Get To Know Laura!

Laura has been with labarre for a little nearly a year and a half now and this staple of our community is also one of our shiniest examples of positivity and kindness.

The youngest of 4, Laura grew up in Alabama.  Her father, a preacher, had the family relocating a little bit along the Southeast portion of the United States, but her Southern roots kept Laura grounded as she left home for college.

A graduate of Mississippi State, Laura paused to note fellow instructor, “Katharine and I went to rival schools… she went to Ole Miss.” Laura met her Wilson, her husband, while at school and married right after graduation, beginning their life together. 

This new chapter meant moving across the country and settling in California where Wilson was offered a position at a high school, teaching English.  “He then got a job doing music at a church. He’s all over with the instruments he plays; Guitar, banjo, piano… he can pick up anything… he’s a prodigy!”

Her path to fitness began prior to her move out west.  In high school, Laura enjoyed basketball, volleyball and tennis and once she enrolled in college, to stay active, she took up running and Pilates.  

Yearning for activity once she settled in California, Pilates reentered Laura’s life and a barre studio sparked her interest in different disciplines of fitness. Barre, however, ignited a true connection of the mind and the body to help engage her in her workouts and it was a move to the Rose Garden that brought her to labarre studios on The Alameda.

“The studio (labarre) was more diverse in its clientele than the other barre studio I had worked out at and it was affordable. I loved it… I was all in.  So much so that after taking classes for a year I decided to take the barre instructor training.”

That transition from student to teacher is always an interesting one for those who make the leap and for Laura it was “great, but intimidating.  I always said I could never be a teacher at any level and I took that as an opportunity.  I had to do it. The community and the training are great. Lisa (labarre’s owner and founder) was very empowering.  It was surprisingly better than I could have imagined.  When I was in the training with everyone, I immediately noticed that we all shared the same goal and that was to strengthen our bodies and minds.  I didn’t feel like I had to fit a specific mold, there was no cookie-cutter instructors.  Again, labarre’s diversity was what drew me to it.”

Recently, Laura and Wilson have welcomed an addition to the family… a baby boy! (as a matter of fact, she is prepping all expectant moms with amazing pre-natal classes… which are free to ALL right HERE!)

With so many great instructors at labarre, how does a member differentiate them?  What makes Laura’s classes – in person or virtual – special?  

“My classes are light-hearted.  They are fun but can also get intense.  I will make you sweat if you come to class but not in a boot camp sense… You are going to sweat but I won’t yell at you.” Laura says with a laugh.

Those classes have helped Laura to have a great perspective during these challenging times.

“I am seeing the power of the labarre community as everyone is motivating each other.” Laura said. “The choice to do online classes that are live, show the strength of working out together.  Anyone can take a YouTube class by themselves, but the connection of the community is so strong.  That is the difference.  People miss people.  They’d rather connect online than not connect at all and that is powerful.”

When she is not breaking down exactly how we all feel, perfectly, Laura is patiently waiting for life to return to normal so she can do the things she loves.   Besides being outdoors, backpacking and camping, she and Wilson love travelling and connecting with friends and loved ones… soon, we hope we can all do that.