Manner Issue 17 | Page 45

COVER

" Once you understand that it ' s about your mind ... it is a massive awakening ."

BARRE B Once home , Chloé set to work on her business , Barre B - a dance-based fitness class , incorporating ballet ' s techniques and postures to create a high intensity yet low impact workout . " I wanted to build an environment that made you feel good . I know that sounds like a cliché , but what is more important than actually feeling good ? I wanted a place that felt inclusive , where you could be on your journey but still part of a collective one ."
Chloé says that she wanted to create a space where you could feel yourself grow and where the sense of challenge never leaves . She also wanted to take the stigma away from ballet – you don ' t have to look a certain way or be in a particular shape . " I see women who were once worried about their weight , age or even sense of rhythm , now owning their bodies and insecurities and turning those insecurities into wins . It ' s not about how good you are ; it ' s about how good you feel . Someone could hold a plank for 3 minutes , someone else 30 seconds , they both win . We cheer each other ' s wins on , and nobody competes with anybody but themselves ."
Does Chloé feel like she ' s achieved what she set out to do ? " Absolutely . I see women having heart-to-hearts at the end of class and arranging meetups or even just hyping each other up on social media , and part of me takes a moment and thinks , I did that , I created this . It ' s so much more than exercise ; it ' s a lifestyle . We are building a community here . That ' s what I wanted ."
It wasn ' t without its challenges , though . " At the beginning , it was tough . I had spent all of my money on the business setup and I ' d also just found out I was pregnant – what I had initially put down to nerves turned out to be our little girl , Romee . It was an empowering feeling ; teaching the first class , knowing I had my little sidekick with me , just gave me even more reason to make it work ; I was doing it for someone else now .
" When lockdowns came , everything moved over to Zoom . It wasn ' t ideal , but we made the best out of a bad situation and managed to keep the sisterhood alive ."
MENTAL WELLNESS & CHLOÉ BAKER YOGA Chloé had never struggled with mental health issues , and even though she knew it was a serious topic , she had never put much thought into it . " In a selfish way , people only really understand what somebody is going through once they have been in a similar situation or have experienced it for themselves . It wasn ' t until I found myself in a position not too long ago that I realised just how serious it could be .
" During these times that I found challenging , I learnt so much , and I learnt the hard way , at a detriment to my own inner peace . I realised that what other people say and do is none of my business . We could spend a lifetime trying to work out why people do the things they do , but at the end of the day , how other people act is a reflection of them . I had a duty to protect myself ; I was the only one who could help myself . I asked myself many questions and dug deeper , which led me to yoga – it ' s been my salvation ever since .
" Yoga has helped me immensely . Once you understand that it ' s about your mind , the physical benefits are just a bonus ; it is a massive awakening . I decided to set up Chloé Baker Yoga because If I can provide someone else with the lifeline yoga gave me , that will be worth its weight in gold .
" The classes are for everyone ; it ' s not about headstands or who ' s the most flexible , it ' s about going deeper and carving that time for yourself to nurture your mind ; this is your time to look after yourself internally ." •
Barre B Classes held at the Dance Studio at Fort Regent
Monday , Tuesday and Thursday 6pm www . barre-b . com
Chloé Baker Yoga Classes held at the Wellness Centre at Castle Quay
Wednesday 5:30pm www . mannermagazine . co . uk 45