In a nutshell, Melinda both practices and teaches Pilates because it feels good. It was love at first class, when she left her City College "Dance Conditioning" class feeling longer, lighter, and stronger than she thought possible in a single hour. After a semester of studying both the exercises and a bit of the theory and anatomy behind it all, her teacher encouraged her to pursue her certification. Two years later she had completed the Pilates Academy International Certification program on all apparatus and shortly after became a full-time instructor.
These days nothing makes her happier than seeing her students leave her classes with that same longer, lighter, stronger feeling she still gets from Pilates. With a former work/life balance of 40+ hours behind a computer screen and 20+ hours of dancing in high heels a week, she knows first hand how Pilates can be tailored to fit any body and any lifestyle. As an instructor, she approaches her classes with a balance of both depth and flow, humor and poetry, teaching her students to connect with their bodies in a mindful way, while having fun and getting a great workout.
In addition to her basic training, she is a Certified Pre/Postnatal Pilates Specialist through The Center for Women's Fitness and has completed a 12-week Pilates Rehabilitation Intensive led by Lizz Roman. She continues to study anatomy and other movement forms such as Feldenkrais, Yoga, and dance as a way to further develop her teaching skills. For more info, check out her website/blog.