Meet Kate Devine | Writer, Teacher, Creator of Mood Barre

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kate Devine and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kate, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I’ve always wanted to, planned on, maybe even knew I had to work for myself in one way or another. My first foray into business was a vintage clothing shop, which I started on my laptop when I was 23, the day after I was laid off from my one and only 9-5. I pursued an MFA in creative nonfiction, and spent my 20s supporting myself with a collection of assistant, teaching, and freelance writing jobs. My broader focus was having the time and energy to continue my writing projects. All the while, I was also exploring my interest in movement and embodiment practices as a gateway to creativity.

I’d been teaching barre and Pilates in-person and online, and knew my message, sequencing, even music selection were all resonating. I had the idea to record a few classes and offer them on my personal website. Then, after a lot of thought and encouraging conversations with friends, the name and idea of Mood Barre came together. Slowly, then all at once, I decided that this would be a digital (for now) studio offering Pilates, barre, and generative writing classes, live-streaming and on-demand, for the moody among us. Mood Barre’s philosophy emerged from my lived experience of turning to movement as a therapeutic ritual, as a prerequisite to my most generative writing times… and good moods.

What should our readers know about your business?
Mood Barre is all about lifting your mood, easing your mind, and feeling good in your body. The studio is a synthesis of my work as a writer and Pilates teacher. Above all, I guide with welcoming, warm, compassionate language, and plenty of variety to keep things interesting. There are two reasons for paying such close attention to the overt and subtle power of words. First, I’ve been in way too many otherwise wonderful movement classes when suddenly I’m jolted out of my flow-state by an out-of-touch, harmful, or shame-inducing cue from an instructor.

Second, Mood Barre seeks to offer more than a typical fitness class. It connects movement practice and creative practice. In these classes we’re strengthening our bodies and interoceptive skills. We’re exploring mobility and flexibility, but also taking care of ourselves so we can feel, think, and create with more clarity. We’re turning to movement to tap into our knowledge, access sensation, and unlock creative energy.

Pilates and barre are incredible modalities that already have mindfulness, concentration, joy, and safety baked into them. They have also been, unfortunately, co-opted by industry demands and fitness culture, and often seem rigid and exclusive. Mood Barre offers live-streaming and on-demand classes of all different lengths and styles, all modifiable for you. There are many points of entry, so you can come as you are, learn, practice, and enjoy.

One aspect that sets Mood Barre apart is that it was born from a personal place of awe. Movement, like art-making, is a place where we can deepen our understanding of ourselves and our world. Mood Barre seeks to transmit just that. Our lives are meaningful, our movement classes can be too.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Truthfully, my favorite place to dine in town is just a short walk down the block, my best friend’s dinner table. I’m very lucky here in Catskill, New York, to have friends who make thoughtful, seasonal, delicious meals, not to mention, who set the table like art. I also adore Stewart House in Athens, especially during the warmer months, for its charming outdoor space, with tables under willow trees, right on the banks of the Hudson River. I usually order a martini, which on Friday nights comes with one raw oyster. Then of course we’d order a dozen more oysters. For a night out in Catskill, Avalon Lounge is without a doubt the place to be. There is live music most nights of the week and great Korean food. I live at the foot of the mountains, so depending on the season, we would also enjoy hikes, swims, waterfalls, skiing, iceskating, and vista-gazing.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First and foremost, my family of origin. I grew up watching my parents build and run their own business, a moving company, which they started the year I was born. My parents, sister, and brothers have always been such a source of strength, love, and care. Mood Barre might still be a sparkle in my eye if not for my friend Nina Endrst, who convinced me over many dinners on her porch and voice notes that yes, I could do this and yes, now. When I first decided to create a digital studio, I scheduled a series of creative advising sessions with my friend Liz Ibarra, the artist behind Ibarra Studios. Conversations with Liz helped me map out my vision for the platform. Theresa Sullivan, aka Little Flame Creative, is a poet and copywriter who put into words what I could not for Mood Barre’s website. Willow Westwood of Web Weavers Design Studios did an incredible job designing the website. I also have a million thanks and hugs for my beloved writing group, the people who come to my in-person classes at Pilates Hudson, and the warm, visionary, community I’m lucky to be a part of here and near Catskill, NY.

Website: www.moodbarre.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/moodbarre

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moodbarre

Other: www.katemdevine.com

Image Credits
Photography by Anna Victoria. Artwork by Web Weavers Design Studios