MEET ALANNA PERRY: DANCE, COMMUNITY & FINDING THE FUN IN FITNESS

For Alanna Perry, movement has always been about more than a workout.

A lifelong dancer, former New England Patriots Cheerleader, and fitness instructor, Alanna spent years searching for a way to combine the parts of movement she loved most—music, creativity, performance, energy, and connection. When she couldn’t quite find it, she created it herself.

What started as pop-up classes around Boston eventually became Barre Groove, a trampoline-based fitness concept built around movement that feels fun, welcoming, and anything but intimidating.

We caught up with Alanna to talk about her journey from dance to entrepreneurship, the evolution of Barre Groove, building community through movement, and what’s coming next.

1. Tell us about your journey into fitness and dance! How did you find your way to barre, and what ultimately led you to create Barre Groove?

I started dancing at the young age of two and spent most of my childhood and teenage years in the dance world. I began competing at eight, became an assistant dance teacher at 12, and by 16 I was teaching my own classes. I went on to study dance and business at Arizona State University, with a focus in modern and contemporary ballet.

When I was 18, I tore my meniscus during a college dance audition. I continued dancing, teaching, and coaching, but the injury forced me to think differently about how I could move long-term. I graduated in 2011, and in 2012 I lived out one of my dreams when I made the New England Patriots Cheerleading squad and had the opportunity to perform professionally.

Around that same time, I found barre. It helped me feel strong again and, because of my dance background, it felt more familiar than other workouts I had tried.

That’s when I started Barre at the Bar. On weekends, I would partner with restaurants and nightclubs around Boston, bring in a DJ, and teach a barre class. What started as something social and creative quickly grew into these amazing community events, and eventually Reebok came on to sponsor them.

That experience really planted the seed for Barre Groove. I’ve always believed that if the thing you’re looking for doesn’t exist, sometimes you have to create it. So I left the security of my corporate career and took a leap of faith to open Barre Groove.

2. For anyone who hasn't tried Barre Groove yet, how would you describe it, and what makes it different from a traditional barre class?

I always say that I loved what traditional barre did well—the strength, sculpting, control, and technique behind the method—but I personally felt like something was missing. I wanted more energy, more cardio, and honestly, more fun.

I started researching different forms of low-impact cardio, and that’s when I discovered rebounding. I had never taken a bounce class or been to a trampoline fitness studio before, but the more I learned about it, the more I knew it was the missing piece. Rebounding gave us a way to add cardiovascular training while still creating a workout that feels low-impact and approachable for a wide range of people.

Today, Barre Groove is so much more than a traditional barre class. Our workouts combine strength, sculpting, cardio, balance, coordination, and mobility with music-driven movement and a ton of energy. We use the trampoline not only for bouncing, but as a tool for strength, balance, support, and floor work throughout our different formats.

What makes Barre Groove really different, though, is how it feels. Our classes are high-energy, positive, inclusive, and genuinely fun. We take the workout seriously without taking ourselves too seriously.

3. You built Barre Groove around joy and accessibility. What does creating a space where everyone feels welcome actually look like in practice?

For me, creating a space where everyone feels welcome means creating a place where people can walk in and immediately feel like they belong. Barre Groove has always been a judgment-free space. You don’t have to look a certain way, move a certain way, or be at a certain fitness level to be here. We want you to feel accepted exactly where you are.

I always say that we’re our own squad. We’re not competing with the person next to us—we’re cheering on ourselves and each other. Our instructors may be leading the room, but everyone is part of the team, and we’re all working toward our own goals together.

At the end of the day, fitness can be challenging without making people feel excluded. You can work hard, push yourself, and still have fun doing it. That balance is really at the heart of Barre Groove.

4. Beat-based fitness has had a major moment recently. Why do you think people are craving this kind of movement right now?

I think people are craving movement that feels good—not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too.

There’s something really powerful about moving to music when everything feels intentional, seamless, and beat-driven. When the movement, music, and energy in the room all line up, it stops feeling like you’re just working out. It becomes an experience. It’s fuel for your body, but it’s also fuel for your soul.

Life is busy, and for a lot of us, that workout might be the only 45 minutes we truly get for ourselves. You deserve for those 45 minutes to feel fun, energizing, and uplifting.

5. What do you wish more people understood about barre, or about finding a movement practice they actually love?

I honestly wish more people understood Bounce. There’s still this misconception that a trampoline workout is either a gimmick or something you have to be incredibly coordinated to do, when in reality it can be such an effective, low-impact way to move your body.

But more than anything, I wish people understood how important it is to actually enjoy the way they move. Find the workout, the studio, and the community that you genuinely look forward to coming back to. Consistency gets a whole lot easier when you actually love being there.

6. Running a fitness business in Boston is no small thing. What has surprised you most about building Barre Groove into what it is today?

I think what has surprised me most is how much building Barre Groove has taught me about myself. I’ve been in group fitness for 15 years and a business owner for eight, and the industry has changed so much in that time.

When I opened Barre Groove, we were a traditional barre studio. That original concept wasn’t ultimately where we were meant to stay, and I had to be willing to listen, adapt, and completely evolve the business. Then came a pandemic, more change, more rebuilding—and through all of it, I learned how resilient I could be.

Running a business teaches you very quickly that things are rarely going to go exactly as planned. I think I’m most proud of my ability to keep getting back up, stay open to change, and continue building something that feels even more aligned with who we are today.

7. What's one thing you're most proud of when you look at what Barre Groove has become?

Without question, I’m most proud of the people we’ve been able to help.

Clients have become family, and the impact goes so far beyond a workout. At the end of the day, we get to help people feel better, stronger, more connected, and more like themselves. How lucky am I that this gets to be my work? If that’s part of my purpose in this life, I’m incredibly grateful for it.

8. What's next for Barre Groove?

The next chapter for Barre Groove is really about expanding the method beyond our own studio walls.

For the last two years, I’ve been really focused on building out our training platform and developing the method behind what we do. I’ve personally trained every instructor at Barre Groove, and I’ve realized that teaching teachers and building strong, consistent formats is something I’m incredibly passionate about.

So now I’m looking at how we take what we’ve built here in Boston and bring it to more communities through education, training, and eventually licensing the method.

RAPID FIRE

Favorite song to teach to?
I could never pick a favorite—I love all music, but any Spotify remix that slaps.

Go-to Boston neighborhood for a day off?
Back Bay.

Best post-class treat in the city?
A deep-tissue massage or an infrared sauna—my version of a treat is anything that helps my body recover.

Coffee, tea, or something else to order?
A double shot of espresso with a vanilla protein latte.

What does a perfect Sunday look like for you?
Sundays are all about family—spending the day with my family, cousins, and the kids, cooking at home, relaxing, and just being together.

FIND YOUR GROOVE

From dancing at two years old to creating a fitness method of her own, Alanna’s story is a reminder that sometimes the best ideas come from building what you wish existed.

Today, Barre Groove brings together movement, music, energy, and community in a way that feels uniquely its own—and Alanna is already thinking about how to bring that experience beyond Boston.

Ready to find your groove? Fit Scene readers can take advantage of an exclusive offer to try Barre Groove for themselves!

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