Pilates teachers can really change lives.
They teach HOW to move,
they help to recover after serious injuries and surgeries,
they develop body awareness in their students,
they share empathy and encouragement,
they are sensitive to physical and mental issues,
they realign body and mind,
they empower,
inspire and
they help find freedom and joy of movement both in the studio and in real life.
Last week I ran a survey (more results of which will come soon) and I asked you to share words of praise for the exceptional teachers in your life. Take a look around. Pilates teachers are REALLY changing lives. This is not a fake list of cheesy testimonials, there are words from real people whose lives have been transformed by Pilates and wonderful teachers of this method. (The order of this list is based solely on the order in which survey responses came in. All of the teachers on this list are #1 in our book, we do not compare but express out fullest appreciation to the wonderful movement educators whose passion is Pilates and helping people.)
Would you like to add somebody to the list? Please add your testimonials in the comments and I will be sure to update this list. There are thousands of remarkable Pilates teachers out there, they deserve to be mentioned and praised.
Praise from the Students
Beth Posa at New Strength Pilates – Missouri City, Texas. Beth is an exceptional instructor and the most knowledgeable instructor that I have had the pleasure of working with. She is motivational, and informative and can work with any one . I have seen how caring she is and how considerate. She also has a very positive energy. It makes your day to be around her and the studio.
Heather Fossum of Minneapolis. With amazing insight and knowledge has transformed my physical condition, and given me the tools to continue improving it.
Anastasia Goers was my first instructor that helped me fall in love with Pilates… I injured my back and had to have surgery..for a ruptured disc…after intense physical therapy,acupuncture and massage..I am finally back doing Pilates..
Perry Mauzy is my instructor now..and I work with her one on one..She is very focused on making sure that I am doing the exercises correctly and not to injure my back..I am gaining strength and improving with every visit..I feel very blessed to have work with both of these instructors..I am very happy that I was introduced to Pilates in such a positive way..
I have been learning to understand my body by my teacher Olga Novikova (based in Hong Kong). She is truly exceptional for me because of her patience, deep knowledge and of course passion for Pilates. I have never met a teacher who would be more concerned about her students’ health and wellbeing. Olga taught me not to be afraid to move and stretch when I was injured, to question the smallest details and meanings of all postures and even words that I use when I talk about myself and my body. It was an unforgettable experience studying with a great teacher!
Christine Crooks-Nguyen is incredible. She teaches at the Nephesh Pilates Studio in Sacramento, CA. Christine ensures that each student gets the most out of each Pilates session. She is very much in tune to any physical limitations that a student might have, and makes the appropriate adjustment. She is extremely knowledgeable, and an absolute joy to work with. I’m 62 and have been working with her for over a year and a half. I am looking forward working with her for a long time. Pilates isn’t easy, but with Christine’s assistance, I’ve been able to do things that I never thought that I could. Steve Dyer
Denitta Morris – Denitta helped me finished my training. She also assisted me very professionally thru my back injury.
Leesa Donlen – Leesa continued Denitta’s work and challenged my broken body to new levels of strength!
Nadine Kent- since moving away from Brisbane, I found Nadine. She is very focus and particular about her work. Love the improvement I already see in my body.
Amanda Erlank– Amanda works in the same area and teaches awesome mat classes. Her cuing is incredible and her way of communicating just takes your body to a place it has not been before.- I would like to say thank you to Anastasiya Goers. Her workouts and explanations are easy to understand, you know what muscles work, and why you are doing this or that excercise. All the activities are planned from easy to more difficult, you don’t need to hurry, and you’ll cope with everything. And what is even more important she works not only with the body, but with the mind, helping to believe that you can cope with any problem you have. Anastasiya is a great teacher! Thank you!
- I have a few! and I thank them all. Vicki Samoya, Lori Ngyuen, Holly Wright, and Kaitlen Groetzinger.
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Nicole, Classical PilateStudio, challenges my body as she guides me on various equipment to isolate, refine and strengthen those bits that aren’t working correctly. She challenges my mind as she explains how my body needs to be working. She challenges me to take greater responsibility for my workouts. She inspires me as she demonstrates exercises. Thank you, Nicole, for keeping me in good working order. 
Robin Long from The Balanced Life Online
From the Instructors
Tania Huddart of Hearts & Bones Pilates in Wellington, New Zealand – she is a brilliant teacher & mentor, who has inspired me to discover new ways to think about & experience movement.
Studying Biomechanics and Kinesthetic Anatomy with Irene Dowd for 9 months was one of the best things I’ve ever done to enhance my knowledge as a Pilates Instructor. Irene understands the importance of embodied learning, so we worked hands-on with each other for much of the class time, with muscle testing and manual cuing techniques. I would take this course all over again if I could as she is a gem of a teacher and shares her knowledge so generously.
Holly Pruell Leun – Compassionate teacher for students and clients. Accomplished businesswoman. Owns and manages a stellar studio and certification center She is loyal and committed to the Practice of Pure Pilates. My mentor since 2004
Miranda Bass in the UK. Besides being a stickler for authenticity and technique, she has quite a sense of humour when you know her better!! she also has a way of teaching that gives you some very valuable teaching skills.
I am very much inspired by both of my teachers – Kelly McKinnon and Kaisa Marran – their extensive knowledge, practical skills, critical reasoning and passion for movement.
Meredith Rogers taught the Basi certification program I attended. Her generosity and compassion got me through a tough program.
Jennifer Stacey is a constant source of inspiration for me. She has studied with many if not all of the elders and loves to combine their work and give them credit. I love her voracious mind, good spirits, excitement about the Pilates Method and generosity with her knowledge.
Jane Elizabeth Williams in North Devon is an amazing mentor. Her ability to pass on her knowledge is amazing, she is patient, creative and resourceful when teaching new students. She is caring , considerate and compassionate when teaching her clients.
Denise Maffia – tireless teacher. Amazing cuing. Great relationships with her clients.
Sarah MacLachlann (Pilates Performance Ireland) Sarah is an inspiration to everyone who meets her. She is a brilliant educator and teacher, no one like her.
Gabrielle Cahoon, studio 48 pilates, whitefish, Montana. She is so inspirational that she got me interested from 1000 miles away in North Carolina..
Karen Ellis (The Pilates Nerd), Prana Pilates Newport Beach, CA
Katrina Edwards. She amazes me everyday. I look up to her and learn from her. She is calm and never gets too excited.
Cherry Baker. I studied with Cherry in Glossop Derbyshire UK. Cherry is a no nonsense, but humorous, down to earth, person with a wealth of knowledge. She has been nominated & I think may have even won Fitness Instructor of the year on more than one occasion.Cherry runs her own studio along with her husband John. She works with other Pilates professionals such as Shelia Done, another wonderful lady. Cherry works with Christine Minchella North. I believe they are both joint directors of Professional Fitness & Education Ltd. Together they have devised Modern Pilates & have built a wonderful team of dedicated professionals around them to support aspiring Pilates Instructors, & continue their education when qualified.
Jennifer Gianni is a passionate and COMpassionate teacher who has kindled my love for the Pilates Method, teaching and movement in general. Thanks to her, I did not only learn to understand my own body but also learned to “see and read” bodies of my students. She didn’t just teach me how to do Pilates exercises in order, she taught me to be a TEACHER who connects with students and finds individual approach for each one of them.
If your comment has been published on this page please let your favorite teacher know about it. They will enjoy reading all the worm words that you had to say about them.
This list is not complete…
Do you know an exceptional Pilates teacher? Write a comment below sharing the name and studio where he/she teaches as well as why this teacher is so amazing. After you do that please share this page on Facebook, Twitter or through email so that other teachers and Pilates students could help us grow the list of the most amazing Pilates teachers and educators.
Katie Thoms at Pilates of Boca is one of my teachers and mentors who really understands the body and the Pilates Method. she has brought an awareness to my practice like no other. She challenges me in every lesson, and has most recently gotten me back in balance by working with me while recovering from a knee injury. I always feel strong and lengthened after every one of her sessions!
I would like to thank Rachelle Favaloro for being the most positive, insightful, caring, determined instructor I have ever had. She has helped me reach my fitness goals in rapid but safe time 🙂
Educated, great sense of humor, phenomenal instructor 🙂
Audrey Langstroth has been my instructor for the last 3 years. With patience and great care, she has seen me through some dark times physically. I was referred to Audrey through another long time student of hers, whose life she’s also changed. Working with broken bodies and sometimes broken souls is her specialty. She embodies her work with her long standing clientele and the dedication of her teachers. I can’t say enough and Thank you seems so small. But Thank You Audrey!!!
Sally Anderson founder of both Pilates International Studios and PilatesITC in Australia is responsible for getting me hooked on pilates way back in 2000.
Sally has also led the way with pilates instructor education in Australia and PilatesITC has the first and only pilates articulation to a bachelor degree with a university in the world at present
I want to thank Amanda Koch! I’m not sure if she truly realizes the impact she has had on my life. She helped me over the final hump of fully recovering from years of battling eating disorders with her amazing Pilates classes. She steered me in the direction of finally becoming an instructor myself and helped me see just how passionate I was about helping others be happy and healthy.
Thank you, sweet Kelli! You are a huge inspiration to so many people with your story of success. I love seeing how your Pilates career is flourishing … I know there is a lot more in store for you 🙂
Lee Morgan, owner of The Pilates Academy, Ascot. My first instructor and my mentor. I’ll be forever grateful for Lee’s introduction to the Pilates World, the great classes and sharing of his deep knowledge. The patience, support and dedication I received as I continued my personal journey as a student to an instructor with Lee. Thank you, totally inspiring….
That is so very kind of you to say, Clare, thank you very much. It is an absolute joy to see someone move on from simply attending class toward to starting a new career as a Pilates teacher. I’m confident you have a wonderful career ahead and I’m proud to have been a small part in that. My very best wishes for your future. Lee
I have learned so much from Sally Belanger (http://sallybelanger.com/index.html). She has inspired me to question everything and found a way to make studying anatomy and biomechanics FUN and interesting.
Silvia P. Rodrigues, Silvia has been my instructor for a number of years and has helped me to gain strength, mobility, and perserverence. She is thoughtful about how our bodies are each time we go to her studio and makes changes to help us when we are struggling. Thanks Silvia.
Joan
Its ALWAYS a pleasure to have YOU in class. Thank you for the opportunity to teach and learn from YOU!
Silvia
Karen Ellis of Prana Pilates, Orange Coast College (OCC), and Pilates Nerd has already made your list, but I want to share what an inspiration and mentor she has been to me. Karen was one of my professors at OCC and quickly became my mentor. She gave me the skills and confidence I needed to become an instructor. Karen is so much more than her brand. She is an amazing teacher, who is constantly challenging herself and her students to grow in the Pilates world. I continue to take class weekly with Karen and each week I learn more about myself and the work. Karen has made a huge impact on my life both personally and professionally, and I am grateful to her every day!
Karen Ellis is one of the most generous and talented teachers I have ever had the honor to have worked with. She gives her students encouragement and focus to concur their physical and mental hurdles and achieve their movement goals. “Don’t let what you can’t do stop you from what you can”. One of the great lessons I took away from one session with Karen that has helped me in my own practice as well as helped me help others in theirs.
She is a teacher that challenges you to embody your movement and connect to yourself. she has compassion and empathy for weakness but still challenges you where you are! She meats you where you are and helps you reach farther. If you get the chance to work with this talents teacher stamp it up!
Casey Marie Herdt, works closely with Jennifer Gianni. I received my mat certification through Balanced Body with them. I have continued to follow and take online classes with them, and always enjoy their endless tips! Both of them give so much of themselves to help instructors like me. They continue to inspire me to learn more every day! I can take what I learn from them and help many other people in their pursuit and love for Pilates!
Thanks for all they do!
Karen Ellis is one of the most talented Pilates instructors I’ve had the priviledge to learn from, as well as being intelligent, gracious, funny and kind. I’ve studied under her at Orange Coast College’s Pilates Certification Program, as well as at her studio, Prana Pilates. I continue to take weekly classes from Karen, and learn something new every week. From Karen I’ve learned to embrace the true intention of the work, and to work to my best ability. I’ve learned from her example how to inspire my own students to work to their best too. “If you can, you must,” and Karen can and inspires the rest of us to as well!
My introduction to Pilates had been with the beautiful Constantina Kottaridis – she is a talented instructor and educator. i am enjoying my sessions with her a lot and feel totally inspired every session.
Wow! Thank you Miki for the flattering comment 🙂 May I clarify however that although I am a qualified Pilates instructor I’m not a Pilates Educator – I know you meant it in the general meaning of the word, as I like to explain things in my classes 😛 I just wanted to clarify that out of respect to all the Pilates Educators out there. Again thank you for your kind words and see you in class xx
Nancy Anderson from Centerspace Pilates in Minneapolis changed my life. I was declined by most teachers and studios due to a heart conditions and was consequently in woeful condition.
I walked into Centerspace and Nancy took me under her wing, guided me in all types of pilates and literally changed my life!
I am eternally grateful to her
Nancy Hall
Sharan Simmons from Sydney/Australia is an amazing teacher and mentor. She has a special way to get you in the right position without inducing unecessary rigidity and is fun, creative with her cues and supportive while giving you a challengind workout. She constantly attends professional development and have so many tools to integrate with the Pilates method and you leave her class feeling strong, energised and focused.
Amanda Erlank, Luisa Saiter Lins, Rene Alexander and Cat Giannitto!
They’ve all been fantastic mentors through my journey sharing their knowledge and helping me overcome my challenges through their unique teaching and passion for Pilates. They inspire me to never stop learning and improving as a teacher and as a student. A big THANK you to every single one of them 🙂
Annemieke Jonas ( Polestar Educator in Amsterdam, The Netherlands) is phenomenally talented Pilates instructor! Thanks to her anatomical and medical knowledge, Annemieke is very experienced in creating a pain-free Pilates routine for all those who have physical limitation, as well as for top athletes who want to be challenged to their maximum. She is an exceptional Mentor to me due to her ability to pass on her knowledge using her vast knowledge of “cueing” and “imageries”, creative mind and great sense of humor. I look up to her and learn from her how to connect with students and to find individual approach for single one of them.
My teacher is Patricia Tyler , owner of Bodyfit egypt ,she is teaching stott Pilates .
She helped me to know my body well , I was doing exercises using wrong muscles ,she helped me to find out my weakness points & correct them. I’m a stott Pilates teacher. I have learned from her how to have big eyes, how to see the picture as a whole not a specific part & catch the scar that exist . she could extract the best in me .
I wanted to tell you a little about my wonderful training instructor, Holly Pruell Leun.
The process of becoming a certified instructor can be intimidating and quite stressful but her calming, patient manner was a blessing to help me advance through the program. Having left the Atlanta area, I can reflect and truly appreciate the professionalism and integrity Holly practices, and demands of herself and her instructors. Her studio, Pilates of Dunwoody, is world class and a haven for the method. Through her guidance, Holly helped me gain a presence of confidence that I didn’t know I had. My sincere “Thank you,” Holly.