It’s the breathless question being asked everywhere from yoga studios to school gates. In ubiquitous Instagram ads, Naomi Watts rhapsodises about how The Class has “unlocked something” in her, and Emma Stone describes it as “transcendent”. Every now and then, a workout comes along that whips up a crazy fervour. And with the vibe shift away from having bulky, expensive equipment in your home (sorry, Peloton), The Class has captured hearts and minds with its simplicity: all you need is a mat.
But Taryn Toomey, the New York-based founder, is selling more than a workout. “The Class allows each person to make it into what’s right for them,” she explains. “Whether that’s a daily workout, a way to express pent-up energy, a celebration, self-care, therapy…”
The blend of meditative repetitive movements, full-throttle shake-it-off bursts of energy and a focus on moving and breathing in time with the music is quite unique. Described as “where fitness meets mindfulness”, it’s the holistic feel of yoga or tai chi, combined with the physical challenge of a HIIT session and the joy of a dance class.
Taryn came up with the concept back in 2011 after having her second child. “I needed something more fiery than my yoga practice and more connected to self than traditional fitness practices,” she says. “Safe, repetitive movement helped me strengthen my body, but the real benefit was creating a space to observe my thoughts and move the energy of my emotions.”
In 2013, her idea became The Class. In the decade since, it has evolved from the secret of in-the-know New Yorkers (the main studio is in Tribeca), to a suddenly-everywhere megabrand. The only other physical studio is in LA so, if you want to do The Class in person, it will still cost you a transatlantic flight as there are no imminent plans to launch in the UK. But the Digital Studio is accessed by devotees across the globe.
I sign up, hoping to bring a bit of this aspirational energy to my East London living room. They offer a free trial and then it’s around £30 a month (depending on which package you choose) for a huge range of online classes. In a world where we’re all trying to find time to exercise, meditate and practise some kind of self-development and self-care, this feels like an efficient way to do it all.
“It’s a somatic practice,” Taryn explains, “meaning that we use the mind-body connection. The results are cathartic, stress-relieving and euphoric.” But let’s not pretend we’re completely in this for spiritual awakening; the physical benefits are pretty clear, too. The livestreams, beamed from the Tribeca studio, show an army of toned bodies wrapped in barely-there vanilla girl aesthetic activewear.
Classes tend to start with tapping heels, shaking limbs and loosening the body. It reminds me of trauma release therapy, and I wonder if that is part of why people often say The Class has shifted a heavy emotional weight.
“Your reflection is correct,” says Taryn, making me feel like I’ve been granted a divine nod of approval. “Shaking the body helps release tension and regulate the nervous system. The body holds so much for us, including memory and emotion. Shaking practices allow that energy to move and release.”
Admittedly, the freestyle dancing makes me feel silly, even though I’m alone in my own home. I have to remind myself that no one’s watching, and I’m impressed by the lithe attendees on screen who are unselfconsciously letting it all go. It definitely takes me a while to relax into the cathartic grunting that we’re encouraged to do on an out-breath. I can’t help wondering how an in-person class would go down with a British crowd unaccustomed to dancing sober. Particularly since you have to get on board with the spiritual element. I can imagine cynical Brits eye-rolling at being encouraged to lose themselves in the music while showing gratitude to each part of their bodies.
But there are those of us at a point in our lives where it’s exactly what we need. Last year, I emerged from breast cancer treatment, physically scarred and emotionally broken. The Class tagline – “start feeling like you again” – really spoke to me. And, after The Class, I actually did feel lighter, freer and calmer. It could have a powerful effect for anyone who has been through trauma, or is experiencing stress or burnout.
Much has been made of Taryn’s A-list friends (she was at Meghan Markle’s baby shower), but this isn’t some vanity project. She’s serious about the emotional power of The Class and, earlier this month, taught one with marriage and family therapist Vienna Pharaon called Wound Wisdom. The 90-minute workshop used movement and mindfulness to identify unwanted patterns and unresolved issues. “We hear from people all the time who are moving through the complexities of life,” she says. “They tell us that The Class helps them process fear, anger, anxiety, feel physically and mentally stronger, and gain clarity to feel more alive and awake in their jobs, in their relationships, and with their sense of self.”
In many ways, The Class has simply rebranded the hippyish intuitive movement workshops run in community centres around the UK – brilliantly spoofed in the “rainbow rhythms” episode of Peep Show. But this is modern and aspirational to a fresh-eyed, firm-bodied young crowd. No bad thing, in my opinion. Come for the hot body; stay for the emotional enlightenment.
