Can’t decide if this is the worst place to work at the barre, or the best.
The barre is cracked underneath all that gummy duct-tape (you can see how it doesn’t line up with the next barre), so the barre doesn’t support weight, therefore it definitely sucks for the barre stretch when you’re sliding your leg along and trying not to slide into that weak tapey spot. But on the other hand, the gross texture and inability to resist pressure really helps the Adult Beginner remember not to death-grip the barre during all other exercises.
Right?
Ok, no. Screw looking for a bright side. There’s nothing good about this broken barre. I totally avoid this spot as much as I can. I’ve done the barre here twice, when the class was really crowded, and beneficial or not, the fact that the studio considers duct-tape to be a good fix for a cracked barre is frustrating. And the Adult Beginner has plenty to be frustrated with in class already without throwing in equipment problems.
No, I haven’t complained to the studio. Only to you, Gentle Reader. Because maybe I’m a coward, ok?!
But anyway, here’s a little trivia to round out your day:
According to my teacher who was there, back in Olden Times in Russia the barres would roll to help develop the flowing hand gestures and to prevent the death-grip.
your teacher is right, the barres were not fixed in one position for a long time all over the world. Some would even be just resting on whatever held them, so you could lift it out of space if you didn’t take care during those Grand rond de jambe’s
Thank god they invented the nails and hammers, I’m all for death-gripping!
Oh man! That would be so startling for whoever shared a barre with me, I’d be lifting it all the time!
Omg, the barre has been replaced! Never thought I’d see the day! It’s a Christmas Miracle!