This is part of our Meet Our Visiting Instructor Series where you get to read about some of the visiting teachers to our studio. Meet Grace Hurry, a member of the BASI Pilates Faculty.

Grace is a regular visitor to our studio in Dublin and teaches Mat and Comprehensive Programs for us.

What have you been up to recently?

I have recently returned from presenting at ‘Momentum Fest’ in Denver, CO. Momentum Fest is a Pilates festival, where everyone gets together to share their passion, and it was just so much fun.

How long have you been a Pilates teacher and what inspired you to become one?

I have been a Pilates teacher for 9 years, and started practising 20 years ago as part of my ballet training. I am afraid that I am the stereotypical ballet dancer turned Pilates instructor, so there was never a ‘light bulb’ moment of inspiration to transition from dance to Pilates. It has been part of my life since I was 11 years old, and really can’t imagine doing anything else. I feel grateful for Pilates every day.

What’s your favourite Pilates exercise? Why?

Such a hard question! I would have to say Semi-Circle – delish!
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This is part of our Meet Our Visiting Teacher Series where you get to read about some of the visiting teachers and educators in our studio.

Meet Wendy LeBlanc-Arbuckle, educator, author and movement teacher.

Wendy will be teaching a 3 Day Immersive based on her her 3Core Connections® Embodied Perspective (3CCEP) in our studio here in Dublin in May 2019.

What have you been up to recently?
Collaborating with and mentoring practitioners around the world to create a shift in awareness from a biomechanical, body as machine to be trained and fixed approach…to a biointelligent/biotensegrity, body as a living process that is self-healing, adaptive and part of the natural, constantly changing, living world. This awareness cultivates a more embodied approach to ourselves in our personal practice and teaching clients…along with a more empathetic, relational way of being in life!

How long have you been a movement teacher / educator and what inspired you to become one?
40 years! I’ve been inspired to heal and grow myself by studying with pioneers in yoga, Pilates, Rolf Structural Integration Bodywork, Somatic arts and sciences, Embryology, Embodied Breathwork and Energy Medicine. I love this quote by one of my mentors, embryologist, Jaap van der Wal: “the forces that formed the body are continuously at work throughout life carrying the blueprint of health into manifestation at every moment.”

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This is part of our Meet Our Visiting Teacher Series where you get to read about some of the visiting teachers and educators in our studio.

Meet Madeline Black, educator, author and movement teacher. 

Madeline will be teaching a 5 Day Intensive based on her book Centred in our studio here in Dublin in October 2018.

What have you been up to recently?
Researching and writing a presentation on Gait Patterning for the Cognition and Movement Conference being held at Harvard in July 2018.

How long have you been a movement teacher / educator and what inspired you to become one?
30 years beginning with dance, fitness, Pilates, yoga, Gyrotonic then expanding into movement science. The human body inspires me!

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This is part of our Meet Our Visiting Instructor Series where you get to read about some of the visiting teachers to our studio. Meet Ashley Ritchie, she is a proud Senior Faculty member of the Body Arts and Science, International (BASI Pilates) with an extensive background in dance, fitness and health.

Ashley will be with us in Dublin in September 2018 to teach her three day Pilates for Pregnancy & Beyond course.

What have you been up to recently?

Traveling the globe, teaching BASI educational programs, running my own studio and spending as much time as possible with my family.

How long have you been a Pilates teacher and what inspired you to become one?

20 years – having taught classical ballet from the age if 18, becoming a mom and then wanting to be home with my children in the afternoon – Pilates was the obvious choice for me.

What’s your favourite Pilates exercise? Why?

So many favorites, so little space…. BOOMERANG! A combination of coordination, strength, flexibility, control and the art of dance all in one!
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This is part of our Meet Our Visiting Instructor Series where you get to read about some of the visiting teachers to our studio. Meet Sheri Long, she is a proud Senior Faculty member of the Body Arts and Science, International (BASI) with an extensive background in dance, fitness, and health.

What have you been up to recently?

I have been quite busy doing what I love which is teaching Pilates! I just returned from Rio de Janeiro after teaching at their International Conference with fellow teachers from all over the world which was amazing.

How long have you been a Pilates teacher and what inspired you to become one?

I have been a Pilates Teacher for 16 years. I have been teaching movement for over 30 years and When I started practicing Pilates I wanted to share it with others.

What’s your favourite Pilates exercise? Why?

I’m quite fickle and my favorite changes, I do try to do the ones that are not my favorite because those are the ones I probably need to do.

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This is part of our Meet Our Visiting Instructor Series where you get to read about some of the visiting teachers and educators to our studio.

Meet Stephanie Ross-Russell, lecturer and facilitator with art-of-motion academy.

What have you been up to recently?

A lot of reading and study about fascia and what makes us move!

How long have you been a Pilates teacher and what inspired you to become one?

I’ve been teaching Pilates for 21 years. I did my initial training with Alan Herdman in London following an ankle injury that forced me to retire from the professional dance world. I had been a dancer with London Contemporary Dance Theatre and Richard Alston Dance Company and having to give that up because of my ankle gave me huge motivation to try to understand what went wrong and how can we move better to be more resilient, avoid injury and bounce back when we do get hurt.

What’s your favourite Pilates exercise? Why?

Teaser on the reformer! Not only for the challenge but the way it requires total focus which wakes up the mind and the body beautifully and the contrasting full body front line opening over the box afterwards is the reward ?
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This is part of our Meet Our Visiting Instructor Series where you get to read about some of the visiting teachers and educators to our studio.

Meet Kiki Vance, lecturer with art-of-motion.

Kiki is teaching the first of our 2018 Anatomy Trains in Motion courses in our studio here in Dublin.

What have you been up to recently?

Diving deeply into teaching the Myofascial Slings approach to movement, raising my daughter who is 5, keeping busy with a full practice of classes and clients in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA.

How long have you been a movement teacher / educator and what inspired you to become one?

I’ve been studying movement via dance since I was very young, came to movement systems via Pilates in the early 90’s. Some of the most notable experiences that piqued my curiosity when I was in my teens were movement re-patterning sessions with a practitioner who was trained in a dance related release technique. It was long ago, and she may not have even told me the source of what she did with me but it helped me realize how magical the body is. I have been exploring movement and hands-on therapies my whole adult life, including Pilates, Gyrotonic, KMI (now called ATSI), among many others! The inspiration is in the miracle we walk around in every day, the body is complex but offers such grounding in that we HAVE one….it can simplify the complexities we face in our lives. Even injury/physical challenge can bring inspiration ofer an opportunity for us to realize how or perceptions can change, most of my deepest learning has come from injuries along the way.
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This is part of our Meet Our Visiting Instructor Series where you get to read about some of the visiting teachers and educators to our studio.

Meet Julia Pietersma, BASI Pilates Faculty and teacher in The Pilates Clinic in Wimbledon, London.

Julia teaches on our BASI Comprehensive and Mat Teacher Training Courses, as well as providing regular workshops, mentoring and events hosted in our studio here in Dublin.

What have you been up to recently?

I have been travelling with my family in New Zealand, enjoying seeing the sights of North Island, hiking and exploring and enjoying the wonderful scenery and outdoor lifestyle.

How long have you been a Pilates teacher and what inspired you to become one?

I have been a Pilates teacher for 9 years. I first tried Pilates with my mum and dad and went on to study Human Movement Science at the University of Pretoria. As part of the course I was offered the chance to do my Mat course with BASI and I have been in love with all things Pilates ever since.

What’s your favourite Pilates exercise? Why?

The Pelvic Curl. This exercise can be cued to feel every single part of the body with such intensity.
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This is part of our Meet Our Visiting Instructor Series where you get to read about some of the visiting teachers and educators to our studio.

Meet Emily Odoire, BASI Pilates Faculty and Educator. Emily teaches on our BASI Comprehensive and Mat Teacher Training Courses, hosted in our studio here in Dublin.

What have you been up to recently?

In the last couple of months I have taught the BASI Comprehensive Teacher Training Course (CTTC) in London and Paris.

I also run a Pilates studio in Balham, London and enjoy the juggle of my two boys and French Bull dog, busy happy times!

How long have you been a Pilates teacher and what inspired you to become one?

I have taught for 17 years however practiced Pilates for 27 years ….my inspiration came when rehabbing during injury as a ballet dancer and I was stronger and more balanced after 6 months off with only doing Pilates in this period.

What’s your favourite Pilates exercise? Why?

That’s a tricky one I love so many, however every day I am inspired and challenged by the pelvic curl, this fundamental exercise gives me endless feedback to how my body feels that day and guides me to how I will complete the rest of my work out.
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This is part of our Meet Our Visiting Instructor Series where you get to read about some of the visiting teachers and educators to our studio.

Meet Lisa Lamberti, head of BASI Pilates UK, BASI Pilates Faculty and Educator and owner of The Pilates Clinic in Wimbledon, London.

Lisa teaches on our BASI Comprehensive and Mat Teacher Training Courses, as well as providing regular workshops and events hosted in our studio here in Dublin.

What have you been up to recently?

Juggling life, enjoying Christmas parties, and lots of cuddling my kids!!

How long have you been a Pilates teacher and what inspired you to become one?

Since 2000, so coming up 18 years now. I first found out about Pilates through the Oprah show (I know, shameful), and then found it to help with all my running injuries and my postural dysfunction caused by a broken tibia at age 5. I was sold right from the start!

What’s your favourite Pilates exercise? Why?

Teaser or anything really challenging… why? because I am not great at them, so when I practice and practice and then achieve them in the good moments, there is nothing more satisfying and encouraging.
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