Suggestion On A Home Practice Barre?

[Guest Terriergirl]

After reading that many of you have practice barre's at home, I wondered if anyone had any suggestions on which one to buy?

 

I did find one at: http://www.balletbarrenet.com and wondered if anyone has any experience with it? The price was alot better than some. I'm fairly tall so I'll need one that I can't pull around..lol! Thanks...

[Redstorm]

Why buy one? My husband made one for our daughter that works great. He can even adjust it as she grows, which seems like each week.

He went to Home Depot and bought metal piping, corner pieces and extension pieces. It is heavier than store bought, but it was a lot cheaper and no shipping costs. I believe it is about 8' to 10' long, but you can have any length you desire. She loves it and works on it almost everyday. He actually turned our whole upstairs into a studio / workout room for her. The mirrors were from Home Depot too. We priced out mirrors from other places and were shocked as to the cost. He bought 4' x 5' mirrors and hung them about a foot off the ground. It works wonderfully! If cost is an issue....you might want to try this idea.

[Guest grace]

i also made one cheaply at home, with minimal effort.

 

i bought 2 of the cast-iron umbrella stands (that people use to stabilise their outdoor patio-table umbrellas) - they were equivalent of about US $50 each. then went to a plumbing supply center and bought 2 lengths of 50 mm wide black plastic-type plumbing pipe ( a few dollars).

 

the height was what i had pre-measured as being desirable for my students: i think it was 1 metre (about 3 feet). they are the uprights, which fitted snugly over the upright part of the umbrella stands.

 

then i bought 2 T-pieces from the same plumbing supply center: they are just what they sound like: T-shaped black pipe, made out of the same stuff, intended to fit the pipe (couple of dollars). sit them into the top of the uprights.

 

then, a length (whatever length you want) of 50 mm wide round-timber for the barre, from a timber-yard (which i rubbed oil into, for smooth finish and nice smell!). this slides into the two T-pieces, and then needs to be stabilised, which you can do by dropping a long bolt or screw thru a hole drilled thru BOTH: the T-piece AND the wooden barre.

 

this arrangement has the advantage of being dismantle-able, portable - and when daughter quits ballet, you still have something useful: 2 umbrella stands for your patio!

 

hope that helps.

[Guest mic31]

If you are thinking of a more permanent barre you can go to home depot and buy the wooden railing, the kind for stair rails. Make sure that the railing has a flat bottom. The mounts for the wall are made by Stanley they are also available at Home Depot, Get the heavy duty kind. If you need to barre to stand out from the wall a touch more then fix the mounts to wood blocks and then fasten them to the wall. This will make for a very strong barre. Make sure that your barre is mounted going into the wall stud.

Edited July 10, 2003 by mic31

[Guest Terriergirl]

Thanks for the suggestions and encouragment....Friday went to Home Depot and purchased lengths of plumbling pipe and rubber feet, cam home and my husband and I made a practice barre!! It was really quite simple and is now waiting for it's second coat of spray paint. Cost: $56.28 and it looks quite nice, if I do say so myself!