Michelle Donati
Michelle completed her comprehensive teacher training with Risa Sheppard. The Sheppard Method of Pilates is based on the original Pilates passed down through Joseph himself. Michelle has her PMA certification, PSC certification, and has completed her BASI certification on injuries and pathologies. She continues to update her knowledge and strives to bring the best in innovative, contemporary exercises. Michelle prides herself in offering eclectic, challenging classes but adjusts levels according to student ability and comfort. She loves bringing variety to each session using various apparatus including the Cadillac, Wunda Chair, and Reformer. Michelle brings energy and joy to her work and thrives in dynamic environments. She looks forward to contributing to a positive and healthy lifestyle for each and every student.
Sarah Thomason
Sarah graduated Cum Laude from Loyola Marymount University in December 2009 with a BA in dance. She was certified in July 2009 in BASI pilates with an emphasis in dance and is a certified pilates trainer through the renowned Pilates Method Alliance. She has taught various places across the country including the Vail Athletic Club, Areia Spa in Vail, and various studios in the Los Angeles area. She has also taken her love of pilates to the next level and is a teacher trainer at Playa Pilates. She continues her dance career and can be seen on the Style Network dancing for Kimora Lee Simmons, and for “ENEWS Ciroc the New Year.” She choreographs for National Winning Battle Mountain High School Dance Team and continues to spread her love and passion for dance. It is through the cross training for dance that she found her love of pilates and enjoys teaching the technique to others while watching their bodies transform.
Pilates brought a new dimension and understanding of bodily mechanics that has not only helped Sarah with her dance career, but her every day physical and mental health. She loves how pilates prevents common injuries for athletes and the strenuous wear and tear we implement on our bodies daily. She loves being able to share these techniques with others and continue to grow as an instructor and share in her love and knowledge of Pilates with her fellow employees.
Aileen Moran
Aileen has been dancing all her life and has trained extensively in Ballet, Jazz, and Modern, and Tap. She has attended training intensives with American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, and San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, and it was at these intensives that she discovered Pilates as a form of cross training to supplement her dance classes. She became certified in Pilates in Portland, Oregon through Pacific Northwest Pilates. She believes that Pilates plays an important role in strengthening her body and mind, and has helped her recover from and prevent injuries through her years as a Dance major at Loyola Marymount University. She loves sharing the benefits of Pilates with others and is delighted to be a part of the Art of Pilates staff.
Judy McGuire
Judy is an upbeat instructor that fell in love with Pilates during her first session in 2005. She learned from Gerard Hinderlich, a master trainer with Polestar Pilates. Judy loved that Pilates made her mind and body feel stronger in order to live her life to the fullest which sparked her interest in going more in depth by taking on the responsibility of being an instructor and passing on her life changing experience to her clients. Judy truly enjoys sharing her love and knowledge of Pilates, movement, and its healing aspects with people to help them feel longer, stronger, and better no matter where they start. She is flexible with clients who may have past or current injuries, you’ll leave your sessions feeling invigorated and ready to take on the world! In her free time you may catch Judy obsessing over College Basketball, she loves the sport and looks forward to kicking her feet up and enjoying a great game!
Hagar Barak
Hagar completed her comprehensive teacher’s training at Sheppard Method Pilates. The Sheppard Method emphasises classical pilates as taught by Joseph Pilates himself. She continues to educate herself and attend workshops, and is especially interested in active aging and posture correction. Her classes build upon classical pilates, focusing on control, balance and accuracy, incorporating dynamic and playful elements. She is experienced with clients who may have a history of injuries/sever conditions including back pain, scoliosis, arthritis, and knee pain.
Katie Burroughs
Katie is a Southern California native who has always enjoyed health and fitness. She fell in love with Pilates over a decade ago when she was getting in tip top shape for her wedding. She is certified through BASI and has been teaching for almost 9 years. Her teaching style is traditional, while always keeping it fun and interesting. She is experienced in working with those who have chronic pain areas throughout the body. If you like upbeat energy, feeling the burn and planking then her class is for you!
Robyn Breeding
Robyn has had a passion for dance and movement since she was a little girl. She discovered pilates in High School when she was dancing with a pre-professional Ballet company in Arizona. Her love of movement continued throughout her adult life including barre, aerial arts, and teaching adult dance classes. She decided to make a career change after ten plus years in the luxury fashion industry, and follow her calling to help others and share her love of pilates. She took her 500 hr comprehensive training with The Body Process (Culver City) which supported an inclusive and holistic approach to pilates education. She is passionate about functional mobility and active aging. She believes everybody can benefit from the practice of pilates and improve their quality of life.
Rebecca Wilson
Movement has always been part of Rebecca’s life as a young athlete, gymnast and dancer. She grew up in the Bay Area and trained to be a professional ballet dancer until she found the freedom and expression of modern dance. Her journey has included an MFA in Choreography and Performance, adventures performing all over the country as well as the opportunity to teach at Sonoma State University for many years. She found Pilates in 2005 with Holly Furgason, who she danced with at Mills College in Oakland, CA. She became certified in San Francisco at Holly’s, Blue Sparrow Pilates, STOTT® Pilates Licensed Training Center. After moving to San Diego in 2013 she taught at many studios and worked closely with instructor trainers and physical therapists for 10 years. Now in Los Angeles, she’s thrilled to be a part of the team at Art of Pilates. One of the most fascinating puzzles she have encountered is how the human body moves and how we can train it to move more efficiently. This concept is something she brings to work each day. Working with people from all walks of life, ages and backgrounds from the professional athlete to children to people recovering from severe injuries or trauma is a true joy. Pilates has something for everyone. Activities that she loves are kayaking, scuba diving and hiking. Her best friend is Thomas the cat, a 20-pound angel. In the future she looks forward to traveling to Spain, Portugal, Japan and Ireland, learning to play a collection of stringed instruments, becoming a famous Flamenco dancer and having a home with a garden and several cats and dogs.
Felicia Kelley (sub instructor)
Rose Liljestrom (sub instructor)
Rose got her comprehensive Pilates teacher training from BASI Pilates in Newport Beach. BASI pilates (Body Arts and Science International) is an extensive and detail oriented style of Pilates, dedicated to remaining true to art, to science, and most importantly, true to Joseph and Clara Pilates. Rael Isacowitz, the founder of BASI, is the first second generation teacher to be inducted in to PMA Legacy circle.
Movement has always been a part of Roses life as she was born in to a yoga school in Denmark where her mother taught yoga and meditation. Rose graduated from the ballet Academy of Gothenburg, Sweden, in 2002, after which she danced professionally and later taught ballet, jazz, modern and muskolosceletal training. She has extensive training in several forms of movement, breath work and aims to continually grow as a teacher, human and student of life.
Rose is passionate about maintaining the joy of movement, the attention to detail and helping her clients deepen their practice and finding the flow.