Our team of instructors are highly qualified with years of experience and a steadfast commitment to continuous learning. Our focal point is on the need of the client and so every client is assessed individually and guided through a program according to their personal goals and requirements.
Co-Founder of Studio54
It was my teenage love of sport and passion for movement that led me to pursue a career in physiotherapy. After graduating with honours from Bradford School of Physiotherapy in 1995, I went on to work in the British NHS for 5 years specializing in musculoskeletal injuries. Later, in the private sector, I worked in rehabilitation facilities whilst completing my Muscle Imbalance training under Mark Comerford in 1998.
Guided by my other passion, travel, I arrived in Cape Town in 1999 and fell in love with South Africa. I’ve been here ever since. In 2001 I trained as a Pilates instructor and went on to complete the internationally recognized BASI comprehensive training under the mentorship of Ed Botha.
I love the challenge of rehabilitation, taking a special interest in muscle imbalance and myofascial release. I combine my hands on Physiotherapy approach with my pilates training to maximise function in my client’s chosen activities, be they competitive sport or daily life.
It is my genuine belief that a healthy lifestyle is best achieved through a holistic approach to physical and emotional wellbeing. I am committed to constantly striving to achieve that balance, not just in my own life, but in the lives of those with whom I work.
Co-Founder of Studio54
I originally trained as a professional ballroom dancer from an early age and subsequently used my practical experience as an opportunity to teach dance for the following 9 years. My love and passion for movement and an active lifestyle has been a priority since then. It was the relocation to South Africa, which offered me a new avenue in Pilates.
Inspired by the great amount of benefits of Pilates practice in overall body mechanics, I decided to further my teaching career to become a comprehensive BASI Pilates instructor under the mentorship of Ed Botha.
In order to further my education I have taken various workshops / certification courses such as: BASI Mentor Program, Pilates for Rehabilitation, Anatomy of Movement, Pilates For Men, Myofascial Release by signal pulse technique, as well as attended international conferences e.g. Learning From The Leaders.
Having worked with a diversity of injuries, I enjoy seeing the development and improvement in my clients through Pilates. I take a very hands on approach to teaching and desire to make a positive impact on each client by integrating healthy movement into their everyday lives.
In every session my clients will receive a rigorous but safe work-out with a personal and nurturing touch. I aim to leave you excited to develop your knowledge of this profoundly transformational practice.
Instructor
My love and appreciation for movement started at a young age and I went on to study a 3 year Dance Diploma at UCT. After teaching for a while, I decided to broaden my fitness and anatomical knowledge by doing my Personal Fitness Trainer Diploma (ETA) at the Sports Science Institute. It was while working in the UK’s corporate health facilities that I was introduced to Pilates.
On returning to SA in 2004, I completed my full Pilates qualification with Equilibrium and have been teaching group and private sessions ever since. My clients vary greatly from professional athletes, to those needing rehabilitation. I have first-hand knowledge of Pilates through pregnancy and enjoy teaching a ‘seniors’ class to the more ‘mature’ clients.
I’ve continued my education through many courses, workshops and conferences by BASI, STOTT and other educators. My recently obtained qualification as a B3 practitioner, compliments my Pilates holistically with its myofascial and trigger point release techniques.
My varied background in movement along with the anatomical background gained through the years, allows me to better understand how precision of movement and correct implementation thereof, is the key to my clients achieving their goals.
Pilates Instructor
My passion for dance and movement started at the age of 7 gaining experience in the styles of ballet, modern, jazz, and contemporary dance. I studied dance as a school subject which included learning about human anatomy and movement also incorporating Pilates theory and practice . After school I spent a year working at a local gym, after which I completed my BASI Pilates Comprehensive Certification in 2012 through Theo Botha.
Teaching at various studios over the following years I have not looked back and Theo has remained my mentor. She has taught me about rehabilitation and fascial movement, skills that I continue to incorporate with great success in my classes. I have also completed a course focusing on shoulder rehabilitation and have helped numerous clients with post-op recovery and injuries.
My biggest reward is that I get to see my clients starting to enjoy life because of what Pilates can do and has done in their lives. Moving more freely, without pain, my clients’ journeys are what motivate me and my journal is full of stories of personal growth and life changes in my clients. I will keep writing these tales down as they occur, one class at a time.
Pilates Instructor
Movement has always been a part of my life. Ballet and dance, lifelong passions. In 2012, I discovered an exercise modality, Barre, which is a fusion of ballet, Pilates and yoga, choreographed to a strong beat. I loved it instantly. So much so that a few years later, after I had retired from an incredible corporate job, I went to New York to study at the feet of my Barre gurus, Fred De Vito and Elisabeth Halfpapp and I was certified by Exhale to teach Barre.
With the intention of deepening my Barre practice, I enrolled in STOTT Pilates classes with Lisa Palmer at The Movement Lab and was immediately hooked by the enduring Pilates principles of control and precision. Before long I had signed up for various certification courses and workshops such as STOTT Pilates Intensive Mat & Reformer courses, Injuries & Special Populations (ISP), Zenga Instructor Foundation course (inspired by yoga, taichi, Pilates and dance), Total Barre Instructor Foundation course, Anatomy Review workshop and many more. I love learning about anatomy, how the body works, movement patterns and am inspired to share my knowledge with others. It brings me immense pleasure to guide people in their quest to get stronger and find joy in movement in a safe, fun but challenging setting.
In my second career, I’m having the time of my life!
Pilates Instructor
I am a Pilates and Yoga teacher specializing in injury and perinatal rehabilitation.
I have been teaching movement for the past 12 years, both in studios and on retreats in the UK, Europe, America and Africa. Alongside my teacher training, I have studied anatomy, rehabilitation, perinatal exercise, fascial release, breathwork, lymphatic drainage and meditation to cultivate my offering which focuses on developing a healthier relationship with our bodies. I am also a doula, workshop presenter, teacher trainer, retreat host, and am currently studying to be a Health Coach.
I look forward to working together with my clients to gain the most out of their bodies and their lives.