It never fails. When I have a mat workout from a teacher that has experienced the work of Kathy Grant, I notice, consistently, that her signature “tape measure and belt” causes me to really feel her two days later.
Maria Earle brought her version of that internal fire to a few Pilates Sisters and I at the start of a weekend in July.
Mary Had A Little Lamb
Pilates move us all, but dancers move quite a bit differently than “regular folks” and Kathy Grant apparently made everyone sing to move. It’s all about using the breath along with the requisite isometric contraction to roll up and down the spine.
Maria moved is through the #NeckPull with Mary and her Lamb. We giggled and squealed with the flow of movement and breath. I am fairly confident that this is what had my body feeling the subtle pinch of the “tape measure wrap” the next morning.
#Scissors and #Bicycle was transformed into windmills of Danica and Nicole’s dancer legs floating through the air effortlessly. This was utter and complete joy together as women, as teachers, as sisters moving to the flow and rhythm of Joseph Pilates advanced mat exercises ala the creative interpretation of Maria vis-a-vis Kathy Grant.
“Sharing a workout with my PilatesSistas is invigorating and freeing. There is no judgement but only acceptance and most of all, encouragement.”
— Danica Kalemdaroglu
Forward-Thinking Connections
This is the second small group #TeachersWorkout I have organized this year, for only the purpose of connecting in person, and getting off the digital grid.
There is no question from viewing these images and video clips, we are not only affirming our work as teachers, friends and colleagues but that we all know that voice and song and that it is shared through each of us as #PilatesSisters.
I built this site to hold and share the collective work and efforts of those of us that want to continue to connect, live and in living color, as creative thinkers and movers. I wanted the ability to tell the story of what happened at the Pilatium, on the rooftop in Harlem as well as what may happen on the grass in Central Park or in the small studio in Oakland, CA.
Pilates Sisters Business Owners
We set up the meetup in early spring to coincide with the 3rd BGPilates Weekend; as Maria traveled from Barcelona, Danica from Virginia, and Nicole from PA to participate with a larger collective of #PilatesTeachersOfColor from across the US and Europe in Pilates movement sessions, conversation and community building.
Each of us are self-employed, independent small business owners, running Pilates studios and movement practices that just plain enjoy the camaraderie of other women of like mind and spirit. We make our living, and built our lives, around the practice and teaching of the Pilates method.
“In all of my years of walking into pilates, dance and yoga studios never have felt so at home on the mat.”
Lisa Serradilla, Pilatium, has operated in her Wall Street location for 16 years and began her Classical Pilates training 1981, at the 56th Street studio of Romana Kryzanowska. Michelle Leach, who teaches in the Pilatium, introduced me to Lisa while we both attended a workshop a few years ago.
Michelle, trained with Linda Farrell at the Pilates Studio in NYC, Brooke Siler at re:Ab and Master Teacher Cary Regan. She and I are the non-dancers in the room; having chosen Pilates as a second career, we came from a corporate/business environment, yet, irrespective of our roots Pilates has taken hold of each of us.
“We cheer for each other and are in general awe of one another. There is also so something easy about it. Like we are childhood friends.”
Maria Earle, 2nd Generation Master Teacher, 20+ years of international teaching experience, Danica Kalemdaroglu, Graduate of The Pilates Center and co-artistic director of a modern dance company in VA, RVA Dance Collective, Nicole Alvarez, former principal dancer with the Lula Washington Dance Theater, national tour of Disney’s The Lion King
were the dancers in the room.
The purpose of our work, living and business is to give to our students and clients. The purpose of this session was to give of ourselves to each other. That happened with such ease, joy and comfort.
We did this for the pure fun of connecting. The idea of recreating and repeating the experience, continuing the forward momentum as small groups, working together was the inspiration for #PilatesSistersSquad.
I am proud to know these women and call them my #PilatesSisters and to launch this site being inspired by what we found in sweat and in the presence of each other.
