Andrea Rogers is the creator of Xtend Barre, Openfit’s at-home barre workout combining the benefits of Pilates with ballet and high energy cardio. She tells us about how her background and how it can get you fit.
Firstly tell us a bit about your background in fitness.
‘I began dancing at the age of three years old and haven’t stopped since. After dancing professionally and graduating from college I found myself in uncharted waters as I sought to navigate how to marry my passion for movement with another passion of mine, entrepreneurship. I initially became a Comprehensive Classical Pilates instructor which opened a pivotal door for me to eventually develop Xtend Barre.
‘My first job as a professional dancer was working with Disney as a “Principal Dancer” on its cruise ship. I was 19 years old and traveling the world while working with some of the most talented performers; I was living a dream life doing what I absolutely loved to do. I continued to perform, working as a back-up dancer for artists, touring, and loving every second of the journey. These opportunities afforded me a solid vision for my future and set the tone for my future career… I knew the perfect equation for my personal success would be to uncover the intersection of what fueled my creative side and also fed my soul while making a significant impact on people’s lives.
Tell us about Xtend Barre. What gave you the idea for it and how would you describe it to our readers?
Movement has been my passion since I was a young girl, I feel a fullness of energy and completeness of life when I am in the studio dancing and creating. I created Xtend Barre to unite my passions of dance and Pilates, which resulted in the creation of one of the most effective workouts that is effective for bodies of all ages, backgrounds and fitness levels.
So what is it exactly?
Xtend Barre combines classical Pilates movements with ballet and high energy cardio to deliver a workout that tones, strengthens and lengthens the body. It’s a workout that engages your whole body and helps you to develop long and lean muscles, increases your flexibility, encourages healthy emotional and mental health, and improves your posture and body alignment. In my opinion, the best part is you don’t need any dance experience – everyone, no matter your age or your fitness level, will benefit from a Xtend Barre workout! There is also something extremely special about working out alongside of a community of people – being united in a group motivating and empowering each other each day to ‘press play’.
Fitness crazes can come and go. Why will Xtend Barre be here to stay?
First and foremost, our programming stands out among the rest. There is no other barre program that combines the grace of Pilates/Ballet and the creative athleticism of dance. The power pairing results in a full body cardio and body-shaping event…and you will sweat! Furthermore, we are a true community united around supporting one another. We are not boutique fitness consumers at the barre studio doing basic ballet moves in repetition in order to check off our “fitness” event of the day… we are a strong community of women, athletes, weekend warriors and fitness enthusiasts. We are a people group seeking a challenge, striving to reach a goal, while supporting and empowering one another every step of the way.
What sort of people enjoy Xtend Barre?
You would be surprised at our clientele.You don’t have to be a dancer, or flexible, or coordinated – this workout is for all fitness levels and ages.
More information
Andrea Rogers
Online Xtend Barre classes are available at openfit.com and for more information on Xtend Barre, visit Xtend Barre
