Erika DeClerck

Born in Peru and raised in Ecuador, Erika DeClerck moved to the United States to attend college.  This mom of 4 has always been active - whether it was being a gymnast or a track and field runner from a young age to running marathons, Erika has put a lot of stress on her body as she continues to work hard to be in tip-top shape. That wear and tear caught up to Erika, though, and her injuries led to the need for several knee surgeries.  When the surgeries mounted and she was told she may need shoulder surgery, she looked at other options.  Hot yoga became one of those options for her to alleviate the pain and it proved to be incredibly therapeutic.  It turned out that it was just the thing she needed.  After 9 months of doing hot yoga, Erika found that the need for surgery was not there anymore as her pain subsided.  Her fitness journey, like a great marathon runner, would break through the wall and she began to actively explore more of what this type of therapy had to offer. After her last pregnancy, Erika explored barre as an option and in 6 months time she lost all of her gained weight. Barre (along with yoga) would then become a staple in her workout so much so that she decided to actively pursue an opportunity to become certified in Barre Intensity and teach others. 

Lisa Alberino

Lisa’s calling is to serve and share her love for fitness, while strengthening friendships through faith. Lisa has taught fitness classes since the 1980s, was a dancer and choreographer for the University of Minnesota, a strength and training intern for the U.S. Olympic wrestling team and a professional dancer for the NBA (Minnesota Timberwolves). She has danced for Prince (yes, you read that correctly!) at his Minneapolis nightclub, Glam Slam; taught dance and fitness at Eagle Rock School in Estes Park, Colorado; and was Director of Dance for the Phoenix Preparatory Academy in Phoenix, Arizona. As a then single mother, Lisa took a leap of faith into financial marketing, growing her Pennsylania-based satellite office into the East Coast’s second largest producing firm before global empire Allianz purchased the company. After moving to California, Lisa began craving Barre-centered workouts after using them to recover from long distance running and over-training injuries. As a successful entrepreneur, she knew opening labarre, boutique fitness studio, would be her next adventure. Lisa earned a B.S. in Physiology and Kinesiology from the University of Minnesota and an MA in Pedagogy from the University of Northern Colorado. She resides in San Jose with her husband, Robert and their three children — Jordan (20), Angelina Josie (14) and Stella Gigi (8).

Amber Bilak

A student of tap and ballet at a young age, Amber has been active since she could walk.  As far as sports are concerned, she’s done more than most!  When she wasn’t on a soccer field Amber was on the slopes.  When she was skiing down a mountain, she was climbing up one!  Activity and the outdoors were central themes in Amber’s life. 

“How could I climb more, How could I ski more?” Amber notes.  That climbing led to even greater heights for her.  “I am an aerialist and I do aerial dance.  I love it, and I started doing it because, well, you don’t extra points in rock climbing for being graceful.” She says with a smile.  Now I would like to add to the story that she’s a performer in Cirque du Soleil…. but that would actually be less interesting than what her journey has truly been about.  Amber’s heart, as you will find out when you meet her, is made of gold.  She headed to Africa for 2 years where she was in the Peace Corps, she has done extensive research in cancer labs and that’s just the beginning.  She has a PhD and is the mom of a beautiful baby Junie.

After years of doing very high impact sports and sustaining injuries, Amber needed to find something that helped to continue her along her fitness journey but was gentler on her body.  That search unearthed barre workouts and allowed Amber to truly appreciate the value of working tiny muscles.  “It feels so good to be balanced.  It feels amazing when you are aligned.  That’s one thing that drew me to barre.  When I start activating those smaller muscles to fatigue it felt great because I have imbalances that I have gained through high impact sports.”

Amber is someone who can work with multiple levels in a class - someone who challenges multiple levels but keeps things safe and most importantly fun.  She keeps things light and reminds everyone that this isn’t life or death… just keeping it light and wonderful is what I will be about. 

“I am good at offering modifications, because I have been injured and know what those modifications mean.  You can’t know someone else’s body but you can help to get them to make the most out of their workout.”

Ronimarie Apruebo

Ronimarie's fitness journey has always been about pushing limits and transporting herself to a special place, whether it be on the track as an athlete or in the studio where she began practicing Yoga, to feel more free and explore what "could be." That passion and freedom she experienced, specifically in yoga, led to her desire to teach.

"It was a mind-body connection that allowed me to detach from the outside world so I could realign myself", Ronimarie noted.  "Yoga took me to a nice place of freedom and creativity." Now the insightful instructor is able to take that feeling and pay it forward to those guests who will take her barre classes.

"From the time that I began practicing, I wanted to be able to give back and strengthen people, allowing them to experience the freedom I also experienced."

Sara Rosa

Jazz, tap, ballet and competitive dance were the norm for a decade and a half until Sara enrolled at San Jose State to continue her passion of the performing arts. While in school, at the young age of 19, she was teaching at a dance studio where she practiced and ultimately, ended up managing the space.  From there she found that she could lead and handle a great deal more than she expected.  Not long after, Sara married and became a mom of 2 wonderful boys.  As time often does, it escaped Sara and she had departed from dance and the discipline for about 8 years.  That was when she found barre.

“Barre is really easy on the body.  After dancing for years I had ankle injuries, I had knee injuries, I had hip injuries… all my joints hurt!  Barre is something I can do everyday.  I’m not completely exhausted when it’s over but I truly feel like its working.”

Because of barre’s ability to help connect a very diverse demographic, Sara was not only able to get back into the workout swing, but found a passion to teach and lead once again.  Her passionate return to dance proved to be a shining example what barre can spark inside all who want to explore it.