Barre & Soul – Boston (Harvard Square) — Local services in Cambridge

LOCATION: Inside The Garage off the ramp to the second floor. Easiest to enter through entrance off of JFK to the left of Tasty Burger; go up ramp on right side, turn right into the walkway to the front door.

SPACE: Small, one- or two-room studio (have never been in the smaller space for a class). Main studio has barres on the sides and back of the studio on the second floor with full sunlight. • Depending on instructors that day, the space is usually kept anywhere from 67-78°F (19-25°C). • Feel free to adjust blinds during your class sessions, if needed; no judgement will be given. • DO NOTE (front-facing) left side of studio with barre has a space that is not recommended for tall people (over 5'3") as you might hit your head and or your arms when on your toes and/or stretching overhead.

FACILITIES: Two gender neutral bathrooms (toilets with sink)

AMENITIES: • cubbies and a lockless locker available to store personal belongings in (*Note: bring your own lock, if you choose to lock, but relatively safe, so not really necessary so far) • water refill station (sometimes with cups) available next to bathrooms • all workout necessities provided as part of your class experience (i.e. weights, pilates ball, mini bands, mats, yoga blocks, straps, etc.) • bathrooms have helpful items inside to help keep you fresh during and after your workouts (i.e. dry shampoo, deodorant spray, tampons, pantyliners, hairties, etc.)

STAFF: • friendly, sometimes clique-y when there's a few of them there; they will ask your name to check you in and sometimes call you out by name during class to praise you

CLASSES (I usually do Vinyasa Yoga & Barre): Barre: There's Method and Express. Method takes things at a slower pace, with more instruction and focus on your form (instructor may come around and adjust your form). Express to me seems very rushed and sometimes I JUST understood what exercise we were doing before we switch to the next "choreography". Classes work on muscles in groups (upper body, abs, gluts/thighs) plus warm-up and cool-down. Yoga: instructors are often much more non-judgemental and offer options for variations for those of us who are less bendy

MOST of the time i don't feel like I'm dying from sore-ness after workouts despite how challenging they are. When I have, it's the unexpected small muscles that keeps my tendons flexy and/or not major muscle groups. Some sessions do get PACKED (especially yoga), so coming 10+ minutes early is recommended, if you want a good spot.

Warning • ESSENTIAL OILS are often used in the studio. Only peppermint is permitted in their diffuser, but different instructors may choose to use other ones during a yoga session • Some sessions include a "TOUCH" component; the few times I've experienced it it's only working the shoulders a bit while facing up during a yoga cool down or adjusting your posture to prevent injury during barre. You can opt out by letting the instructor know ahead of time (or during a session) or GENTLY swatting them away when they come around to you during yoga practice. • Oftentimes, classes start ON TIME and the front entrance will be locked before class begins (i.e. come early...

UPDATE (4/1): The owner of the studio reached out to me and explained how she plans to make Barre and Soul’s website more accessible so people know what to expect when attending classes. I do appreciate that so I’m adjusting my review. As of this writing they have not made those changes, but I look forward to seeing them come through.

As a disabled person I did not enjoy this environment. I am still very mobile on most days, but the fast paced nature was too much and extremely overwhelming and overstimulating. Barre and Soul needs to say on their website and in class descriptions how fast moving classes are, how loud the music is (like so loud you can’t hear the instructor). Class was super tight, lots of people. And while it wasn’t a “hot” yoga class it was still extremely warm. That should also be included in class descriptions. For a studio that says they try to stand with different marginalized groups, I did not...

Great studio! Teachers are wonderful and are very consistent. I never walk in thinking that one teacher is harder than another - you always get a great workout in Barre. The yoga is really great too and it's great to have both options. I love that the studio has a focus on empowerment rather than body obsession.

The only two small down sides are: bathroom configuration is limited so there are always lines to change and use the restrooms, and the teachers don't correct as much as they do in other studios. Sometimes I've looked around the room and people look like they have different body positions but the teachers don't always correct.

This is a great home studio with lots of locations and a varied...