For as long as I can remember, movement has brought me immense joy. The freedom I

experience while moving my body feels like a celebration. It has accompanied me through my

life and nudged me toward a career where I help others to nurture this same joy in moving. I

became a Pilates teacher to explore the connections between movement and health, but this

has deepened over the years in ways I never could have anticipated. 

My love of movement first expressed itself through dance. I began ballet lessons

when very young and soon immersed myself in it. I loved working to create

something beautiful from nothing. I loved the repetition, the training, and the struggle. Most of

all, I loved to push my body to the limits and feel it rise to the occasion.

It was actually this ‘ballet habit’ that led me to try Pilates. I was 14 when I took my first Pilates

class. At the time, I would do anything to make me a better dancer, so

if Pilates could ‘make your core stronger,’ I was ready to sign up! But I was in for

a surprise.

I will never forget how my body felt after that first class. I remember thinking, “Wow, I feel

tall...and strong... like I just gave my body exactly what it needed.” Going through a series of

movements that felt nurturing was an experience that stood out, because I was so used to

spending hours a day moving in ways that pushed, stressed, but ultimately weakened my body.

This new rejuvenating sensation from healthful movement was something my body, mind, and

spirit were ready to receive.

As I continued Pilates I became increasingly interested in anatomy and

biomechanics. I knew the human body was capable of incredible feats, but I

wanted to better understand why. Why can we move the way we can? What are

the systems that perform in concert to make such feats possible? 

I explored the answers to these questions in college through coursework while pursuing a

health promotion degree. I spent my final semester interning at a Pilates studio, where I

worked toward a comprehensive Pilates Certification. There, I again found myself surprised and

delighted at how much nurturing movement could mean to people. From the seat of my

reception desk, I watched clients’ whole demeanors change after they’d spent 55 minutes in

the Pilates studio. It was then that I realized I was exactly where I was meant to be. 

Since graduating, I have spent the last 10 years teaching students and training

instructors; managing studios and establishing Pilates programs; and presenting the insights

I’ve gained about movement, health, and the body in talks and trainings around the U.S. I have

had the honor of using Pilates to help people recover from debilitating injuries, prepare for

birth, age while retaining mobility, heal from cancer, and—most importantly—learn to trust

their bodies.