Studio Barre

Born and raised in annapolis, md, finley has always found joy in being active. growing up she was a lacrosse player and continued her love of the sport as a coach. Finley found her way to charleston, sc after college and has made the lowcountry her home. She was referred to studio barre by a friend. after months of her friend asking her to take a class, finley walked into the studio on her own and was immediately drawn into the friendly and inclusive atmosphere. Although her first class was challenging, she was hooked. you can find finley working the desk on weekends and keeping sbji social. She loves that part of her job is continuing to create the welcoming atmosphere studio barre is known for.

Elena, born and raised outside of Boston, MA, spent her entire career in the health and fitness industry as a director, instructor, and consultant. She was a dance major at the Boston Conservatory of Music so when barre classes became popular, she was immediately drawn to this amazing workout. Elena first came to Studio Barre James Island as a client when she and her husband Greg relocated to SC to be closer to their daughter Carli attending the College of Charleston. They settled right into the charm of Charleston and now that Elena has retired from
her full-time job, you can find her working our front desk and loving the SBJI community!

Madi found her way to Charleston during college and has been here for 7 years now. She attended the College of Charleston where she studied special education. She has a full-time career as a pre-developmental kindergarten (PDK) teacher at Beech Hill Elementary School. Madi found Studio Barre through the local fitness community. As a former competitive dancer of 12 years, she was looking for a workout that was similar. When not teaching during the day or greeting clients behind the studio desk at night, Madi loves exploring Charleston with her friends, reading, cooking, and traveling.

A native of Charleston, Paulina has lived in the holy city her entire life. She graduated from Clemson University with a degree in health science with a concentration in pre-professional health studies. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology and aspires to work in a hospital setting with newborns or adults.

Paulina started dancing at the age of 3 and took various styles of dance including tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, point, and modern. After graduating from Clemson and moving back to Charleston, Paulina was looking for an exercise routine that could bring her back to her dance roots while also getting in a fabulous and challenging workout. She had heard about barre classes and always wanted to try it, but hadn’t made the leap of faith until she and her mom saw a promo for Studio Barre on Facebook. After taking her first class she fell in love immediately and became hooked! Paulina had worked as an assistant at her dance studio in high school and always aspired to be a fitness instructor. When the time came for auditions to hire new instructors, Paulina jumped at the opportunity and hasn’t looked back! She loves being an instructor and creating the best classes that tone the body and work it to the max! She inspires her clients to do their best while challenging them to meet and exceed their fitness goals!

Ashley moved to Charleston from Greenville, SC in 2007 to attend College of Charleston and study Marine Biology. After graduating, she got a job as at the South Carolina Aquarium and teaches people about the ocean every day.

In addition to loving animals, Ashley has always been a health and fitness advocate. She always enjoyed going to group fitness classes growing up. Being a group fitness junkie lent itself to trying all of the hotspot gyms and studios in Charleston. Hopping around from yoga to barre to cycling studios, she kept trying new spots testing out all of the “new student specials.”

When she started Studio Barre, it was unlike any other fitness community that she had ever been a part of. From the moment she walked in and was greeted with a friendly face to the next day when she couldn’t walk and got a personalized note in the mail, she was hooked. The friendliness of the staff combined with the intensity of the workout created a home away from home for Ashley. After about a year, she tried out to follow a dream she’s always had of being a fitness instructor. After a whirlwind of training and test outs, she made it and couldn’t be happier to share her passion with others! She loves every second of inspiring, pushing, challenging, and helping clients reach their fitness goals. Not only is she a barre{tender} at SBJI, but she is also a friendly, welcoming face to every person that walks through the door.

She and her husband Josh are about to expand their crew welcoming new baby Jude into the family in February 2019.