Hallee Altman
Hallee Altman, owner of The Center Studio, is a second-generation Pilates instructor who has been teaching the Pilates method to women and men ages 13-83 since 2001. At her successful Pilates studio on Manhattan's Upper West Side, Hallee and nine instructors are changing bodies and lives.
After her first mat class eight years ago she instantly became hooked, and just as Joseph Pilates guaranteed, saw changes in her body in just ten private sessions. She was driven to learn more and quickly became inspired to teach others to better understand their body's boundaries and intensify their workouts while staying pain-free.
Certified by Romana Kryzanowska, Joseph Pilates' protégé, Hallee also studied with internationally recognized master teachers including, Bob Liekens, Brooke Siler, Michael Fritzke, Ton Voogt, and Sandra Zeuner. She continues her education by taking numerous courses taught by industry leaders, allowing her to tailor the most effective program for each client. Hallee is also certified in the M.E.L.T method, a revolutionary approach to fitness that focuses on hydrating and lengthening connective tissue, resulting in greater overall function and performance of the body.
Hallee has worked with numerous clients including those who are Pre/post-natal, post-surgery, athletes, and weekend warriors; those who have an injury, pain, or body discomfort; and those who want to lose weight or counteract the affects of aging.
She also enjoys teaching Pilates mat classes and bringing the integrity of a private session to the group exercise environment. Hallee was the first Pilates instructor hired to teach Pilates classes at The JCC Manhattan, where The Center Studio
TM is located.
Hallee graduated summa cum laude from Emory University with a degree in Psychology, and earned a Master's degree in Dance Education from NYU. As a creative movement and social skills educator, Hallee incorporates her professional and academic education by teaching children with special needs to discover the power of movement and nonverbal communication. She is a published author and has experience teaching dance to both children and adults.
Tela Anderson
Tela has been in fitness her entire life. Starting her gymnastics training at age four, she was competing nationally by the age of 10. At age 13 Tela decided that she would like to dance. She proceeded to attend some of the most prestigious arts schools in the country including North Carolina school of the arts, Virginia school of the arts, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. Tela has traveled and performed all over the world during her career and after retiring she decided to broaden her love of movement into a career in fitness. After receiving her certification in personal training and group fitness Tela taught at various gyms including New York Sports Club, Crunch, and is currently a group fitness instructor at advertising giant Saatchi & Saatchi. After injuring her knee Tela turned to Pilates for rehabilitation and instantly fell in love with the Pilates method. She received her certification from Core Pilates NYC and is now a senior trainer and teacher of teachers at the studio. Tela is currently studying under Brett Howard one of Romana Kryzanowska's protégés and will receive another certification upon the completion of her studies.
Gabriela Cardenas
Gabriela began studying Pilates in Austin, Texas with Vicky Hickerson, and continued her study with Romana Kryzanowska, Sari Mejia-Santo, Bob Likens, and Susan Moran-Perich. She holds certificates in Authentic Pilates from The Pilates Studio, and Power Pilates, The Gyrotonic Expansion System, National Academy of Sports Medicine and National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association. Gabriela has taught throughout the New York City area, and internationally in Madrid and Marbella, Spain.
Her journey in the performing arts began twenty years ago in Longview, Texas, where she began training in classical violin and ballet. She has studied intensely with The Longview Ballet Theatre, The Marina Seminova School of Ballet in Moscow, Russia, TCU Dance Ensemble, American Dance Festival, Ballet East Dance Company of Austin, Texas, The Joyce Trisler Company, with Regina Larkin and Carmen DeLavallade, and The Paul Taylor School, and has performed the works of several artists throughout Texas and NYC.
Gabriela holds degrees in Spanish Literature and English Writing, with a Modern Dance Concentration from Texas Christian University and Universidad de Granada, Spain. In 2006, she completed her degree in Dance Performance and Education from SUNY at Empire State College, and The Harkness Dance Center at the 92nd Street Y.
Karin Fantus
Karin began practicing Pilates in 1992 and was fully certified to teach Authentic Pilates in 2002. Her teacher-training took place in NYC, under the program supervised by Joseph Pilates' protégé, Romana Kryzanowska. She continues to study Pilates with Daniel Loigerot, a former world- class triathlete and professional sports coach. Before becoming a Pilates instructor, Karin was a TV news producer, creating programming for the major networks and several nationally-syndicated shows.
Karin recognizes the possibility of becoming functionally younger as we get chronologically older. She defines Pilates as: A means to develop core strength, and - uniquely - a means to gain the coordination to USE that core strength to take the load out of the joints. Karin has reinforced her ability to help build full-body strength and flexibility through her certification to teach M.E.L.T. (Myofascial Energetic Length Technique).
In her non-working life, Karin has been an avid road cyclist for over 20 years, participating in ultra-distance events in the U.S. and in France. After 150,000+ miles of cycling, she attributes her healthy knees and back to the study of Pilates.
Lian-Marie Holmes
As the daughter of internationally acclaimed ballet dancers, Lian-Marie has been a lifelong student of movement. She studied dance around the world and is a graduate of the Boston Ballet School. She expanded her performance training by majoring in theatre and orchestral conducting at Wellesley College and receiving her MFA in theatre from Trinity Rep. Conservatory.
Lian-Marie regularly took Pilates classes as part of her early dance training. When she suffered a back injury, she learned first-hand the true potential that Pilates has to heal the body. After working as an actor in NYC for several years, she enrolled in the Romana's Pilates certification program in New York because she wanted an outlet to work with other people to achieve their top potential. Most recently, Lian-Marie spent a season teaching at the Authentic Pilates Studio in Oxford, England and has worked with clients ranging in ability from polio victims to former Olympic Hockey players.
In addition to teaching at the Center Studio and acting onstage, Lian-Marie is an acting instructor, specializing in acting for dancers and movement for actors. She enjoys bringing her varied experience in performance, teaching, and movement to her work as a Pilates Instructor.
Julia Purtill
Julia Purtill is a Certified Pilates Instructor and member of the Pilates Method Alliance, who believes Pilates is a method of exercise that is beneficial to everyone.
Prior to establishing her career in Pilates, Julia was a competitive gymnast and dancer. As a college level athlete, she competed in both gymnastics and outdoor track. However, after sustaining a major knee injury, she had to turn to a different form of exercise. Her difficult path of recovery taught her about strength, patience and self-awareness. She is able to apply her creative background to the Pilates method, working with each client and their specific needs with freshness and excitement.
She believes that she has been able to see the benefits of Pilates in the lengthening and strengthening of her own body. Both she and her clients share wonderful moments when they are able to flow through a difficult exercise or they begin to feel relief from the pain with which they struggle.
Julia graduated with a BFA from the University of Northern Colorado with an emphasis in Printmaking and Art History. She spent her childhood in Colorado and has since made New York City her home.
Bethany Perry
Bethany began her study of the pilates method while attending SUNY Brockport College. Shortly after receiving her degree in Dance, she moved to NYC to pursue further training in pilates and dance. She obtained her certification from Power Pilates after completing their comprehensive program in October of 2004. She has been teaching at The Center Studio since October, 2005.
Salome Solano
Liz Santoro
Liz Santoro began studying Pilates at the age of 14 at Boston Ballet School. After obtaining a bachelors degree from Harvard University she completed her instructor certification through Power Pilates in 2003. She also holds a perinatal fitness instructor certification. Liz dances with several choreographers in the city, including Ann Liv Young. In August 2006, Liz will be performing in Vienna at Impulstanz and in Berlin at Tanz Im August.
Nel Shelby
Nel Shelby trains in New York City with world renowned Master Teachers' Romana Krysnowska and Sari Pace, the original students of Joseph Pilates. In 1998 Nel was introduced to Pilates while dancing at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri under the direction of teacher trainer Janice Dulak. The transformation in her body, while studying Pilates, inspired her to move to New York City and pursue her teachers certification. Nel received her certification in November 2001 and has been teaching in the New York City area ever since. Nel's hands-on, upbeat style and vivacious personality continues to inspire her students to work hard and have fun. She currently runs her own production company, N*E*L productions, shooting and editing dance and is the videographer at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival. Nel is certified by the Authentic Pilates Method and truly believes that this method is the way to a healthier lifestyle.
Randi Stone
Twin mom Randi Stone studied authentic Pilates in a prestigious independent study under Romana Kryzanowska and her daughter Sari Mejia-Santo. In addition, Randi is certified in Power Pilates Mat.
Randi trains all body types and caters to people with varied interests - stiff men and woman who want to increase their flexibility; people who want to strengthen and lengthen their muscles for a longer and leaner look; people recovering from injuries; new mothers seeking to regain their pre-pregnancy bodies and athletes seeking to improve sports performance and prevent injury. Clients range from triplet moms to trainers of professional sports teams and Broadway dancers. Randi has been featured on Access Hollywood as "Pilates Trainer to the Stars" and has published articles about the relevance of Pilates to different sports.
Randi began Pilates in 1999 after back surgery. It is the only form of exercise that has addressed asymmetries in the musculature of her back that result from scoliosis - strengthening the weaker muscles and lengthening the tighter muscles - thus dramatically improving her posture. Pilates has also alleviated her formerly chronic back pain and allowed her to remain active through 37 weeks of a twin pregnancy!
Randi looks at each individual's body as a puzzle, trying to piece together the needs of the client based upon his/her strengths and weaknesses, body type and interests.
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