MEET YOUR INSTRUCTORS
Taryn Morris
I began my barre instructor journey teaching at a studio in Cape Town. I loved inspiring people daily through high-intensity workouts, watching as each person moved closer to achieving their personal goals, this was until the country-wide lockdown in my home South Africa.
As a result people could no longer leave their home to come to barre but I did not see that as a reason to stop so I decided to bring barre to them.
My online barre community quickly grew, with users loving the live workouts and the fact that it was innovative and user-friendly which left them wanting more. That is when Raise the Barre was born, giving exercise lovers a safe space to workout, share progress, and be guided to reach their goals and all doing so with passion, energy, and the love for your body. My classes are known for their high energy, creative choreography and upbeat music. My goal is for RTB members to look forward to working out and to have fun whilst doing so.
I believe that we are all on our own fitness journey, you should never compare yourself to anyone else. You can only do better than you did the day before, and as long as you keep pushing and you believe in yourself you can only go forwards.
It's time to Raise the Barre! Xx
Taryn Kerr 'TK'
Taryn Kerr 'TK' is a Royal Academy of Dance trained ballet dancer who achieved a distinction for her Advance 2 examinations. However, her fitness instructing journey only began in University, where she studied Health and Medical Journalism with a specific interest in how exercise can be used to treat depression and anxiety.
After starting an all-female fitness bootcamp, she progressed to teaching High Intensity Interval Training at well known facilities in Johannesburg. Her interest in sport spans from pilates to ultra distance triathlons, from yoga to trail running. For TK, Raise The Barre has helped her find her love again for dance and how the human body responds to movement. She believes that RTB not only allows people to not enjoy a change in their form but also helps them to find the fun in fitness. She hopes to share her passion for sport, exercise, and movement with the RTB family and wants to make a positive impact on your fitness journey. Her quote-to-live-by: "We don't workout because we hate our bodies, we workout because we love them!”
Althea Van Rensburg
I began my fitness journey when I took up ballet at the age of 5. I studied and trained under the Royal Academy of Dance until the age of 18. My passion for exercise grew as I expanded my workout regime, branching into running, weight-training, yoga, cycling, and boxing. My love for fitness led me to involving my friends and family in my various workouts, I then discovered my love for training and motivating others. Upon discovering Raise The Barre, I immediately fell in love with the supportive environment, holistic culture, and, of course, the amazingly sweaty workouts. Exercising is still seen as a chore or punishment for so many people, and my goal is to show that working out can and should be enjoyable!
Basia Le Roux
I have a love for people and moving my body and there is no better expression of these two aspects than Raise the Barre.
I found Barre to be the perfect compliment to my other two favourite forms of exercise, running and yoga. I am a trained Vinyasa yoga teacher and took part in ballet throughout high school. My classes are fun, friendly and filled with a few laughs to ensure endorphins are pumping. RTB has become a space of personal growth for me, the workouts are challenging and energizing, the environment is supportive and inclusive and there is always a smile to be shared.
Bianca Botha
My dance background is sculpted from ballet, contemporary and modern dancing syllabuses which I completed to the advanced level. These dance forms have continuously been part of my life which ignited my passion for the benefits and formula of barre over five years ago. I took up instructing barre in Cape Town and thereafter Johannesburg where I had expanded into teaching various other forms of fitness classes over the years.
Barre has provided me with a balance of hard sculpt training, muscle strengthening, and body toning. My classes are high energy and filled with positive encouragement, creative exercises, and the touch of a dancer's flow. I feel that Barre is not only about having a full-body workout but also feeling the endorphin benefits and crafting gratitude for your body.
Jessica Driver
I started freestyle dancing at the age of 6 and from there I studied Musical Theatre for 3 years and have been working professionally in the theatre industry for 4 years.
My fitness journey started in 2021 with home workouts & weight lifting. I then fell in love with Barre in 2023 & wanted to become an instructor to push myself and learn something new.
My goal is to create an environment where everyone can have fun while we Raise the Barre!
Jessica Dias
At the age of 3, my dance journey began with ballet, transitioning into modern dance, and eventually freestyle and slow dance. Dance has always been my passion. However, as I delved into my studies, I found it challenging to devote as much time to it. Exploring various forms of movement, including cycling and strength training, I eventually discovered the vibrant energy of Raise the Barre. What captivated me was not just the combination of fitness and dance, but also the dynamic studio environment where every class feels like a celebration of strength and grace.
Now, as a proud member of this amazing RTB community, I'm thrilled to share my passion for movement, inspire others to push their boundaries, and contribute to a supportive studio environment where we can all thrive together and have fun along the way!
Johan Dippenaar
I am a Performer and creative entrepreneur , after various titles in Latin and ballroom dance I completed my B-Tech Degree in performing arts from TUT. From there, there was no other option than to incorporate a fitness journey alongside such a physically demanding career path. Sharing stages in some of the biggest shows and companies, both locally and internationally. I am a firm believer in that whatever life throws at you, you should be able to handle it mentally and physically.
I fell in love with Barre after my very first class, I love the creative workouts, energy and welcoming experience made me feel right at home and knew this is where I belong.
My goal as an instructor is to prove that no matter the fitness journey or level you are on, you need Raise The Barre!
Rebecca Macmillan
Growing up I have always found a way to keep my body moving. I have a competitive sporting background but always had a passion for dance.
I was given the opportunity to study Integrative Physiology and Biomechanics as well as Leadership Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder, the hub of health and fitness. Here I spent my spare time doing outdoor activities such as hiking, mountain biking, skiing and took a dance class as an elective. This connection to nature deeply influenced my fondness for fitness and health, which emphasizes the importance of staying active and healthy both indoors and outdoors.
I have been attending RTB online and studio classes since 2020 and found barre has been a healthy escape after a busy day. This has been a community where I have been able to form friendships with like-minded people who are inclusive, friendly and supportive in studio and out of studio. This prompted me to want to become an instructor at RTB.
Rosanna Heydenrych
Dance and movement has always been an integral part of my life.
I completed my classical ballet exams to the advanced level and also trained in modern, Spanish, and Irish dance as well as rhythmic gymnastics. The sense of peace and positivity that I found in my personal yoga practice led me to complete 800 hours of yoga teacher training, giving me the skills to share my passion with others.
Yoga serves as a mental release but I soon found myself gravitating towards barre and pilates too, as they give me a challenging, full body workout while still providing that deeper connection and release in both the body and the mind.
To me, RTB combines everything that I love - dance, yoga and pilates, and it brings the joy, flow and fun back into exercise. I feel so excited to be able to share something that brings me so much happiness and fulfilment with clients.
Savannah Cozzi
Empowering women is something I have always been passionate about in all facets of my life. Given exercise is an integral part of my everyday happiness, I am consistently in awe of the impact instructors have on an individual. From netball to weight training to everything in between, I love exploring new types and forms of movement and I started doing barre intermittently a few years ago. As time went on, I fell more and more in love with the intricate, beautiful yet targeted form of movement. Admittedly, being a barre instructor was never part of my "2024 bingo card" but there is such power in getting out of your comfort zone and igniting fires within yourself you didn't know needed to be lit. It is an honour to be part of the team and I am beaming with excitement to now be on the other side and help empower women through movement. The thought of helping a woman be a better version of themself mentally and physically brings me joy and I hope my classes will bring that joy to you too. WHOOP, let's go!
Seno Namwandi
My fitness journey began in my early 20s with Zumba. I wanted to exercise but have fun at the same time. Prior to that all I had done was 2 years of ballet and school athletics.
Over time my love for movement grew to embrace becoming Zumba instructor and understudy HIIT trainer. I also started strength training and enjoyed the heavy environment of weights.
However over time, I started to feel the strain of heavy lifting with a lack of mobility and psychologically, I felt like I lost touch with my feminine. Enter to the scene RAISE THE BARRE. Two classes in, I felt like my joints moved better and better yet, I found my inner girl. I have enjoyed the feminine strength, flexibility and vibrancy in RTB. I became an instructor to add to this energy and I’m so excited!
Simone Britz
My fitness journey started as many have, during lockdown. Once lockdown was lifted I joined the gym and I was training up to 5 times a week. A year into my new found passion I started Barre and have never looked back. To further challenge myself and push past my comfort level, I decided to train to be an instructor. I am so excited and grateful to be part of the incredible Raise The Barre family, where we encourage everyone to come as they are and raise their Barre!
Skye Kampmann
I became an instructor because I know exactly how scary it is to walk through the door, but I know equally as well that there is absolutely nothing to be scared of! My goal is to create a fun, challenging class where everyone feels comfortable to start where they are and encouraged every step of the way. I can't wait to Raise the Barre!
