Best Practices: Scheduling and Planning Barre Classes For Your Studio

Operating a barre studio takes some careful planning and scheduling of classes. With barre workouts blowing up lately—that combo of ballet, Pilates, and yoga—we must focus on delivering some killer classes to keep our students returning for more.

When we're scheduling and planning barre classes, there are many things we should think about to give our clients the best experience possible: class size, location, instructor availability, cost—all those good details.

If we follow some words of wisdom on scheduling and planning, we can lead classes that are fun, safe, and super effective. This will help us build an amazing community of loyal barre babes who want to live in our studio!

Factors to Consider When Scheduling Barre Classes

Class size‍

One of the big things with scheduling is figuring out the right class size. Since barre uses little weights and small movements, too many students make fixing form hard and unsafe.

Most experts recommend keeping barre classes to 18-22 students, max. This gives everyone enough room at the barre for hands-on adjustments and space to move safely between stations. It also lets us give our students the individual attention they deserve!

For more challenging classes like Barre Burn or Barre Blast with bigger moves, go even smaller with 12-14 students. This gives everyone ample space to perform those more extensive sequences and complex choreography.

We should really watch class sizes and pay attention to the schedule, allowing our clients access to a safer, more personalized barre session.

Location‍

The actual studio space matters a lot for scheduling, too! Square footage, number of reformers, and barre space along the walls determine how many classes can happen safely.

Our studio needs enough room for students, equipment, and flow between stations. Smart scheduling prevents overcrowding, so classes run smoothly.

We also want to avoid too many high-motion classes like cardio barre back-to-back in a small space. It can be hard on the floors and wear out the studio. Scheduling in a stretch class or mat Pilates between more intense barre classes lets the studio breathe.

Having windows to open for airflow and fans for cooling is also helpful if leading intense classes. We want to keep clients comfortable and prevent overheating!

Instructor availability‍

Having fantastic, engaging instructors is so crucial for acing barre classes. When building the schedule, we must consider when our teachers can teach!

It's best to chat with instructors about their preferences and outside commitments. Scheduling teachers for too many classes in a row can lead to burnout, and we want to avoid pushing our team too far.

Having a diverse team of instructors means we can offer more specialty classes at times that work for students. Keeping our teachers happy, healthy, and well-rested means classes led by experienced pros!

We should collaborate with our instructors and collectively decide on schedules that work for everyone. This promotes an inclusive environment.

Cost‍

Pricing our classes well is important to keep the studio going strong financially! When setting prices, we should look at things like teacher rates, overhead costs like rent, and equipment expenses.

Barre classes usually cost $12-$30 per class, cheaper for multi-class packages. Boutique studios in cities charge higher rates than suburban spots based on rent costs.

Private barre sessions run $70-$100 per hour typically. Semi-privates for 2-3 people are around $40-60 per person. We can earn more revenue by having different class types and budget price points!

Offering student discounts, birthday specials, and referral rewards also helps attract new clients. But we still need to price appropriately to cover our expenses. Finding the right balance is key.

Strategies for Planning Barre Classes

Establish objectives‍

The starting point for planning great barre classes is setting class objectives. Before making the workout, instructors should decide:

• Class format: Strength, cardio, stretch, etc.
• Class level: Beginner, intermediate, advanced
• Class focus: Lower body, core, upper body, etc.
• Equipment needed: Weights, bands, balls, straps, etc.
• Timing of sequences: Warmup, workout, cooldown lengths

Having clear goals provides structure for the workout flow. Instructors can then design sequences that rock those objectives! Outlining the priorities ahead of time makes planning easier.

Develop a class outline‍

With goals set, instructors can map out the class sequencing:

• 5-10 minute thorough warmup: Light cardio and full body joint mobility
• 25-35 minute barre workout: Bodyweight and light resistance exercises
• 5-10 minute core sequence: Focused abdominal and back work
• 5-10 minute full body stretch: Static and dynamic movements

The workout section should have a balanced mix of upper body, lower body, seat, and abdominal exercises. Instructors can develop templates for different class formats that can be tweaked based on the class focus.

Programming the sequences thoughtfully helps students have a progressive, well-structured workout that flows smoothly from one section to the next. The class outline ties everything together!

Prepare resources‍

Having the proper resources prepared ahead of time is essential for seamless classes:

• Check all equipment like weights, resistance bands, balls, straps
• Curate motivating playlists that complement different training phases
• Arrange the space appropriately with mats, blocks, bolsters
• Review and rehearse the class choreography and sequences

Prepping all these resources reduces the chance for issues popping up mid-class! Instructors should also arrive early to handle any last-minute studio or equipment needs.

Communicate with students‍

Clear communication with barre students before and during class leads to more successful sessions:

• Provide class details ahead of time like objectives, format, necessary equipment
• Give recommendations on attire, shoes, what to bring, etc.
• Actively correct form, offer modifications, prevent injury during class
• Offer encouragement and motivation to clients throughout the workout

Giving students insights into what to expect allows them to prepare both physically and mentally. Fostering this communication keeps clients comfortable, motivated, and safe during the workout!

Conclusion‍

With smart scheduling and planning, we can lead safe, fun barre classes that our students love! Considering size, location, instructors, and pricing lets us optimize class offerings. Setting objectives, detailed outlines, prepped resources, and communication leads to amazing class plans. Using these tips can help us keep building our community of devoted barre babes!