Barre Fitness Dunbar:
Raising the Barre on Fitness Story by Sarah Gordon
Photos submitted
Barre Fitness Dunbar is celebrating its first anniversary in September. This unique workout combines ballet barre, pilates, functional training, and stretching. With a variety of class formats and modifications for all levels, no two workouts are the same. Joèl Adrienne Amzil and Lani Brown are the owners of Barre Fitness Dunbar. They met in 2016 at a playgroup their toddlers attended. Joèl says, “We spent a fair bit of time together and talked a lot about what was next for us in our lives. For something extra to do together, we thought we’d try a fitness class or two and I introduced Lani to Barre Fitness Yaletown. She really liked it and we got the idea to open a studio together.” Physical fitness has always been important to the friends. Dance has been part of Joèl’s life for as long as she can remember; she began dancing at age two. She continued to dance 10
through her teens and took classes as an adult. Lani was a figure skater in her youth, and as a junior coach, she taught children how to skate. Barre Fitness is a Canadian franchise. Barre’s co-founder Ella Jotie and Barre headquarters trained Joèl and Lani. Lani says, “We are also finishing up our professional fitness certifications with the B.C. Recreation and Parks Association. I am doing Group Fitness and Joèl is doing Pilates.” Joèl explains how they chose Dunbar for their studio. “We lived near Queen Elizabeth Park for many years and my older daughter went to school in Kerrisdale. After I dropped her off in the mornings I’d sneak in a barre class in Dunbar and got to know and love the community,” she says.
September 1 - November 15, 2020
DunbarLife.com
