Natalie raises The Barre for fitness

Nov 7 2009 by Iain Laing, The Journal

A FORMER dancer from Newcastle has returned from 10 years working in Los Angeles to launch a fitness studio in her home city.

Natalie Catlah, 31, has opened The Barre, which utilises the ballet bar to provide strength and resistance training for men and women looking for a new way to get fit.

Frustrated by personal injuries that prevented her from dancing, the fitness and pilates instructor created routines for her own rehabilitation and has now decided to turn them into a business.

In partnership with her mum, Maria Catlah and family friend Eileen Richardson, the trio have created a specially designed studio underneath the arches of Newcastle’s Central Station.

She said: “In LA, maintaining a healthy lifestyle through exercise is a natural part of your daily routine but in the UK it’s often viewed as something of an irritation to have to fit in a visit to the gym.

“I wanted The Barre to be the exact antithesis of the traditional gym experience but with better results. Rather than using lots of expensive equipment to maintain strength and tone, I utilise my dance and choreography background to create a workout with elements of Pilates, dance and resistance training delivered in a specialist studio.

“And it really doesn’t matter if you have never danced a day in your life. It is not a dance class, but an exercise class that uses the core basic movements needed to be able to perform ballet.”