By Joie Goh
We’re turning 5! And for our OG instructors, this year also marks 5 years of teaching with WeBarre. Here, two instructors from the original batch share their stories of personal growth.
Meaghan
I made the decision to join the fledgling WeBarre instructor team back in 2015 before it even opened at Tanjong Pagar, due to the love for barre since the first barre class I attended when I was studying in California. Plus, there’s the trust I had (and still have) for Linda and Anabel to establish a well-loved and respected brand!
After five years as a WeBarre instructor, I think I’ve become more confident in executing classes! It’s really important to me that clients get what they come for every time they step into the studio. I’ve also become better in altering a class plan I have in mind while teaching a class to cater for what I think clients in my class want!
I’ve also achieved several personal milestones thanks to WeBarre. I ran 3 half marathons and improved my timings at each subsequent one – the physical training of WeBarre has contributed to the strength I’ve built. I hope to get a decent time in the full marathon I’ve registered for this year!
Being a WeBarre instructor has also made me want to be a better fitness instructor. It definitely nudged me towards attaining the NCSF Personal Training Certification.
The confidence I’ve built in being a WeBarre instructor has carried itself into my daily life, whether it’s at my day job or as an indoor cycling instructor. This will follow me as I pursue future endeavours and I’ve WeBarre to thank for contributing to this!
Suwan
I had been dancing for over 10 years and also spent 9 months in 2012 at a dance school in New York. It was a personal challenge to see how far I could take this passion. Then I came back to Singapore and plunged straight into the workforce. I didn’t dance for a good 3 years, and I missed it a lot!
When Linda approached me to be part of the first team of trainers, it was the perfect opportunity to get back into something I had loved, and develop a new skill.
However, unlike the others in the first instructor batch, I had no prior experience in instructing at all. I honestly struggled with cues for the longest time. I was just so used to dancing without speaking! In the end, I had to do many Friends & Family classes to gain confidence and get used to it. Now, 5 years later I’m happy to say I don’t have any jitters. I can fully enjoy the experience of being present with our clients.
Given the fast pace of my life, being disciplined, present and having better time management are things that I’ve had to work on. Before teaching at WeBarre, my own fitness journey was really ad-hoc. I would frequently cancel classes if I had to work overtime. Teaching meant that I had to be at the studio for 4-6 classes per week, and be present regardless of what happened earlier in the day. We always say to clients: “Leave all stress, worries and distractions outside before stepping into the studio.” It applies to us as well!
Being a 100% extrovert, I’ve also always enjoyed the community aspect of WeBarre. Having taught for 5 years, it’s extremely heartening to see the same faces still coming to the studio. It’s definitely a milestone to have maintained these relationships over the years. Whatever good things we build, end up building us!
