MANCHESTER, NH – Sometimes you find your passion, and other times, your passion finds you. For Ashley Oberg, it has been a little of both. As new owner of Barre Life on Elm Street, she’s not only found her happy fitness place but now she’s able to translate her vision for a fun and joyful fitness practice into something all her own.
Oberg grew up a ballet dancer who had never been able to find her fitness groove after her years of dance instruction ended.
“I hated going to the gym, hated running, and I’d heard of barre workouts in other places, but there weren’t any around here,” says Oberg.
Then through the most reliable info grapevine which feeds all those in the know, Oberg heard about Barre Life through someone who heard it from their hairdresser, that a new barre-based fitness space had opened up in Elm Street’s second story of business spaces.
Once she finally stepped through the door, she knew she’d found what she’d been looking for. And it quickly became an essential part of her routine. She learned that original owner Britni Soryal was ready to sell the business, but Oberg didn’t feel it was something she could take on – yet. But she became certified and continued to teach and bond with new owners Shana Chauvin and Julie Demers and, along with the other instructors, they quickly created a sense of community, and something unique.
Teaching barre and yoga together extended to their social circles, as the group would often go across the street after early morning classes to Cafe la Reine – owned be fellow instructor Alex Horton – for coffee and conversation.
As time went on, Chauvin and Demers decided it was time to pass along the business to a new owner – Chauvin was ready to expand her practice and focus on her family, and Demers was in the running for a new job, and ready to grow her family, as well. They silently sought a new buyer for about a year before Oberg felt the pull.
Her background is in business marketing, and Oberg works as an executive assistant for Kyle York at Dyn-Oracle. Entering the entrepreneurial pool to take over Barre Life was a scary prospect for someone who had normally provided support to others. But it was actually a gentle push from York that helped her take the plunge.
“My boss asked me ‘why the heck haven’t you bought the barre studio yet?’ I told him I was a little bit scared. Then he said that he knew I could do it, that I help him run everything at work, and that’s really when I knew,” Oberg says.
The timing was right, and the idea of turning her passion into a business “at a gem of a location,” was an offer she couldn’t refuse. She just had to make sure it was still available.
“I was always there anyway,” says Oberg. “So I decided to make a call and see if the offer was still on the table.”
It was, and she has since jumped into the entrepreneurial deep end, loving every minute of it.
Barre Life offers more than a dozen different classes for all skill levels, ranging from Vinyasa yoga and traditional barre to classes that combine aspects of both disciplines. You don’t have to be a ballerina – or a yogi – to enjoy the benefits of barre-centered workouts, says Oberg.
Some of the classes are low-impact, others have a cardio component, but the beauty of barre is that it is adaptable for all – she even has some mother/daughter workout buddies.
“It’s not intimidating. Classes are small and everyone is so welcoming,” Oberg says. “That’s what I loved about it from the start.”
As owner, Oberg says her vision is to connect with the community in new ways – from schools and businesses to local hotels.
“I’d love for people to come during their lunch hour, or to organize some yoga sessions in the park, or other community-centered events and even some nighttime events. I want more people to know and love this place like I do,” Oberg says.
Barre Life is located at 944 Elm St., second floor. Classes are available seven days a week. Click here for more information and class offerings.
