Our Story

From a Leap of Faith to Three Studios Across Charleston

Barre South started with a simple decision — leave everything behind and build something from scratch in a city we loved.

How It Started

Brett Dunevant grew up in Lynchburg, Virginia, but Charleston was always the place she loved — thanks to years of family vacations to Wild Dunes. She danced growing up, minored in dance at James Madison University, and eventually found barre at a small studio in Richmond. It clicked immediately. The workout gave her the structure and challenge she'd been missing, plus a community that felt like home.

On a trip back to Charleston in 2014, an idea landed: what if she brought her own version of this to the Lowcountry?

Brett and her husband Brandon sat at a bar and made a pact — either stay in Richmond or move to Charleston and open a studio. They chose the leap.

"I never want anyone to feel judged or intimidated. We're known for being welcoming. Everybody talks to everybody."

— Brett Dunevant, Founder

Building from Scratch

They moved to Mount Pleasant in 2015, knowing almost no one and with no built-in following. Barre South wasn't a franchise. It wasn't a known brand. It was just Brett and Brandon.

The first studio on Coleman Boulevard opened in May 2016 after a nearly year-long buildout. Brett found her first instructors on Craigslist, rented space in a ballet studio to audition and train them while her own studio was still under construction. She built the website, built the class formats, built the brand from zero.

Word spread fast. Friends told friends. By year two, Barre South was ready to double — and the second studio opened in Downtown Charleston's WestEdge development in 2018.

Surviving the Shutdown

When COVID hit, fitness studios across the country closed for good. Brett grabbed a laptop, walked into an empty studio, and figured it out in real time. Day one of shutdown, Barre South was live on Zoom — with clients using countertops as barres and wine bottles as weights. One live class pulled 100 people.

The crucial part: members stayed. They kept their memberships active when it would have been easy to cancel. That's what real community looks like in the hardest moments.

"Day one of shutdown, I didn't even know what Zoom was — but we had 100 people in a single class."

— Brett Dunevant

Three Studios and Growing

In December 2025, Barre South opened its third location in Carolina Park — the newest and fastest-growing corner of Mount Pleasant. With beautiful open studios, a welcoming team, and over 1,200 monthly active clients across all three locations, Barre South has become Charleston's go-to boutique barre studio.

No cliques. No judgment. Just a room full of people getting stronger — together — one pulse at a time.

As Featured In CHS Happenings

"We sat at a bar and decided: either stay in Richmond or move to Charleston and open a studio. We chose the leap."

Inside Brett Dunevant's fast-growing, community-driven barre brand

Meet the Team

Every instructor brings their own style and energy, but one thing is the same across the board — they'll know your name, push you to be your best, and make sure you leave stronger than you came in.

Ready?

Your First Class is Free