Our Story

Movement Arts opened the doors for classes at the Big Red Barn in the fall of 1998. At that time, Arlington was a small town, so we started with just a few students. Over the years we have grown into a center for classes, friendships, gatherings, and a real sense of community, with several hundred students coming through our doors each week.

The Big Red Barn (built in 1948) was part of a dairy farm built by Clifford Rod, whose family were homesteaders in the Stillaguamish Valley. Fifty years later, the barn retains some of its classic look, but the inside is a 2000 square foot studio with wood floors and natural light.

In 2002, a new oak floor was installed, a new roof went up, and a complete sanding and painting of the barns exterior was completed. The studio was featured in a national magazine,  Real Simple (November 2002) as part of an article about the studio’s director, Kara Keating.

As of 2006, other changes had taken place. Movement Arts had evolved into a healing arts center, with a strong emphasis on yoga, as well as yoga teacher training, personal counseling, and bodywork. The studio began a partnership with the City of Arlington Parks and Recreation department, which helped to introduce many new people to classes such as yoga, Pilates, and dance. In addition the studio began to offer classes off-site at the Camano Senior & Community Center on Camano Island.

In 2008, several projects were launched, such as the completion of the DVD Yoga at Home, which was filmed in the barn and includes music by local musicians. A beautiful new logo inspired Kara to create a new website, along with t-shirts and other products.

As of 2010 Movement Arts expanded into a new location in downtown Stanwood at Studio West, a renovated church. With classes in three locations to serve the community, several of us got used to moving between studios to teach a variety of classes.

Movement Arts plans to offer excellent classes, workshops, retreats, and other services to the community for many years to come.

From Kara:

"It has been my pleasure to see this business grow from its infancy to a full ten years of service. As we all know, time passes so quickly, and here we are, a real fixture in the community! My wish is for many more people to experience the healing power of movement in their lives. It is my commitment that we continue to improve, educate, and provide a safe and supportive environment for those who seek us out. May we all experience better health, wellness, abundance and joy in our lives."