Less pirouettes and more Pilates, Barre combines breathwork with a ballet barre to improve balance, posture, core strength and stamina – ideal if you’ve always dreamed of having a dancer’s body.

Low-impact and brilliant for improving flexibility, it’s a whole-body workout that works up a sweat through holds (like yoga), while toning the thighs and calves, strengthening the core and sculpting the arms. Loved by A-listers (Poppy Delevingne and ballet queen Darcey Bussell herself are said to be big fans), devotees report that an excellent bum is one of the most noticeable results, so if you’re sick of squats, Barre could be your ticket to a perkier derrière.

With studios at both Wildhive Callow Hall and award-winning Sally Montague in Ashbourne, Barre teacher Erin Cooper-Gay runs weekly classes and private 1:1 sessions, as well as sessions exclusively for guests at Wildhive. As a classically trained singer and professional French horn player, Erin is perfectly placed to introduce clients to breath and core work. A natural coach, she is passionate about the whole-body experience and the therapeutic and transformative power of movement to music, using her musical mastery to pair each exercise with the perfect soundtrack (Barre by Barre is a nod to the focus of music in her classes). You’ll find everything from Bob Marley to Gustav Mahler in her classes – it makes for a playful, relaxed atmosphere.

Here for the mind as much as the body? Barre is about balance in more ways than one. Erin’s particular focus on hips and hip flexors can help with trauma release and heighten your sense of control and mind-body awareness.

Fancy a taste? Pick from three weekly classes at Sally Montague, a weekly class at Wildhive or a bespoke private or small group session at either studio. Looking to sculpt a sleek silhouette ahead of your wedding day? Barre is perfect for pre-wedding prep and a gorgeous group activity to book for a hen do or spa break (packages available with treatments at both locations). Book in here.

Erin’s classes are ideal if you crave a smaller, more connected workout. Her group sessions are capped at eight, so you’re guaranteed individual attention and a bespoke approach.

Muddy’s sold. Time to hit the bar(re).

Read Muddy’s review here.