Drop into that downward dog, because a new yoga and barre studio is opening in University City in mid-April. Tuck Barre & Yoga, whose first location is in Point Breeze, will be offering a variety of classes that include three different types of yoga, a mixture of barre classes, as well as meditation and stretching classes at their new location on 34th and Lancaster. “We have all three [yoga classes] because they compliment each other so well,” says Callie Kim, owner of Tuck and graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School. She found that when she was a law student here at Penn, there were little options nearby, especially for barre.
Courtesy of Tuck Barre and Yoga
One of the cornerstones of the studio is their yoga, which they offer in three different forms: Yin, Vinyasa, and Buti. “Our Vinyasa flow class, that’s a pretty standard class that you would see in other studios, it just means that you are moving with your breath,” explains Kim. “Buti yoga is very intense. It includes some plyrometrics and some dance and they play super loud music. Yin classes are very passive and meditative, so you lay on the floor and you are in a very supported position, but ultimately the goal is to call into the mind and relaxation.”
They also offer barre classes in a few forms, including more traditional barre, but also offer a barre class that incorporates HIIT (high intensity interval training), called barreshred. Callie recommends that beginners take a few traditional barre classes before taking this class because it's already as difficult as regular barre, but with another added element. The class combines elements of barre combined with short bursts of cardio, such as jumping, in order to burn more calories and really get your heart rate going.
Courtesy of Tuck Barre and Yoga
But the greatest part about Tuck is arguably their pricing relative to other yoga studios. They have no cancellation fees—as long as your mix–up doesn’t prohibit someone else from joining the class. This means when you last–minute have to go to office hours and make sure you don’t fail your Econ exam, the loss isn’t a double whammy. Though the pricing is expensive, Tuck does offers student discounts: $18 for a drop in class, $139 or $129 for a month unlimited (the $10 difference depends on if it's a single month or recurring payment), and $119 for yoga–only unlimited. While not as cheap as Pottruck classes, these discounts are definitely better than their Center City alternatives.
Kim notes that they try to treat their customers the way that they want to be treated, like friends. She wants to build a community in West Philadelphia with Tuck. And I'm confident that Penn students will be more than helpful in creating this.
