News

2021 Conference Wrap What a busy weekend we had at the conference recently!!  After many months in preparation, it was lovely to enjoy 3 days of fun as it all came together. For the members who attended, thank you for joining us for a total immersion in all things Pilates. This is the 6th conference I have been involved in behind the scenes having started at the 2011 conference working with sponsors, setting up equipment and manning check in. This year we had to mix it up. Who knew that going virtual would be essential! It wasn’t a difficult choice…

Masterclass and Social Event at Body Organics, West End, Brisbane QLD During the recent PAA Conference, Body Organics Education in West End, Brisbane were lucky enough to be able to host an In Studio Masterclass and social event. It was touch and go a few days beforehand when there was a brief lockdown scare, but fortunately it came to nothing and their event was a big success. Several of the major conference exhibitors/sponsors provided options for participants to try and explore their different products, including: Makarlu [ discount sample bag] Body Organics Education by giving a free class about the…

Reflections on 20 Years in Business Robyn Alvarez, Then and Now “Bending over to help someone is the best form of exercise”. Instructor Name: Robyn Alvarez Studio you own: Pilates Body Shop Location: 18 Bluewave Cres. Forresters Beach, Central Coast NSW Instructor Training: PIA Mat work Certification 2001, PITC 2002-2003, Diploma PITC 2006, Polestar Studio certification 2015 PAA Level: Professional Principal Congratulations to Robyn Alvarez who is celebrating 20 years in business this week. Celebrating this milestone in lockdown has been interesting but a wonderful time to reflect. How did you get interested in Pilates and start your Pilates journey?…

NTREAP Stakeholder Update On August 20, 2021, the stakeholders of the Natural Therapy Review were updated on progress and outcomes of the recent meeting. The PAA has been actively involved as a stakeholder at all opportunities within this process. The fifth meeting of the Expert Advisory Panel was held on August 17. The items covered in that meeting of interest to the Pilates industry were: The timeframe for the review has been extended until late 2022. Draft evidence evaluations are nearing completion for Rolfing and Pilates with shiatsu and tai chi anticipated next. The next meeting of the NTREAP is…

“Pilates is never going to go out of style.” This week we celebrate the life of Eve Gentry, born Henrietta Greenhood, on August 20, 1909 in California, USA. A Pilates Elder, Eve was first and foremost a modern dancer. She remained involved in the dance world for her entire life as a dancer, a choreographer, and a dance teacher. In 1936 Eve moved to NYC, where she joined Hanya Holm Dance Company. Two years after moving to NYC, she choreographed what became her most famous piece; A Tenant of the Street. A piece based on a childhood memory. Eve was…

Simply and lovingly referred to as “Kathy” by her students, Kathleen Stanford Grant (Kathy Grant) is considered a Pilates Elder, as much as a pioneer and innovator. She was born in Boston, MA, on the 1 August 1921, which means that this month we celebrate what would have been her 100th birthday! Her resilience, confidence and passion made her a wonderful teacher, mentor, and friend to her students. Her tough-love attitude was followed by encouraging words such as, “you did it!”. Kathy’s dream was to become a ballerina. At the time, ballet was considered a “white dance” in the United States….

New Masterclasses – 4 Virtual and 1 Live Added to the Line-up Only three weeks to go until we throw open the doors on our first ever virtual PAA conference!! Excitement is really starting to build amongst the Conference Team as final preparations begin falling into place – and yet we are still finding time to add extra content!! This week we have added four new virtual masterclasses to the Conference line-up. The sessions will be included as part of one day and three day tickets and will also be available on demand for 14 days: Mat Masterclass with Jo…

Helen Stamatakos, Pilates Insync, speaks about training elite athletes. The Olympics have been a wonderful distraction and there have been so many inspiring stories of adversity and commitment this year and particularly for those of us in lockdown. We would like to do a shout out to Helen Stamatakos, Owner and Founder of Pilates Insync, to spotlight the great achievements of the athletes she has been training. I was inspired by Helen’s Instagram posts, and her excitement and pride of having been a part of their training and journey to the 2020 Olympics. We asked Helen a few questions about…

Suzanne McCarty HARA Beyond Movement Studio, Coffs Harbour NSW Instructor Name: Suzanne McCarty Studio(s) you work at: HARA Beyond Movement Studio Location: Coffs Harbour Instructor training: Romana Kryzanowska 2000 New York/ Bridging diploma PITC PAA Level: Principal Trainer What originally motivated you to try Pilates and then go on to train as an instructor? My surgeon recommended Pilates as rehab to help a misalignment issue with my knee due to classical ballet training. After 3 months of Pilates I was dancing stronger than before so it inspired me to learn more. What did you eat for breakfast? Coffee & smoothie….

In Studio Events go LIVE! The last few weeks have reminded many of us how much we love face to face Pilates interaction.⁠ With this in mind, and with a clear focus on safety first, ticket sales are now live for in-person classes and a community social event on the Friday & Saturday evening of the PAA Conference (3-4 September 2021).⁠ We’re proud to be partnering with PAA Training Providers and local hosts to bring these sessions to studios across much of Australia with host studios in VIC, ACT, WA, QLD and SA. Lockdown in Greater Sydney has unfortunately impacted…