When the country went into lockdown and MARIEL PAIN had to close her studio doors to barre3 Clarendon Hills in March 2020, she viewed the sudden change as an opportunity to transform her business. It actually aligned perfectly with Pain’s motivation for becoming a barre3 studio owner in the first place. “My studio celebrates movement as a way to fuel the soul and empower people from the inside out. When it was necessary to step outside the studio walls and all social plans were put on hold by COVID 19—it became crystal clear that what mattered to our clients was how exercise makes them feel rather than how it makes them look.” While barre3 is a workout, it is redefining what success in fitness means, according to Pain. “At barre3, instead of exercising to meet an end goal, we exercise to be present in our bodies. When we exercise to honor our bodies and give ourselves what we need, we create a healthy relationship with exercise where movement is joyful—and it becomes an essential part of our lives.” This became especially important during the pandemic. Pain and her instructors began to live-stream classes from their living rooms into clients’ homes in April and then added a full schedule of outdoor classes to that in May. “The response was remarkable. Not only did nearly all my members stay with us, we discovered new clients who craved the power of barre3. It helped people to feel more resilient and empowered during the challenging time because mindful movement is medicine for the mind, body, and soul.”

Barre3 is located at 158 Burlington Avenue in Clarendon Hills. For more information, call 630-819-5112, or visit barre3.com/clarendonhills.