The Pilates Studio Calgary
Body And Mind Works - Teaching Staff

Laura is the owner and operator of The Pilates Studio: Body & Mind Works. She was first introduced to Pilates through her dance training at the University of Calgary and was struck by the longreaching benefits of Pilates. She pursued a dance career in the early 1990's which focused on comtemporary dance and jazz dance. Her dancing ventures brought her to Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Massachusetts and Italy. It was during her stay in Montreal that she once more connected with Pilates and decided to pursue her full Pilates certification, which she received in 1996 through Katrin Schaake Atelier Santé: Body and Mind Control in Montreal. Wanting to further her knowledge of the body, she became a registered massage therapist in 1999, and continues to enjoy massaging on a part-time basis. Laura recently furthered her studies of Pilates by attending an intensive offered by Master trainers Amy Alpers and Rachel Seigel at The Pilates Center in Boulder, Colorado (January 2007). Laura enjoys working with beginners and seeing the joy of people connecting to their bodies. She also enjoys the challenge of working with people limited by injuries and other conditions. She has had tremendous success in helping these clients reclaim their lives.

Avery has been with the studio as a fully-certified STOTT PILATES® & ISP (injuries and special populations) instructor since 2000. She has an extensive background in ballet and modern dance, which first inspired her love of movement and the mind/body connection. A sought out instructor for her sense of humour and compassionate nature, Avery enjoys helping pre & post-natal clients with strengthening and recovering, elite athletes in discovering their optimal performance, and all those seeking to discover the mental and physical strength, flexibility and balance that Pilates offers. After having given birth to Ruby Alexandra in September 2008, Avery returned to the studio to share her experiences with other expecting and recovering moms. Avery again went on maternity leave in October 2010 in anticipation of a little sister to Ruby. The return from her second maternity leave will be excitingly welcomed so she may continue to share her experiences.

While recovering from knee surgery, Brooke discovered Pilates as an outlet for fitness and was drawn to its mind-body approach. When asked by her intructor to take her Pilates to the next level and become a certified STOTT PILATES® instructor, Brooke jumped at the chance. In October 2006 Brooke completed her training and began practicing Advanced Mat and Reformer at two studios in Regina. Her warm personality and passion for the Pilates method helped Brooke build and maintain her clientele. She is committed to whole health and understands that Pilates can help her clients, as well as herself, feel better both physically and mentally.

Being active and in good form is one way to improve health. Having been active my entire life, I have discovered the benefits and want to help others reap them for themselves. I am very passionate towards the health and wellness field and believe that true health is the key to freedom and happiness. I hold a Kinesiology degree from Universite de Moncton. I did my Pilates Mat and Reformer certification through STOTT PILATES® and I am also a personal trainer.

My background in Kinesiology and Pilates has also helped me understand common injuries and how certain exercises can help and even heal injuries. Whether my sessions are one on one, pairs, or a group, I enjoy the variety and I especially like to see people who enjoy being active. During a Pilates session, I try to include a variety of exercises while keeping the client’s goal in mind. I believe that challenging the client and seeing them progress is what keeps the sessions interesting and fun! Pilates can be very rewarding so let me assist you in working towards your goals and well-being!

Catherine joins The Pilates Studio: Body & Mind Works from Halifax, Nova Scotia where she has lived since 1998. Catherine has an extensive dance background, having danced with well renowned companies such as Calgary City Ballet and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens. She has also worked as a choreographer, Ballet instructor and Ballet mistress for several companies, and was the co-artistic director and principal of Halifax Dance. It was this background that brought her to Pilates. In 1998 Catherine came under the tutelage of Kim Kraushar (STOTT PILATES® Instructor Trainer & Spa Director) at the Interlude Spa in Halifax. She has her Mat, Reformer and ISP certification. Catherine is a teacher who motivates her students through her enthusiasm and love of movement. With her keen eye and attention to details she is able to help clients understand the essence of Pilates and helps them get the most out of their bodies.

Anna, a native of England, first discovered Pilates about 5 years ago. She found that Pilates gave her an invaluable understanding of how to take care of the spine, and particularly how to prevent back pain. She enjoys sharing this knowledge with her clients. She pursued her Pilates certification in Mat and Reformer through STOTT PILATES® and has also been practicing Massage Therapy in Calgary for the past five years. In her spare time she enjoys being in the outdoors as much as possible.

Heather is a certified STOTT PILATES® Instructor teaching matwork classes at our studio. Heather was born and raised in Calgary, but has not always been a resident. Heather attended high school in Houston, Texas, then attained her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Marrying a man in the oil business brought her full circle back to Calgary. Heather has been a dancer her entire life. Dance is what first moved her to take an interest in Pilates. There are definitely elements of dance in Pilates such as the shared principles of posture, focus, fluidity, center, strength and balance. Heather became certified to instruct Pilates while pregnant with her first daughter. She now has two little girls and finds instructing Pilates a wonderful way to have a career and still devote herself to raising a family. Heather's favourite classes are Prenatal and Postnatal Pilates with baby. She is passionate about being a mom and helping other moms and moms-to-be.