What began as rehabilitation became a life practice. 

 

 

 

I was brought to Pilates through my formal dance training. Somewhere between my genetics, my posture, and a lifetime of physical activity, I developed a fully degenerated lumbar disc. At 22, as a collegiate-level dancer, skier, biker, and river runner, I was told by specialist after specialist that I was too young for back pain and needed to “try adding some stretches and clamshells” to my daily routine.

Meanwhile, I finished my degree and, while studying the history of dance, stumbled across Joseph Pilates—and his wife, Clara, whose name is too often forgotten in the historical record. I started taking classes with a woman named Linda Parker and was quickly humbled by a mat on the floor of Studio 005.  But the manageability of loading groceries into my car after her class was noticeable. Looking back, I don't know if Linda ever knew how grateful I was to her for giving me the tools to literally walk, through the next decade.

Today, with a surgically replaced disc and a religious Pilates practice, I remain pain-free. I spend my working hours sharing my excitement and belief in a movement practice that has given me so much. It keeps me strong, and it keeps me sane. 
The community of people who fill the studios where I teach and practice create a place where movement, maintenance, rehabilitation, and strength are valued. 

For me, Pilates remains a constant.