Q&A: Meet Barre3 instructor Miranda Velgersdyk

This is a paid piece from Barre3 Sioux Falls.

Simplified: Miranda Velgersdyk first discovered Barre3 Sioux Falls after her sister introduced her to the classes. Seven years later, she's a long-time instructor with an ever-growing expertise in helping people move their bodies with intention. She sat down with Sioux Falls Simplified to chat about her role, Barre3, and the importance of a good playlist.

It's also Barre3 Sioux Falls' birthday week next week, and you can celebrate all week long with $5 classes.

Answers are edited for length and clarity. Responses are quotes from Velgersdyk.

What initially drew you to Barre3?

My sister is the one that got me started there, so I have to give her a shoutout.

I've always been very active and involved in sports – in college, I ran track – so I've always enjoyed working out.

Once I graduated college, I started to come to Barre3 more religiously and just fell in love with it and everything it's about.

How long have you been a Barre3 instructor? And what drew you to the role?

It'll be six years in October.

I was initially very reluctant about it – just because I've never been one to be in the limelight. I hate public speaking, and they were asking me to do that while I was moving on beat and remembering the choreography.

It was very overwhelming to me at first, but Kennan (Barber-Ensz, who initially brought the franchise to Sioux Falls) kept convincing me and was so encouraging throughout the entire process.

It started to make me think, 'Maybe I can do this. Maybe this is something I could enjoy.' So I went for it.

What's kept you going as an instructor all this time?

(The workout) never gets easier. There's always a new challenge around the corner.

I love that Barre3 corporate as a whole does a really good job of refining the workout and fine-tuning it.

It's evolved over the years, and now we've added extensions like strength and cardio classes. Adding those classes has really made us rethink the way we go about it, and there's just a new challenge every day.

Tell me a bit about what goes into planning a class.

Each instructor does it differently. For me, my playlist is the biggest part of my class and just the overall experience. My music drives my entire class.

Usually what happens is, I'll sit down, and I'll just start plugging in my songs – warm-up songs, leg songs, etc. And then I think, 'Oh, this would be really fun to do step taps to," so I add step taps.

I use my playlist to guide my choreography.

What's your favorite Barre3 posture right now?

I've always been a huge fan of split squat – formerly known as "carousel horse."

It's so functional and gets so deep into your muscles. There's so many variations you can do with weights and upper body.
You just feel it right away. It's super spicy.

I also just love a good step tap session where we're just jamming to the music and moving big.

What's something you want the people who take your classes to know?

Have fun.

As an instructor, I sometimes crack jokes, but not very good ones. Really, we just want to know that you guys are having fun and enjoying it. Truly, that's why we're there too.

We sometimes can come across maybe as a little bit intense, but we definitely don't want you to think that we are intense.

I like to start off my class by saying, 'We have bodies that can move, and that's a beautiful thing. So let's just have fun with it.'

You got up today, and you're able to get out of bed, so let's just enjoy this opportunity that we have.

What do you do when you're not teaching Barre3?

I love to just be active. I'm an accountant, so I sit at a desk a lot during the day.

I live downtown, so especially when it's nice out, I like to get out and walk. I'll go to Falls Park or I'll head down Phillips Avenue. I love to be outside and to get my steps in.

I just love everything that downtown Sioux Falls has to offer, and I'm just right in the thick of it. So I can walk wherever I want – whether it's the farmer's market or to grab a coffee at The Source, I just beep bop around.

The community at Barre3 is truly the best part of it, and I feel like the workout is just a bonus.

I wish people would just come in and give it a try because you won't regret it.

You're just going to feel so welcomed right away when you walk in those doors by the front desk, by the instructor – just come on in and give it a try.

You can book a class with Miranda here.