Studio East 54

I first came here for zumba with Gaby and I was impressed. I feel like I am fairly pick with dance instructors (and zumba can be especially cheesey) and Gaby is amazing. Her classes are so high energy and fun and a great mix of latin music and top 40 hits. Her classes are a mix of ages and experience ranges and I really like the way she doesn’t break down her dances step by step, but starts slowly and builds up. Since trying her class I have also tried the Xtend barre class and really like it as well. In terms of barre styles it is the most ballet-​like barre that I have done, which I prefer. I haven’t tried the TRX classes but have seen the end of them while waiting for my class to start and they look intense and the private Pilates classes also look like fun.
The only negative of the studio is that there is often only one instructor working so there is no one at the desk to greet you. I have taken a handful of classes and have only been greeted once and was not given a tour of the studio. The studio seems like it has a community as everyone else seems to know each other, but I haven’t had an instructor ask me my name or take the time to get to know me. I don’t mean to say the studio is not friendly but they could improve by taking a personal interest in their clients (even the infrequent ClassPassers like me). Overall the studio has a low-​key vibe and feels very non-​judgmental in its approach. Fitness should be fun and Studio East 54 delivers!

I absolutely loved my workout at Studio East 54 this week. I stopped by for the TRX Pilates class and it was amazing. Anna happily greeted me when I walked in, she immediately set the mood for this studio for me, her energy was great.
This was a wide open space with lot’s of mirrors which I loved. They seem to concentrate on pilates but also offer a mix of classes including barre and Zumba. If you’ve done pilates and you’ve done TRX separately then you will love the TRX Pilates class. Think of all those awesome pilates move and incorporate the TRX wow talk about some awesome ab work.
The mirrors around the studio are really helpful to check out your form and Anna was great demonstrating each move and walking around to help our positioning if needed.
I definitely worked up a sweat and felt very challenged during this workout.
There were only four other people in the class so it felt very private. I am looking forward to checking out some other classes they offer, especially the barre class. This TRX Pilates class was enough to bring me back again and again while I’m in Chapel Hill.
If you are looking for a boutique studio to practice in then check out Studio East 54. The prices are very reasonable and they are on class pass. The studio is very clean too.

Excellent addition to the world of boutique fitness in the Triangle! I’ve attended a Zumba toning and Zumba (regular) class in this studio, both with Gaby, and felt so empowered, energetic, and invigorated afterwards!
The studio got a little toasty at one point, but cleared out when we opened the doors for some breeze. I can’t wait to come back on my next visit to Chapel Hill! BONUS: They’re on ClassPass! Can’t beat it.

Full disclosure: I am an instructor at Studio East 54, but there’s no way I’d work here if the studio and owner were anything less than fantastic. Katie is a talented, knowledgeable, and approachable fitness professional.
I just glanced at some of the other Unilocal reviews and saw the comments about the place being too small for Zumba classes. They expanded space-​wise before I arrived in March, and things have gone swimmingly since then. Gaby’s Zumba classes are always super high energy and usually pretty packed. I’ve hopped into classes with all of the instructors here and haven’t had a bad experience – Katie’s gotten some well rounded programming worked out, and I love being part of the SE54 team.

Studio East 54 is an all around great place. The studio is nice (and is currently expanding), prices are very reasonable (first class is free!), and the instructors are really good. I’ve tried Zumba and Zumba toning, both of which were a solid workout. You don’t realize how hard you’re working at the time because you are having so much fun. The people are great, especially Katie, who is so welcoming and personable. Fantastic place!

I love coming to SE54. I usually do TRX, TRX-​pilates or Xtend Barre. The classes are small, the environment is calm & low key. The classes are hard enough to be challenging, but completable. The store is aesthetically pleasing.
A couple of critiques– the music is a bit of an afterthought, and it would be great if they choreographed or synced the music to the moves because I find music to be inspirational during a workout. Also, although there are two very nice changing areas, there are no showers/​locker room so you can’t really go from here to work.
The instructors are lovely, give great workouts in a lovely environment. Also, now they have a Monday evening run with lululemon. Can’t recommend this place enough!

Still loving SE54! I have branched out into trying TRX classes and Xtend Barre classes. Nicky is a great addition to the roster of Zumba instructors, and the Barre classes bring out the ballerina-​wanna be. Much respect to the ballet crowd; as I try to hold the various poses and do the controlled movements, I find myself shaking with muscle fatigue and sweating so hard that it drips uncontrollably off my chin as I do chair sits at the barre. I am a distance runner, but ballet kicks (and nicely firms) my booty. This year, Katie hosted a Zumbathon for the Lineberger Cancer center at UNC, which was super successful. Halloween Zumba 2012 featured a routine to a hilarious mash up of «Ghostbusters» and «Gangnam Style.»

It’s a nice studio, clean, but way too small for Zumba. One of the mirrored walls is distorted so makes you look wide and short; I hate looking at the mirror when working out so this is a minus. Went to one pilates and one zumba class so far. Not that impressed. For Pilates, I got a workout but it was rather boring and there was no music. Zumba was good and fun but the instructor kept stopping after every second or third song to adjust the iPod for a ‘break’ so that was very annoying. Thus, making the workout not at all aerobic; I would have been almost better off just going out salsa dancing and it would have been more aerobic. Also, the class was small but if there were anymore than 6, we’d be bumping into each other.
I guess the studio is trying to target an older less fit population than students.

I only go there for Zumba and I love it. The place is cute, there’s chocolate and nice people. Perhaps it’d be even better if there was more room on the dance floor, so I don’t have to worry constantly that I may accidentally smack the person next to me, but it’s not a huge deal and it’s not something they can change anyway.

I absolutely love the zumba classes here. Great sized studio with energetic teachers. A really fun way to get some variety in your workouts! Katie is fantastic, and I always leave the studio in a much better mood.

This is a great gym specializing in core training. I take the BARRE, TRX and Pilates classes. It is clean, fun and gets right down to business. I like that I don’t have to pay a monthly gym fee.