Gratz_Pilates

The dog days of summer are almost behind us! ☀️

Studio owner and instructor, June Hines and four-legged client Bella, recently welcomed Gratz for a visit at her studio in 📍Rydal, Pennsylvania.
 
June earned her certification through ⭐️ Romana’s Pilates Institute under the mentorship of Romana Kryzanowska and Sari Mejia Santo. She also has years of experience teaching college-level dance.
 
Currently, June operates three Classical Pilates studios in the Philadelphia suburbs focused on meeting each clients’ specific needs with the use of the 👉 Reformer, Mat, Cadillac, Chairs, and Barrels. If you’re in the Philly area, contact June Hines Pilates to 💻 schedule a session!
 

How can an apparatus both support movement and challenge it? 🤔

The Push Thru Bar offers a unique balance of support and resistance, asking the practitioner to continually respond to the spring through changes in direction, position, and movement.

Britt Holland, 🙌 founder of the cheeky pilates , shares, “The resistance of the spring offers support and helps with control. In exercises like the Push Through, that relationship can be experienced through both flexion and extension, from finding the C-curve to reaching and extending the spine on the return.”

Read the 🔗 link in our bio to explore how the ✨Push Thru Bar✨ builds control, encourages spinal mobility, and challenges the practitioner to work with the apparatus throughout each movement.

Take a look inside Atwill Pilates in 📍Santa Barbara. Swipe through to discover what makes this studio a Gratz Gallery. 🏆

What Is a Gratz Gallery 🤔?
 
Each Gratz Gallery reflects its own unique community while sharing a commitment to Classical Pilates, craftsmanship, and preserving the lineage of the method. These spaces offer an opportunity to experience Gratz apparatus in an authentic studio setting, see the equipment in practice, and connect with teachers who work with Gratz every day.

Philosophy Behind the Space 💭:
 
Atwill Pilates was founded by Colleen Ferguson with a clear commitment to the Pilates method. Colleen built the studio around the belief that the original method, when taught faithfully and applied to the individual, produces results that cannot be replicated by other approaches.
 
That philosophy extends into the studio’s teaching model. Every instructor has completed full Classical Pilates certification, and sessions are tailored to the individual rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.

The Details That Elevate 🤩:
 
A welcoming environment featuring Gratz’s timeless black upholstery and an earthy aesthetic. Neutral walls and traditional terracotta floor tiles bring warmth and character to the space.

Gratz Apparatus at Atwill Pilates 👏:
 
Atwill Pilates features Aluminum 86” Universal Reformers with Jump Boards. The studio is also equipped with Pedi Poles, Electric Chairs, Wunda Chairs, Ladder Barrels, Classic Aluminum Cadillacs, and Accessories.

The Gratz Experience 🙌:
 
Visiting Atwill Pilates gives individuals the opportunity to experience the distinct tactile and qualities of Gratz apparatus firsthand.
 
The practice is shaped by the precise resistance of the springs, the texture of the upholstery, the feel of the leather straps in the hands, and the specifications of Gratz equipment rooted in Joseph Pilates’ designs.
 
Together, these elements create a responsive relationship between the practitioner and the apparatus, allowing the equipment to provide immediate feedback and deepen the practitioner’s awareness of alignment, control, resistance, and movement.

Curious About Classical Pilates? 🤍
 
The Reformer, Cadillac

Founder of La Moon Pilates, Shuk Mun, put Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia on the map for Classical Pilates. 🌙She first began taking Contemporary Pilates in 2019 and was soon introduced to the world of Classical Pilates developing a strong interest in the original work of Joseph Pilates and frequently traveled to absorb as much knowledge as she can.

Why Classical Pilates? ⭐️
“Because it stays true to the original method created by Joseph Pilates. I love the structure of the method and how every exercise has a purpose.”

What’s your favourite piece of equipment? 🤍
“Definitely the Cadillac. I love how versatile it is and how many ways you can use it to work on strength, control and mobility. It can also be adapted for different bodies and different levels, which I really love.”

What’s a piece of advice you always come back to? 📗“Quality over quantity.” I always remind myself and my clients that Pilates is not about doing as many repetitions as possible. It’s about being present and making every movement count.”

What color upholstery is your studio equipped with? 🎨
“Our Gratz equipment is upholstered in Bone. I chose Bone because I wanted a soft, neutral tone that feels warm, timeless and natural within the studio.”

Tell us about your clientele. 👥
“I have complete beginners, clients who have been practising Pilates for years, and clients who want to improve their strength, mobility and body awareness.”

Why Gratz? 🏆
“Staying true to the Classical method was very important to me, so I wanted the equipment to be as authentic as possible. That’s why I chose Gratz. Its equipment is based on the original designs and has such a strong connection to the history of Classical Pilates.”

How did you start your studio? ⛰️
“La Moon started from my love for Classical Pilates and my wish to bring a true Classical Pilates experience to Kota Kinabalu. I wanted to create a small, calm and welcoming space where people could learn the method properly and build a strong foundation.”

Thank you, Shuk, for allowing us to highlight you and your Gratz-equipped studio. If you ever visit Malaysia, be sure to schedule a class at La Moon! 🌙

Founded by Heather Thomas, ✨Flex Studio✨ has become one of Asia’s leading destinations for Classical Pilates education and practice. 👏 Heather has dedicated her career to helping students develop a deeper understanding of Classical Pilates through mentorship and authentic movement.

As a Gratz Gallery, Flex Studio Singapore offers a space to experience the full range of ⭐️Gratz apparatus ⭐️ and explore the connection between each piece and the Classical Pilates method.

Why Classical Pilates?
“The Classical work is analogous to architecture, with a solid foundation it’s easy to see the skyscraper. It is also analogous to a language, 🗣️with movement patterns layered systematically, from simple shapes to more complex movement patterns, and ultimately, to an entirely antigravity based system, rising up like that skyscraper.”  

Favorite Piece of Equipment:
“It would have to be the Wunda Chair. Functionally, it’s the best teacher in the system, espousing lessons in balance, “sling” control, tempo and timing, “de” rotation and rotation, thrust propulsion, Lower Extremity AND Upper Extremity strength, mobility and educating correct neuromuscular movement patters for optimal joint congruency.”

A piece of advice: 📘
“Learn how to manage your energy by finding the magic moment when you see the opening, “the window” with your client when you are in a total zone together, working towards a common goal; and on a physical level… ”

Why Gratz? 🏆
“It’s practically poetry…
- The apparatus ages gracefully and with wisdom.
- The wheel architecture under the Reformer carriage.     - The shape of the Push Through Bar Paddle.”

How did I Start Flex Studio? 🧘‍♀️
”The first iteration of Flex was half Iyengar Yoga (yep! one very intrepid yoga instructor even brought a bag full of wall ropes back from Pune for us to install.  We are OG!!!) and half Pilates. It was tiny, yet we crammed a LOT of modalities into that amazing space – even Gyrotonic (Pulley Tower).

Upholstery Color: 🕊️ Dove

Support when you need it, resistance when you’re ready. We’re taking a closer look at the ✨Push Thru Bar.✨

A versatile teaching tool, the Push Thru Bar provides both support and resistance to encourage intentional, controlled movement throughout the Classical Pilates repertoire. ⭐️ From foundational exercises to more advanced work, it challenges the body through:

• Flexion and Articulation
• Extension
• Lateral Flexion
• Standing Work

Read the full blog through the link 🔗 in our bio to see how the Push Thru Bar encourages whole-body integration and the awareness that turns movement into lasting progress. 🤩

Photo credit: Alia Staples The Pilates Loft Virginia

Meet 👏 Holly Murray, 👏 a Classical Pilates educator, author, mentor, and founder of Pi Studios and the Pi Teacher Training Academy in the United Kingdom, with more than 25 years dedicated to preserving Joseph Pilates’ original method. 🙌 Trained directly under Romana Kryzanowska, Holly established one of the UK’s first fully equipped Classical Pilates studios and developed one of the country’s earliest comprehensive Classical Pilates teacher-training programs.

Her first book, 📘Pilates, Flow, and Healing: A Philosophical and Trauma-Informed Guide to Living the Method, will be published by North Atlantic Books in January 2027, exploring Classical Pilates as an embodied practice that supports health, resilience, and human flourishing. 🌸 Today, Holly continues to mentor internationally from her London studio, guided by the principles, precision, craftsmanship, and relationships that have defined the Classical Pilates method for generations.

What’s one piece of advice you always come back to? 🧠
“The Method will do the work. You just have to keep showing up and practicing.”

What colour upholstery is your studio equipped with?  🎨 “Black. Timeless, perhaps informed by the iconic black and white photography of Joseph Pilates, was captured by renowned photojournalist I.C. (Chuck) Rapoport. I’ve simply always loved that the apparatus speaks for itself.”

Tell us about your clientele. 👥
“I genuinely love the people who come through our doors. They come from every walk of life and every stage of life, but they all share something in common. They recognize that this work is different. They arrive curious, willing to practice, and open to learning. That willingness is all the Method asks of us.

Thank you, Holly, for allowing us to highlight you, your accomplishments, and Pi Pilates. 🤍

Meet Diana Bolaños, owner of ☀️Contrology Pilates Center ☀️in Costa Rica. Certified through Romana’s Pilates International under the guidance of Romana Kryzanowska and Sari Mejia Santo, Diana combines her background in biomechanics and anatomy with a deep commitment to preserving the Pilates method.

We asked Diana to share more about her philosophy, her students, and the role Gratz apparatus plays in her studio. 🤍

How does Gratz apparatus support your students as they move through their training?
It has the precise structure, spring resistance, measurements, and adjustability that help students find their powerhouse, build strength, and challenge their bodies in ways that promote both better movement and a greater sense of well-being.

How would you describe the philosophy behind your teaching?
Helping people discover their strength and appreciate what their bodies can do when they are in harmony with their minds, ultimately supporting an optimal quality of life.

What is a lesson from your own training that continues to shape how you teach today?
Take care of your own body, and take care of the body you are teaching.

What is the first thing someone should do if they are curious about signing up for your program?
Come with a hardworking mindset and a genuine commitment to learning the method with respect, dedication, and responsibility.

Through her commitment to the Pilates method and her dedication to every student she teaches, Diana continues to preserve the legacy of Romana 🙌 while helping others discover the lasting benefits of the work.

This October, six highly respected ⭐️ Second Generation ⭐️ teachers from across the world gather for the 2026 Classical Pilates USA Symposium. Jerome Weinberg, Phoebe Higgins, Cary Regan, David Freeman, Brett Howard, and Jen O’Mara have each dedicated decades to preserving, teaching, and carrying the Classical Pilates tradition forward. 🙌

Throughout the Symposium, they’ll share their experience through seminars designed to deepen one’s understanding of the method:

- Cary Regan: The Art of Teaching Through Touch and Apparatus
- Jerome Weinberg: Exploring Flow Across the System
- Phoebe Higgins: Supporting the Individual Within the Classical Method
- David Freeman: Keeping the Work Engaging
- Jen O’Mara: Unlocking the Spine
- Brett Howard: Building Foundations for More Advanced Work

As the 🤍 Exclusive Equipment Partner, we are proud to provide the apparatus that will support this weekend of education, exploration, and shared practice!

Read the blog in our bio to learn more details about the event. ☺️

With an approach focused on 💪 sport-specifc mechanics, core strength, and alignment, Kerlly Castellano, ensures the highest level of safety and individualized attention for her clients.

Kerlly is also an Anesthesiologist Assistant, which has given her a deepened understanding of 🧬 anatomy and physiology supplementing her teaching knowledge for clients presenting with prenatal/postnatal concerns, disc herniations, joint replacements, etc.

With her unique background, she’s gained a clientele of like-minded athletes and dancers who share the same discipline, curiosity, and respect for the method of Classical Pilates. ☺️

How did you open your studio? “I opened my studio because Jupiter truly lacked a Classical Pilates community. Some studios teach classically but don’t have Gratz, while others have scattered Gratz mixed with contemporary apparatus — so I never quite found that true classical niche here. I found myself driving 45+ minutes just to take lessons on Gratz. Opening my own studio had always been a dream, and I finally decided to leap. I’m so grateful I did.”

Tell us about your clientele. “My clientele includes seasonal snowbirds from NYC who are already familiar with ✨Classical Pilates and Gratz✨, as I’m currently the only studio in Jupiter offering a full Classical setup. I also work with adults of all ages who want to improve their powerhouse stability to support their other activities down here — including tennis, golf, yoga, and water sports.”

Thank you for letting us highlight you and your Gratz-equipped studio. If you’re ever in Jupiter, Florida, be sure to visit Body Contrology Lab! ☀️