MEET OUR TEACHERS

  • A woman with long brown hair, wearing a white sleeveless top, smiling, against a black background.

    ABIGAIL ALLEN, OWNER, DIRECTOR & PILATES TEACHER

    • Been teaching Pilates, Yoga, and fitness for over 30 years

    • Fletcher Pilates Qualified Teacher

    • BASI Pilates Teacher

    • RYT 200 Certified

    • Loves her cat, Stella

  • A smiling woman with blonde hair and blue eyes wearing earrings and a light gray top outdoors.

    AUBRIE POLITO, PILATES TEACHER

    • Aubrie’s Pilates journey started in high school, practicing Mari Winsor’s mat work videos on her living room floor. In college, she continued her practice, first taking mat classes, and then transitioning into private sessions. She fell in love with the way the movement felt in her body, and loved that she never got bored! 

    • Aubrie completed the BASI Pilates comprehensive teacher training in 2010. 

    • Following her Pilates training, she went on to complete teacher trainings in both yoga and barre classes. 

    • She teaches both Pilates and Elementary School, and has two young sons. She loves spending time at the beach, going for hikes, reading, and family fun.

  • A woman sitting cross-legged on a black bench surrounded by fitness equipment, smiling at the camera, wearing a black tank top and black workout pants.

    ELSE GREEN, PILATES TEACHER

    • ELSE HAS TAUGHT MOVEMENT, HEALTH, BEHAVIORAL CHANGE, AND GROUP FITNESS FOR 15 YEARS.

    • BASI PILATES TEACHER

    • RYT 200 CERTIFIED

    • TRX CERTIFIED

    • FURTHER CERTIFICATIONS IN SPIN AND EMBODIED BREATH WORK

    • ALONG WITH TEACHING, ELSE ENJOYS RUNNING, READING, TENDING TO HER KIND HEARTED DOG, AND SPENDING TIME WITH HER FOUR DAUGHTERS, “…WHO CONTINUE TO AWE ME.”

  • JENNA GIULIANI, PILATES TEACHER

    • STOTT Pilates Certified

    • BASI Pilates Teacher

    • RYT 500 Certified

    • Certified Massage Therapist and World Dance Teacher

    • Has a passion for travel and is fluent in Spanish and Italian

  • KY RUSSELL MA, PMA-NCPT, MASTER INSTRUCTOR: BALANCED BODY EDUCATION

    • MASTER’S DEGREE IN KINESIOLOGY FROM SAN JOSÉ STATE UNIVERSITY

    • PMA-NCPT

    • MASTER INSTRUCTOR: BALANCED BODY EDUCATION

    • HAS TAUGHT EMBODIED STRESS MANAGEMENT AS A KINESIOLOGY FACULTY MEMBER SINCE 2016

    • FORMER PROFESSIONAL DANCER AND CIRCUS PERFORMER

  • MICAELA GARDNER, PILATES TEACHER

    • Born in Tucson, Arizona, and raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico

    • Blends classical Pilates work with a hybrid approach and variations in group classes

    • Certified to teach Pilates mat work post-rehabilitation

    • Pilates Certification from Body of Work, San Francisco, 1997

  • LEAH MACCARTER, PILATES TEACHER

    * Completed comprehensive Pilates training through Balance Body at Agile Monkey in 2019

    * Certified to teach reformer and mat classes, as well as one-to-one sessions

    * Draws inspiration from her experience in Pilates studios, yoga studios, CrossFit gyms, and running trails

    * Focuses on helping clients integrate movement and body awareness from class into daily life

    * Enjoys staying active in the wilderness, petting other people’s dogs, and daydreaming about travel adventures when not teaching

  • FARNAZ FATEMI, APPRENTICE PILATES TEACHER

    * Began Pilates on the reformer in 2009 to build strength before undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery.

    * She has maintained her practice in Santa Cruz County and is currently pursuing a Comprehensive Pilates Instructor certification through Balanced Body

    * Her dedication is fueled by the expertise and intelligence of the teachers she has had the privilege to learn from.

    * Additionally to her Pilates journey, Farnaz is a published poet and an experienced writing teacher.