I first heard of The MVMNT Society when I interviewed Jackie Gulley for Street Style; she said she wanted to try a class there. I was intrigued. What was it and why was it missing vowels? Once I found it, I took a screenshot and let the image sit on my desktop for a few months. When I began prioritizing myself again, I signed up for a two week trial to try as many classes as I could. After 14 days, I was hooked.

I had also been following Natalie on Instagram and was particularly impressed with an après-ski outfit she rocked. She definitely wasn’t in Northern Virginia. She also shares healthy meals that are easy to make – and with kids in tow. When several people suggested her for Street Style, including Maria Elizabeth from Salon deZEN, I thought ‘absolutely.’ But I wanted to get to know her a little bit first – and that included taking both her Step and Booty Builder classes. As for Step, I look like one of those memes of a woman always going in the opposite direction of everyone else, but Booty Builder will do exactly that, and Sculpt, the signature class, is my favorite.

Natalie Strahorn is more than the founder and owner, she’s the heartbeat of the operation. She’s hired an amazing team of women, who have built a supportive and safe community. I’ve taken a ton of classes locally and never had instructors welcome me to class (and notice I was new) and check in with me afterwards. Plus, the playlists feature a ton of 90s music, and I feel like I’m jamming out with my girlfriends instead of sweating my butt off!

Natalie grew up in Fairfax, Virginia and went to Virginia Tech where she studied Political Science and English. “I interned at a law office, and was told, ‘I don’t think you're going to like being an attorney.’ But I did love fashion and writing, and so I lived in New York for a bit. I was super poor and my parents didn’t have the money to support me, so my dad, who worked for State Farm Insurance, got me a job. I was doing the reverse commute into Queens. I eventually got my foot in the door at Cosmopolitan as a non-paid editorial intern. I also freelanced and then landed a full time gig at Delia’s and Alloy. I was doing merchandising and styling photo shoots, which also led to a role at American Eagle. I was a Jill of all trades…” 

She was restless though and didn’t feel fulfilled. She had a long-distance relationship with her future husband and says he was the catalyst for her return to Northern Virginia. “There were no fashion jobs here, so I took a position at AOL in marketing. Before I had returned I had taken a barre class in the Hamptons with a friend and fell in love with it. It was so fast-paced and different and I felt so sore the next day. I found a small barre studio in Georgetown and was waitlisted. I knew they were on to something.” 

At the time, she says very few in D.C. had heard of barre. “My husband was like, ‘Let’s figure it out.’ So I started getting certifications and I was asking myself, ‘Can I be good at this, and also be a business owner?’ I went and bought…and I swear it was called, How to Write a Business Plan for Dummies.” 

Natalie was in her early 30s when she secured a loan and began searching for a location. “I originally thought I wanted to be in Arlington. Our realtor kept showing us stuff in Old Town Proper, which I was down for, but none of the spaces felt right. The Carlyle area was pretty new at the time (this was 2013), and I saw the space at 1701 Duke Street and nothing was taken yet. It was right by the Metro, right by Whole Foods and had plenty of parking.”

She says she quickly learned many lessons – including not to quit your full time job right away. “We opened in 2014, but it took a full year. Every city is different, and you don’t know what the setbacks will be. You jump in and you do it. There’s never a perfect time.” 

This past June marked ten years in business. 

She had begun as Xtend Barre. “I didn’t believe in myself as a brand…I thought I had to buy into a franchise. I paid a lot and I didn’t get a lot. So, I wanted to go off on my own. Four years in, she began to offer more classes in addition to barre, introducing HITT and a trampoline class. “Once Covid hit, that was the opportunity.” Like all fitness studios, she was forced to close for a while, and she capitalized on the down time.

“I wanted to stave off boredom by offering variety. This is what I do for a living, I don't want to do the same workout everyday. So I introduced the trampoline, TRX…and when I floated this idea (variety of classes) to other owners that had also left the franchise, they poo-pooed it. They said it’s too many different classes, too many programs…and that it was challenging in the sense that not everyone on the team teaches the same things. I respected their opinion, but I had to steer my business to where I felt passionate. And coming out of the pandemic, we’ve had the biggest years we’ve ever had, and I have a team that’s passionate about what they’re doing, too.”

As someone who has taken over 40 classes at MVMNT, I see this. I’ve never had an instructor who looks like they don’t want to be there – even at 7:30 am on a Sunday morning! The instructors enjoy leading and sharing their choreographed sequences synched with their playlists. At other studios, instructors are walking around, checking equipment, switching up a song, but here they’re doing the workout with you. When I ask Natalie about this, she says, “you can keep an eye on your clients and work out. There’s an energy transfer when we’re doing it together…we know when we’ve fatigued…that’s harder to tell when you’re not actually doing it. I also give my team the freedom to bring their own flair to their class, it’s not plug and play.”

Natalie’s own health journey evolved as she found the need for a balanced diet. “I didn’t want to have to obsess over what I ate. I did competitive cheerleading at the age of 13 and picked up bad habits…nothing extreme, and I didn’t grow up in a household with healthy habits either. You have to ask yourself, ‘Why am I spending all this time working on my exterior, if I’m not going to also work on my interior?’ Some get frustrated when they’re not seeing results. Your workout is only 20%. It’s also about your diet and lifestyle. If you’re riddled with stress, it doesn’t matter how many smoothies you’re drinking. And stop listening to people on social doling out advice that aren’t even accredited!”

Her own social media began to really grow when she started sharing healthy recipes that are easy to make.” I was sharing the girl talk from the studio and bringing it to my online presence. Like sharing my laser skin girl, Sandra Oulmas; I’m not a gatekeeper. I’m a girly girl, I love all the beauty products, I do all the things. I’m authentic and wide open, and I’m not dogmatic. We’re all just trying to do our best. I have hair extensions and lashes – and I’m not afraid to get dirty. I love playing outdoors with my kids.”  

Natalie had her daughter Scarlett about two years after opening the studio. “My clients threw me a surprise baby shower, and it was a huge outpouring of love. I was so insanely touched by that.” Scarlett is now eight and is thoughtfully leaving water outside the studio door for the local pups during Natalie’s shoot. I keep Smith, her son, five, occupied by playing goalie to his shots (courtesy of a basket of weighted balls). The kid has a leg! 

“My husband Bryce…I give him so much credit. He’s my number one cheerleader, and although he’s my partner in this, he’s hands-off and has implicit trust and faith in me. Although I do ask for help with some of the labor…and plumbing,” she laughs, “But his focus is in software sales in the tech space.”

What is she working on next? “Once fall comes, we’re planning on more community events for our clients. There will be an anniversary party, our annual winery day…I’ll bring back group coaching in October and more partnerships with local businesses.” She’s also planning a client retreat in February in Miami – stay tuned!

Check out Natalie’s Street Style:

ABOUT NATALIE

Neighborhood: Hybla Valley Farms

Hometown: Fairfax VA

What would surprise people about you? My husband and I both are children of fathers who lost their lives to suicide. We’ve recently started to use our stories to help spread mental health awareness and suicide prevention.

Favorite book: Lately I love reading about spirituality; Many Lives, Many Masters and Same Soul, Many Bodies by Dr Brian L Weiss, The Light Between Us and Signs by Laura Lynne Jackson.

Guilty Pleasure: Online shopping and watching The Real Housewives 

Latest binge-watch: The Bear

Bucket list travel destination: The South of France, Positano and Lake Como

STYLE

Define your style in three words or less: Fashion forward

The go-to piece in your wardrobe: A crop top and high waist pants until I’m too wrinkly to keep it going.  If I can, why not?

Favorite trend: High-waisted jeans

Beauty product you can’t live without: Tom Ford Bronzer

Boots, sneakers, or sandals? Heels always, unless I’m teaching class or playing with my kids.

WELLNESS

Go-to way to de-stress: Exercise, journal, meditate or call a friend.

Most fun way to stay active: Class at MVMNT

Wellness goal: To feel healthy mentally, physically and spiritually. To feel at peace.

Want to try: Cupping

Proudest wellness achievement: Feeling my confident in my skin, mentally and physically, at 43.  Far more so than I did in my 20s and 30s.

HOME

Favorite room in your home: Bedroom

Antiques, modern, or a mix? Modern.

Last item bought for your home: My bed.

Favorite way to entertain: Pool party.

Clutter-free or well-lived in? Clutter-free to the extreme.

Next planned purchase:  A home!

ALEXANDRIA

What do you love about Alexandria Stylebook? The inspirational women who it’s run by and who are featured.

Favorite spot in Alexandria: The MVMNT Society. I’m obviously biased but it’s my happy place and has brought so many incredible friendships into my life.

Your go-to shop: She’s Unique

Best food spot: Oak Steakhouse and Josephine

Favorite local organization: Evolve, A Behavioral Health Center

Annual Alexandria event you most look forward to: Halloween on Lee Street.

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