Ballet barre recommendations

[Balletforever]

Looking to purchase a good quality ballet barre for use at home. (UK based). Does anybody have any recommendations? Any advice or feedback on barres..size, quality & how easy they are to assemble would be much appreciated  

[Jan McNulty]

I thought we had a previous thread on this but I can't find it.

 

I did find this thread (although I don't know what happened to the image in my original post - IIRC it was a car door handle as the dancer was outside)

 

 

[Bunny]

I recent ordered my son one from Amazon by a brand named Zelus. It’s absolutely massive haha, it’s 5 foot I think which I didn’t realise when I bought it but it’s such good quality, the bars are actually wooden not just plastic painted to look like wood and it’s really sturdy. It was £80 but they had a 10 percent discount on it so ended up being nearer £70 and it came in three days with free shipping. It’s huge so could be a bit of a pain to store if you don’t intend to have it out all the time; but I would highly recommend it! 

[Lifeafterballet]

I bought Dd a 1.5 metre freestanding cream ballet barre from Thebarre.co.uk 8 years ago. It was quite expensive but very sturdy and has been well used over the years, especially during the pandemic by both Dd and Ds. It has remained in absolutely perfect condition and I really can’t wait to sell it when the ballet is finally over 😂

[munchkin16]

I got this one early on during the lockdown, it came really quickly.

 

https://www.ballet-barre.co.uk/product-page/home-practice-barrre-is-for-use-in-the-home

 

Dismantles easily into 3 pieces which is great for storing in a small place. I can put it up and down myself and also move around when it is still put together too.

 

Mine is 1.5 metres which is perfect for my space (I use it with a 2x2 metre piece of Marley flooring) but they also do a smaller and larger size too. If you are using it regularly for proper class I probably wouldn’t recommend any smaller as it is nice not having to worry about hitting the bottom supports when facing the barre and doing a tendu to the side.

It feels pretty sturdy, is really nicely made (in the UK I believe) and definitely makes dancing at home a lot more enjoyable not having to use chairs or the kitchen counter!

Edited November 17, 2020 by munchkin16

[Lusodancer]

During the height of the lockdown, in a galaxy far. far away from the reaches of Harlequin , Amazon or the amazing Mr. Props, who could make anything, my 'not -so -handy' husband managed to run one up with some 3x3timber uprights left over from a shed project,and a few planks of decking for the base and stability and the old curtain rail I had substituted in a bedroom repaint( the first of the lockdown chores). 

As long as I kept tightenening the screws every week, it served its purpose, and is now dismantled , with the roll of linoleum ,waiting the return of DD from her college, pre-flight Covid PCR test permitting. At least the local studio  and hopefully even a stage for a show with some friends are accessible to her for the hols. The other length of linoleum is currently on its way to the UK with a digital piano for my Music D, who has returned to dance and does classes online, a 1000 miles from the teacher. 

 

[OnlyDance]

I bought the Katz barre for my DD at the beginning of the last lockdown so it has been used well. It's quite expensive but very sturdy, it's about 2m long (fits on a 2m width dance mat) and the height is adjustable. The barre bit comes in 3 pieces and you can use 2 or 3 depending how long. It is quite heavy though - I think the leg stands are weighted - and it takes two of us to move it.  I like the look of the Zelus one @Bunny mentioned above but I didn't come across this on Amazon back in March, otherwise I probably would have bought it!