About

Owner/Instructor Nicole is the heart and soul for making Barre Nation more than just physical fitness. With 15+ years of experience in the wellness industry, she successfully opened and operated a barre studio in Charleston, SC in 2012. In 2021 she began a new chapter, opening an impact barre studio built around giving back to the nations, hence its name, Barre Nation. Her passion for people flows from all that she does and Barre Nation is no exception. Nicole uses her influence to build others up, challenge them to reach for more, and to extend grace to themselves along the way.

When she’s not at the barre, you can find her chasing her four children, eating chips and salsa, playing at the beach, or reading a book.

Sophia has a deep love of all things dance that began in her childhood. From ballet to line dancing she has pursued dance professionally for 7 years. After moving to Charleston she started taking barre to fulfill her love of dance while getting a great workout. When approached with the idea of teaching it was a no brainer. Sophia teaches with a strong traditional ballet barre base that brings the beauty of dance to each workout.

When not at the barre you can find her hanging out with her family, line dancing on the back porch, listening to country music, or out on the lake.

Tamara (rhymes with camera) is a part-time daydreamer and full-time learner who enjoys books, beats and barre. After completing her first half-marathon, she turned to barre for a new challenge. 6 years later, she still finds joy in turning up the music and embracing the shake and burn that barre brings. Tamara believes wellness is a collective and holistic practice—we workout together to strengthen our minds, bodies and each other. This, plus her growing interest in learning new ways to move her body, might explain why she occasionally participates in group workouts: Lyra classes, outdoor kickboxing, aerial yoga, and more.

Outside of the studio and her career, Tamara can be found lounging on her couch, hanging out with friends and family or listening to a good podcast while making something artsy or repotting houseplants.

Ashley is a South Carolina native and College of Charleston graduate. She studied education and dance and has been teaching dance classes to students in North and South Carolina for more than 20 years. Ashley is a certified group fitness instructor who loves barre because of its many similarities to ballet conditioning. The beautiful long lines and shaking muscles are her favorite parts of class! She is wife to Bowe and mom to Reece, Paxton and Whit.

When Ashley is not at the barre you can find her headed to baseball practice or preschool pickup and usually swerving through traffic as she attempts to choreograph a dance while driving!

A North Carolina native, Maddie moved to Charlotte after high school and discovered her passion for barre. When the pandemic hit, her studio shut down permanently. Having tried many other fitness classes in between, barre stuck out to her the most and she found herself at Barre Nation in SC a few years later. It has always been a dream of Maddie’s to teach and she jumped at the opportunity when it arose.

The ability to be able to create an environment where other people are looking to better themselves is what makes her so passionate about teaching. When not at barre, you can find Maddie eating sushi, reading, or trying new coffee spots in Charleston with friends!

Meg started her group fitness journey in 2015 attending yoga, HIIT and boxing classes in Georgia. After finally being convinced to become a certified instructor she began teaching group classes in 2018 in Texas. Fast forward 5 years and 12K miles and Meg is excited to start a new chapter here in South Carolina at Barre Nation!

When Meg isn’t at the barre she loves spending time with her husband and daughter at the beach or by the pool. She also loves to sneak away and read. In her words “From the moment I walked into the doors (at Barre Nation), nervous about trying barre, I felt welcomed, not judged and challenged. I’m excited to bring that same feeling into my class, encouraging each member to find strength within themselves. Strength that maybe they didn’t know they had!”

Born and raised in Maryland, Lexi has always enjoyed playing sports and exercising. She started going to barre classes during COVID and has never looked back! Suffering from asthma, she found that barre was sustainable and incredibly fun! On a whim, she and her husband decided to move to South Carolina for a new job opportunity and better weather. Lexi found Barre Nation early on during the move and had a feeling it would be a good fit—and it was! She became a certified group fitness instructor in addition to her barre training and is excited to challenge and encourage others to reach their fitness goals.

When not at the barre or working as an engineer, she enjoys spending time with friends, being outside, dancing in the kitchen, making charcuterie boards, and trying new things!

Annabel moved to South Carolina from Washington State in 2021 with her husband, two kids, two dogs, and a cat. A Certified Personal Trainer and Nutritional Therapist since 2015, she has experience across various parts of the fitness industry, including competing in bodybuilding shows and training physique athletes. Now, her focus is on promoting inclusivity in fitness and fostering community through movement.

Outside the studio, Annabel enjoys hiking with her family, exploring coffee shops, traveling, and advocating for the neurodiverse community. She’s excited to bring her passion for movement, music, and community to Barre Nation classes.

Malory started dancing at the age of 3 and this sparked a lifelong interest in movement. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology and then moved to Texas where she completed her Doctorate in Physical Therapy. She is currently working at Atlas Physical Therapy directly across from us and recently received her Dry Needling Certification.

Throughout the difficult years of schooling, exercise was consistently a form of stress relief, but Malory missed the group fitness and barre classes that she had taken in the past. Combining her passions of physical therapy and barre is a future goal of Malory’s. Barre Nation was immediately a great fit and she is so excited to spread her positive energy at the barre!

Outside of the studio, you can find Malory at the beach, trying new restaurants, reading, shopping, or at a coffee shop!

Shannon grew up playing a variety of sports and has always had a love for being active.  After moving to Denver, CO in 2013 and discovering barre she quickly fell in love.  The musicality aspect was fun but she was also impressed with the fact that the small muscle-movements and stability helped with a prior injury.She began teaching later that year and has taught at a variety of other studios in Colorado. Having recently moved to Summerville she is excited to be a part of Barre Nation.

When she is not teaching or planning her next playlist, she enjoys hanging out with her husband, JD, and two mini Aussies.  She loves to cook, travel, read, and spend as much time at the beach as possible.

Whitney was born and raised in New York. She started taking ballet at the age of four and continued with pointe, jazz and tap until she graduated from high school. She always had a bit of a “gym phobia” and struggled to find a place where she felt comfortable working out for years. She moved to Charleston nine years ago and when she bought her house in Summerville, she found Barre Nation. She felt welcomed from the very second she entered the studio! Even better, the workout incorporated a lot of ballet moves she was already comfortable with!!

When she’s not at the studio, you can find her floating in her pool or at the beach with a good book. Or spending time with her four fur pups at home!

My health journey started when I was searching for workout classes that made me feel strong and amazing without overworking my body – that’s when I found Barre Nation. I fell in love with how the classes always challenged me in the best way! I have a degree in HR Management from PSU, a certification in Holistic Health, and I recently moved to South Carolina with my other half for a new adventure. When I’m not teaching or learning about wellness, you’ll usually find me cooking up something new, checking out local coffee shops or relaxing at the beach.

Sarajane was born and raised in the Lowcountry but has carved her own space in the Summerville area. She couldn’t be more excited about stepping into the role of instructor at Barre Nation. When she’s not at the barre, she’s working as a high school English teacher. With the benefit of summers off, she enjoys traveling, which has allowed her to meet so many interesting people and see so many cool places. She is looking forward to contributing to the great community that Barre Nation fosters and to step into the roll of instructor.

Luzina started her group fitness journey in 2014 through Dance Fitness, where she quickly fell in love with the freedom of movement, music, and community. Looking to balance her dance-focused classes, she later discovered Barre—and fell in love all over again. After moving to Summerville three years ago, she found Barre Nation. The welcoming instructors, class variety, and strong sense of community made it feel like home.

When she’s not at the studio, she is baking, listening to music, dancing, biking, hiking, swimming, playing pickleball or tennis. She is excited to bring her passion for movement, music, and connection to every class—and maybe a little singing, too!

Katelyn started her love for group fitness attending spin, HIIT, strength, and barre classes in her home state of Pennsylvania. She has always been drawn to barre, especially since she grew up dancing. After moving to South Carolina, she joined Barre Nation which provided the movement she was looking for with the most welcoming community.

When not at the studio, she works as a clinical dietitian. She loves getting outside, taking long walks, trying every coffee shop she sees, and reading. She’s excited to bring her love of movement and wellness to the barre!