Pilates Sisters Squad Editor
Movement Therapy: Conscious Focus in Fitness, Health & Life
I feel like I have been a bit of a “mad scientist” lately, working behind the scenes on something kinda cool.
You may know that I am passionately obsessed with Pilates, good teachers and quality movement, as well as being a bit of tech-nerd. I am an avid Android user and photographer; pretty comfortable with website design and have recently fallen in love with creatively exploring Gemini AI. So much so that Orbit and I (my Gemini assistant’s name; I like the brother’s voice 😉) have finished a project I started at least 15 years ago.
I am as excited about the message in the book itself, as much as I am about the process of completing it with the new AI tools. I believe that as we age, our focus should shift toward longevity, agility, and a conscious connection to our bodies and movement. That’s what the book is about. Doing so in this time of AI-speed creativity is exhilarating.
I am all in! And I’m sharing it with my friends, colleagues and fellow lovers of movement.
I’ve officially finished my new ebook,
“Movement Therapy: Conscious Focus in Fitness, Health & Life.”
It is a 50-page dive into the philosophy, practice and mindset of Pilates4Fitness. I’ve poured my years of observation, instruction and my passion for movement therapy into these pages, and I am excited to share it.
Click Here to Download Your Copy
Let me know what you think 😉
Thank You PilatesSistersSquad!!
Closing Out Our Year Together
I am honestly not sure what I will do with the free time yet in 2026; as I am still wallowing around in thoughts and ideas to that end. I need to “sit with it” for a while, and allow the next creative project to unfold.
I am clear tho, that I will use the “re-runs” of the work we have done over the years as well as continue to work with many of these 2ndGenMasters – live and/or virtual – in private or semi private sessions – in the days, weeks and years ahead. They are among the best teachers and practitioners the Classical Pilates community has created. We have been privileged to have access to them during the past five years in this intimate manner.
Thinking of Lisa Serradilla, with much love and respect. She worked with me, from the initial brainstorm of the effort in 2020, and helped facilitate the connections with all the Romana’s Pilates Master Teachers. Thinking also of Maura Mulavaney, who many of us know joined from Paris each year and left us far too soon in 2024.
Of course, thinking of each of you, and so very thankful for your participation, the sharing of your time and willingness to join and enjoy the work together. I know each of us has found a new favorite movement, transition, focus and/or teacher over the past few years. For this I am grateful.
Much love and respect, my PilatesSisters. 
Click and enjoy a video montage
The Lifestyle of Pilates | Herb Flatow Images
Nedda Casei is seen in a number of the photos in the #herbflatowcollection. Here she demonstrates the Swan on the Reformer (link to purchase photos and posters for the benefit of the PTP. is in our bio.)
“Who was Nedda Casei? In addition to a career in the 1960s and 70s with the Metropolitan Opera she later served on the board of the American Guild of Musical Artists, the union representing opera singers and other theater performers. In 1982, she became the union’s first female president. (Source: New York Times obituary, 2/15/2020)
Photos from the Herb Flatow Collection are ©Mary Kelly for the exclusive use of the Pilates Transparency Project, a fundraiser to cover legal expenses in the ongoing copyright lawsuit in U.S. District Court, SDNY.
This quote said everything to me.
“I lived for my singing. I married very late – almost forty. I realized it was a good idea not to marry young because you need to share – and being an opera singer you need to be selfish. ‘What’s good for me? What’s good for my voice? What’s good for my health?’ After performances I was tired. I really tried to avoid receptions, most of the time. Its not like you just had a performance and then you rest for a month. You have other rehearsals, other performances, things keep going.
You’re basically earning a living, and to go and be social – the talking, being charming – is wearing. You know, its not like life stops and you can go and enjoy it. You have lessons, coaching, preparations, performances.”
Source: https://www.classicalvoice.org/people/2009/10/21/interview-with-american-mezzo-soprano-nedda-casei
And clearly Pilates was in the mix, as evidenced by these photographs, as part of her regimen and preparation. I love the onstage “swan” extension after her performance of “Carmen.”
Mary tells me it’s also Nedda doing “Back Rowing” in the image below.
I wanted this image, in particular, as it featured four women in the studio, and at the time, only Clara (dressed in ‘nurse whites’) was recognizable to me. Now I know that it is Nedda, on the same Reformer, also wearing white.
You can see Clara placing the towel down for her student ( off frame ) in the “Swan” image. The poster size image of that shot is going to be perfect in my studio.
I am thinking of placing it either near the Reformers or behind the Ladder Barrel, where I personally prefer to do Swan. 😉
September with Three 2ndGenMasters
It was not my intention to do all of them during the same week , and particularly not back-to-back. Yet, Thurs morning, when I woke up, and after rubbing Arnica on my shoulders, drinking half a cup of coffee and preparing for a full day of teaching, (including my brother’s first session with the AquaSwing ), I recognized the sensations in my body and noted that my shoulders, muscles and joint tendons simply were not used to clearly being pushed the way I had over the course of these three days ….in that way…. in quite a while. 😳
In fact and truth, it had been two weeks since I had a good, serious Pilates session. I swung ropes, rode my bike, pool and noodle play, a little matwork, but no apparatus work. Bad move.
Clare, Brett, and Phoebe
It’s best to break them up. And I usually try to do so, but the schedule fell this way, and I wanted the sessions as well as the camaraderie of the work with my other #PilatesSisters.
Monday Virtual Teachers Ritual is always with Clare in MA, Lisa always joins from CO, Deidre from NH. I love this hour and it always helps me realign myself for the week.
Tuesday bi-monthly Private Session with Brett goes anywhere we need to and has rarely been missed or canceled in the 11-12 years of our teacher/student relationship; and the Wednesday Teachers session with Phoebe at Grasshopper Pilates, with Jessie and I onsite (Damien, Melissa, Maribeth virtually connected) just happened to fall in the same week.
Doing the work with others automatically adds a second dimension that I miss and enjoy as a solo practitioner/teacher. The trick, as Brett reminds me it’s to “conserve my energy” so I could do the work fully, and find the release my body needed and still have some “umph” left so I would be ready for what was to come.
Going into the city is a delightful chance to leave my space physically and mentally and immerse in the energy of the community around me. Casual walk across the city is always welcome. Work with colleagues, who know the work, allows us all to laugh, move and flow as one, even when/if we are tired, beat and or inevitably nursing a joint, spot or issue.
Movement Excursion in Portugal
Excited and elated are my feelings at this point. I jumped with two feet into co-hosting my first Movement Excursion with my Yoga Teacher friend and #PilatesSister, Anayra Calderon. I joined her on two yoga retreats to Egypt and Morocco. I am beyond thrilled that we are able to plan/offer this adventure together. It is Time!
We welcome like-minded movement lovers to join us in this special Movement excursion. An escape to a space of serenity and balance; much needed and welcome, especially now as life is weaving inevitable moments of challenge and change. We know more storms are coming and more shadows will continue to fall. To that, I say, let’s honor ourselves, stand in our strength and look ahead to keep moving forward.
We are planning daily Pilates and Yoga movement, exploration of a few coastal towns, vineyard tour, horseback riding, pool, beach and surf play. We couldn’t be more elated to escape together and go.
It is not our first time traveling together. I know it will not be our last either.
Sometimes a little escape from the norm is helpful.
This is that kind of escape.
PSS 2025 MasterClass Lineup
Pilates Sisters Squad Editor
Pilates Retreat in Costa Rica
Committed and excited to travel with my #PilatesSister, Bonnie Grove Fluid Power Pilates, to Costa Rica in November 2024. Planning for what she describes, as “amazing week of daily pilates, surf and jungle explorations, and enjoy(ment of) some of the best locally-sourced and organic food.”
When I say commit, I mean it. My airfare is booked/ticketed, and 50% of the deposit for the full week Pilates Retreat is paid. My #NoNeedToCheckBagsAnymore travel bag arrived from CA. I plan to break the bag in early May with train ride to VA and will be wandering around the foot of the Blue Ridge mountains with family enjoying each other and tasting wines, whiskey and strawberries.
My objective: Keep it simple. Travel light and stylishly.
In the last two years, I have traveled to Egypt and Morocco and enjoyed the work of a favorite #MovementSister and #YogaTeacher, Anayra Calderon and so, I am thrilled to not only have Pilates matwork on the schedule, but apparatus sessions with other #PilatesSisters, as an integral part of the “week of daily pilates, surf and jungle explorations.”
You know me and apparatus. 😉
You should know, Bonnie has been one of the most frequent participants in each of the #PilatesSisterSquad MasterClass sessions over the past four years, she along with a few other #PilatesSisters were key sounding boards while brainstorming the development of the #PSS. She is one of the teacher trainers in the LEAP program of ThePilatesStandard, the legacy program built by Bob Liekens in 2013. I am excited and grateful to be included in the mix of teachers that will enjoy this excursion with her.
So many of my teachers and therefore, my Pilates training lineage comes thru Bob. He was the first #2ndGenMaster that got me hooked on Pilates and specifically, the rigor and quality of the Classical Pilates methodology.
I say hooked, because I believe it is an addictive system, the best money can buy.
“The Pilates Standard started 2013 with Bob Liekens as a co-owner and coordinator, creator of its educational programs and materials. The Pilates Standard goals were to ensure that the legacy Joseph Pilates gave Romana Kryzanowska and she passed on to Bob, Phoebe Higgins, Cary Regan and others was kept; to create clear and structured training manuals without the material becoming too much/overwhelming for future students.”
The inspiration to the LEAP was to finely create a second manual that would ensure that the knowledge was kept to the ”new generation of Pilates Teachers”
For more on the cute little SmartBirdy Bag that I plan to use getting to Costa Rica, as well as the next excursion with Anayra, not to mention all the tech travel goodies a girl could want that came with the bag, check the post here. It’s all part of my “PilatesLifestyle.”
#NoNeedToCheckBagsAnymore
Both Phoebe Higgins and Cary Regan are scheduled to teach MasterClass workouts this year.
Do not miss the opportunity to be in the virtual room with either of them!
PSS 2024 MasterClass Line Up
Pilates Sisters Squad Editor
Adorning Walls With Art, Pilates and Powerful Women
When I made the statement about adding Pilates Elder, Carola Trier’s illustrations to one of “my walls of Powerful Women” I acknowledged that power, beauty and strength are definitely on display in my movement space. Every piece has a story and connection to who and what I am as a person, an individual and as a member of a tribe of creative, expressive women.
Finding and Creating "Awe" in Our Work
The article hit me the first week of the year, as the concept of "creating new opportunities to find and experience awe" is what I feel that the 2023 plan for the PilatesSistersSquad has turned into. Finding and creating new opportunities to find and experience awe. More and more as the structure, foundations, and basis of our lives, businesses and communities seem to be adjusting and changing rather rapidly. Our work, practice, needs and the tools of the ever-evolving movement teacher, have drastically changed.
We keep rolling with it. In a way, we have no other option. Every day that we open our doors to teach, we provide a source of insight and inspiration for many that may find themselves stuck in the mud.
How a Bit of Awe Can Improve Your Health
“Awe is the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your understanding of the world,” said Dacher Keltner, a psychologist at the University of California, Berkeley.
It’s vast, yes. But awe is also simpler than we think — and accessible to everyone, he writes in his book “Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life.”
While many of us associate awe with dramatic, life-changing events, the truth is that awe can be part of everyday life. Experiencing awe comes from what Dr. Keltner has called a “perceived vastness,” as well as something that challenges us to rethink our previously held ideas. Awe “is its own thing,” he said. Our bodies respond differently when we are experiencing awe, than when we are feeling joy, contentment or fear. We make a different sound, show a different facial expression. Dr. Keltner found that awe activates the vagal nerves, clusters of neurons in the spinal cord that regulate various bodily functions, and slows our heart rate, relieves digestion and deepens breathing.
And, awe is something we can develop, with practice. Two of the four ways mentioned that struck a resonate chord for me were:
- Practice mindfulness - We cultivate awe through interest and curiosity,” Ms. Salzberg said. “And if we’re distracted too much, we’re not really paying attention."
Mindfulness helps us focus and lessens the power of distractions. “If you work on mindfulness, awe will come.” And some studies show that people who are meditating and praying also experience more awe. “Awe has a lot of the same neurophysiology of deep contemplation,” Dr. Keltner said. “Meditating, reflecting, going on a pilgrimage.” So spending time slowing down, breathing deeply and reflecting — on top of their own benefits — have the added advantage of priming us for awe.
- Choose the unfamiliar path - Awe often comes from novelty. So gravitating toward the unexpected can set us up to experience awe.Some people do this more than others, a personality trait that experts have called an “openness to experience,” Dr. Keltner said. We can work on developing this openness through everyday choices. Choose a restaurant you don’t usually visit, take a different route to work or check out some music you aren’t familiar with.
In his book, Dr. Keltner wrote that people who find awe all around them, “are more open to new ideas. To what is unknown. To what language can’t describe.”
Read More of this NYTimes article and may we keep creating awe in your client/students movements and experiences with their bodies and Pilates.