Check Out Anna Barker’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anna Barker.

Hi Anna, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I left New York City in 2014 to move back to my hometown of Durham to pursue my second Pilates certification at InsideOut Body Therapies. While this was intended to be a temporary move, I ended up falling in love with Durham and all it had to offer. As a dancer and choreographer, I loved the opportunities I had to create and present my own work as an independent artist. As a Pilates instructor, I was working full-time at a studio in Chapel Hill, in a place that really allowed me to explore how and what I wanted to teach and expand upon the kind of instructor I wanted to be. I then moved my practice to Bull City Pilates & Massage, where I further developed my own style of teaching- I honed in on what interests me and how I can keep learning and expanding my areas of expertise to be of better service to my clients. After COVID hit, I reassessed how I wanted to be showing up, not only as an instructor but as a community member. I relocated to Radical Healing, an intentionally inclusive, LGBTQ+, and BIPOC-centered multicultural campus for healing and wellness located in Lakewood. I was drawn to the mission of Radical Healing and opened my own practice called The Movement Studio. I have a small equipment studio where I now see clients for private and duet sessions, which is where I can focus on specific issues like injury prevention & rehabilitation, perinatal work, and targeted stability training. I also gained access to a beautiful open movement space, which is where I hold group classes throughout the week. As one of my goals was accessibility, these group classes are offered on a sliding scale. I am committed to providing an inclusive wellness space, one where folks who don’t normally feel comfortable in Pilates-specific environments can come in and see what all the fuss is about! We have Pilates-based strength training classes almost every day, as well as other classes and workshop offerings like yoga, Qigong, therapeutic dance, meditation, and movement for trauma recovery. I am deeply grateful to my community for sustaining my first year in business simply by word-of-mouth, and am so excited to see what this next year brings! 

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The first year of business is always challenging! There is a steep learning curve, especially when it comes to figuring out the administrative side of things while having little experience in running a business (I am a mover, after all!). To be honest, I am still figuring this part out. I also think listening to folks’ needs and desires has helped me steer towards a sustainable model. There are always unexpected bumps along the way that you can’t anticipate, and I definitely am working longer hours than before, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I love welcoming new folks into the space and growing our movement community! 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
While The Movement Studio has been my primary focus this last year, I also have a dance theater company called real.live.people. The company was established in 2014 with my long-time collaborator and fellow Durham native Leah Wilks. Together we create idiosyncratic work about the human condition, using humor and theatrical devices to explore universal experiences like personal success and failure, navigating relationships, and existing in an ever-evolving sociopolitical landscape. We are currently working on our next evening-length duet to be premiered this fall in Durham! I think that my dance work also prioritizes accessibility, so we are always looking for different avenues to connect people to what we’re doing. You don’t have to know anything about dance to have a meaningful experience when you come to see our work, and that is something I am most proud of. 

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I would LOVE to get more folks in the space to teach classes and workshops! It can be something you’ve taught for ages or something brand new you’d like to experiment with. It’s tough to find open spaces in Durham with all of the expansion and development, so I want people to know that we are here and we want to support you! We also rent the space out for events and gatherings, so please reach out if you are looking for somewhere to host! 

Beyond that, please come and take class and see what we’re about! My hope is to continue to provide a chill and welcoming space for people to come and move their bodies in a way that feels good and therapeutic, even if it’s challenging! 

Pricing:

• $15-25 sliding scale for group classes
• $100 private sessions
• $65 duet sessions
• Inquire for rental rates

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.themovementstudiodurham.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themovementstudiodurham/

Image Credits
Bull City Photography