new workout that I can enjoy on my day off, but the space is adorable. Extremely efficient just like the class. Can’t wait to be back and for everyone reading this sign up for your first amazing barre class with Nini.

This place was stellar and I want to give it 4.5 stars instead of 4, but Unilocal doesn’t let me :/
I showed up earlier than even I expected for my first class since I was just coming from work, and I was greeted with smiles and casual chatter from the front desk staff. They were organized and well-​informed on the studio classes/​details (sometimes I come across issues at other places), and generally friendly.
The non-​classroom part of the studio is a bit small, but takes advantage of the space it has. There’s a small lounge area, restroom, and shelves to store your belongings during class. There are no secure lockers, but I was informed at the front desk that there is always someone sitting out front, so you don’t need to worry about random people coming in or anything.
The classroom part of the studio is a pretty good size, with mirrors along two walls. The mats were set up before the students walked in, which is good since you don’t have to worry about spacing yourselves out since it’s already set up like that. It would’ve been nice if they wiped the mats down after the last class though (or maybe the one mat I used was perhaps the one student who didn’t wipe it: S). Also, the spot I had was missing one of those flexi-​band things, so I had to awkwardly get mine in the middle of the class.
The classroom has some load-​bearing pillars in the middle, which was a bit annoying since it was sometimes hard to see what the next movement was.
The teacher was really nice and I noticed that she looked at the student list prior to class beginning (or something like that) since she knew everyone’s name. That was a nice personal touch that I really liked; also helps you to know when she’s talking to you: P
The class was fast-​paced which a bit daunting as my first class, but it ended up cycling through some of the same movements, so it was easier to get a hang of as the class went on.
Generally, I really liked it and hope to go back soon, and hopefully bump this place up to a 5-​star rating with more experience here

I’ve taken a few barre classes around SF — CardioBarre, Dailey Method, Pop Physique, and Bootie Barre (Mint Studios), and this one is probably one of the best ones I’ve tried.
Some of the other studios seem to have instructors that are robot-​like (tuck, tuck, 1 inch down, 1 inch up) — if you’ve been to other studios, you’ll know what I’m talking about. (ahem, Dailey Method). Or they try to cram as many people into one room as possible so that you’re at risk of punching someone or kicking someone in the face. Or you’re flailing around like 5-​years old at a ballet class (ahem, Cardio Barre). But anyways, I digress. Here are the reasons I like Avant-​Barre:
— I actually feel like I get a decent workout here. I’m not dripping in sweat like Barry’s Bootcamp, but I do get a light sweat and it’s challenging.
— The instructors are knowledgable and correct your technique. It’s nice that they remember your name so that they can encourage or correct you.
— Parking is plentiful for morning weekend classes.
— The studio is not overly crowded and each person has their own spot at the barre, so nobody crowds you in at the last moment.
— Clean, open and lots of sunlight for the morning classes
— Good music
— Someone does the cleanup and setup for you
— The workouts don’t seem completely the same every time I go, which is nice because I like variety.
All in all, a great workout, nice studio and good instructors. I came via ClassPass and have come several times and referred friends here. If you’re a fan of barre classes, make sure to check this studio out. It’s not as highly known as Bar Method or Dailey Method, but I think it’s better.

I’ve tried a range of barre classes at different studios in SF, ranging from the exacting tiny movements and constant reminders to «grip» or «tuck» at Bar Method to the «pretend you’re in a high school musical» classes where you flail around without guidance at Cardio Barre. Avant-​Barre falls nicely in the middle of the spectrum for me.
The instructors learn students’ names and go around the room providing helpful corrections without being mean. All the instructors seem pretty consistent, which is good. (At other studios, I often find myself either avoiding or trying to schedule classes with specific instructors.) The classes have enough variety to keep me from feeling bored. The music matches the workouts without being excessively loud or obnoxious.
Other Notes:
— Weights and balls are not used during the workouts
— Socks are optional
— Setup and cleanup are taken care of for you
— No showers
— Bathroom, curtained stalls for changing, and a vanity area with a mirror
— Free bottled water (I haven’t seen any in a while, but there used to be!)
— Free towels
— Hardwood floors, thick mats, well-​ventilated studio
— Parking is generally plentiful in the area