Leslie Bayers, associate director of University of the Pacific's Center for Teaching and Learning, is teaching another virtual barre class this semester.

The class is open to staff, faculty, students and alumni. The Pacific community can sign up for the class on the TigerX spring schedule available on Pacific+ or by registering with Pacific Recreation.

The class takes place from 12:05 to 12:50 p.m. on Mondays.

Bayers said barre is “essentially a fusion of Pilates, sports conditioning, yoga and ballet-inspired movement. It’s set to music, so it’s very beat driven.”

The class, which Bayers has led at the Baun Fitness Center since 2016, created a close-knit group, with many participants continuing with the virtual format.

“We’ve really cultivated a wonderful community of students, teachers, staff and community members. Every semester we have new people joining our classes and I’m excited to meet new folks. For me, it’s all about staying connected and continuing to support ourselves through movement,” Bayers said. “I want students to know that this class is very welcoming and appropriate for all fitness levels.”

Bayers emphasized her class has continued to provide “a sense of connection and community. We support ourselves to better support each other. We often hang around after class and check in with one another. It’s really nice to have those touchpoints.”

The benefits of fitness classes expand beyond the community that they establish.

“We know that exercise and exercising together, even on Zoom, has so many benefits for our overall sense of well-being. (Group exercise) supports learning, resilience and our sense of connection to one another. It gives us a sense of hope,” Bayers said.

Bayers welcomes all returning and future participants, emphasizing that the class is “a space to feel empowered to make the workout your own."