Barre for Christmas

[Laschwen]

I told my hubby a few weeks ago that I wanted a barre for Christmas. I had info for him from various sources and thought I wanted a free standing one but now I am not so sure. I wonder if they are stable enough to do any good stretching on considering my large size (18Tall) and weight.

If anyone out there has a home studio, please post your 2 cents on what you think of whichever barre you got.

Also any thoughts on the metal ones vs good old wood would be appreciated.

 

Laschwen

[Guest marathongirl]

oh I've been wanting one too and have been investigating them online and am interested in the same things as Laschwen. Also if anyone has suggestions on where to get one or how you made one yourself . . .

[dancergirl39]

my mom and i made one out of pvc pipe at Home Depot...extremely easy, light weight, and inexpensive. but not so sturdy, you need weights and to glue the joints, it moves around a lot.

[Laschwen]

my mom and i made one out of pvc pipe at Home Depot...extremely easy, light weight, and inexpensive. but not so sturdy, you need weights and to glue the joints, it moves around a lot.

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I tried that too. The pieces of PVC are currently loose under a guest bed.

 

Laschwen

[2 Left Feet]

Here's a store you can oder parts from to make your barre

 

Alvas

 

Good prices and I've heard good things about their products. They advertise in all the dance magazines.

 

I'd recommend securing it to the wall. Make sure it's anchored into the studs so it will support the weight. This way you can lean on it, pull on it, do what ever and it should hold up pretty well.

[davidg]

Our studio uses barres made out of metal (NOT PVC) pipe screwed together. Very sturdy, I've never seen a freestanding barre I liked better.

 

I think that freestanding vs. on-the-wall should depend on what space you have and how you wish to use it.

 

Barres actually don't need to be that heavy, since you shouldn't really be leaning on them and CERTAINLY not pulling them. Using a ligthweight barre can keep you out of bad habits.

[spinbug]

I own a freestanding barre from Alvas my husband purchased for me as a Christmas gift a few years ago. It has two sides which are both adjustable (for the daughters that will take ballet someday). I absolutely love it. It is wooden and metal and can be used as a handy rack to dry my leotards on. Isn't that what barres were also invented for?

 

Candi

[msd]

Knock, knock -- not a student, but a mom. When dd begged for a barre a couple years ago, I did the research, too. Since it was going into her bedroom, I wanted maximum flexibility, and didn't feel incredibly confident finding the studs in her wall. I ordered an adjustable, all metal barre from here: BalletBarreNet.com It's all-white and appears quite sturdy. We went with the all-steel, 5-foot "adjustabarre", although the company does make several sizes and types. (I thought the tear-downable barre would be good if it ended up under her bed...but it gets used a lot...and not just as a clothes horse!) This barre was one of the most affordable out there, it's attractive (as it is the "centerpiece" of her bedroom, she's able to move it as she desires) and it appears very well made. Good luck in your search!!

 

msd

[Laschwen]

Thank You Thank You Thank You!

These are cheaper and the portables go hugher than the other adjustables I have seen.

I am printing the info for hubby right now.

 

Laschwen

[Kitty]

I am on the hunt for a home barre as well but most of the info on the net is based in the States. Does anyone know of any affordable UK companies?

[koshka]

Seems to me that if at all possible to use a wall, that would be the more stable and economical option as all that is needed is brackets and rail.

I personally would prefer the option of wood.

[icbeckyc]

My husband made a metal ballet barre for our daughter for Christmas one year. He used metal pipe screwed it together then welded it so if she was dragging it, it wouldn't eventually unscrew.

 

Well Christmas Eve everyone in the family ended up sick except me. I had to go up to his shop and bring the barre home. Oh my, there was no chance of our daughter dragging that thing anywhere. It is almost as long as the wall it sits by(did he plan on the whole class coming over) and actually a little too tall. I almost killed myself getting it home. He was so sick and so proud but so was DD when she saw it Christams morning. It stayed in the living room till he was healthy enough to take it to her bedroom.

 

She ends up using half of it and the other half is filled with dirty clothes. lol

 

He did a great job on it! Just remember it only has to hold 1 person at a time.

[EvilNinjaX]

Our studio uses barres made out of metal (NOT PVC) pipe screwed together.  Very sturdy, I've never seen a freestanding barre I liked better.

 

I think that freestanding vs. on-the-wall should depend on what space you have and how you wish to use it.

 

Barres actually don't need to be that heavy, since you shouldn't really be leaning on them and CERTAINLY not pulling them.  Using a ligthweight barre can keep you out of bad habits.

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I did this also at home. 1 1/2" pipe (i think) from Home Depot. Net cost was about $35, Net effort was about 15 min. no problems. I can't imagine paying a premium for "professional" barres.

 

-goro-

[Hans]

One thing to make sure of is that the barre is the correct height. It should not be any higher than the bottom of your ribcage. For this reason, anyone getting a barre for a DK who is still growing should probably get an adjustable one.

[Laschwen]

One thing to make sure of is that the barre is the correct height.  It should not be any higher than the bottom of your ribcage.

 

 

 

 

I thought the one listed in the website above (the adjustabarre) was great since it maxes out at 50 inches for the higher barre. My waistline is 48 inches above the floor so most barres are low for me. Now everybody go get your tape measures...

Currently I am just living in hope that I will need anything close to that height while I work on getting my body back.

Laschwen