My Story
As an active and competitive sports player during my formative years, tennis was my first choice of career and I followed that path into tennis coaching initially. After a serious car accident at 21, with a long road to recovery, I retrained and ended up with a dream job at the LTA, building Indoor Tennis Courts across the UK. Marriage led me to Fife, Scotland, where I lived for 27 years with my husband and 3 daughters.
I was first introduced to Pilates over 30 years ago in Perth, Scotland. However, it wasn't until 2017, having moved to Northumberland, that I really fell in love with this practice. Limitless Studios, where I attended spinning classes, introduced Pilates classes instructed by Jan Dow whose pure Pilates method completely changed my perception of Pilates. It was and is, something that I had been inadvertently searching for and took over from my passion of tennis, since my playing days were now over. I was so inspired that I went onto become qualified as a L3 Mat Pilates Instructor with Kim Wells in 2018.
My initially fledgling business took off with the support and encouragement of my supportive family and friends and my local community. I run my mat classes at various levels in Norham, Horncliffe and Lowick and endeavour to keep classes sizes small to allow clients to gain the most out of each class. Before lockdown, I built a small pilates studio in my garden in Norham where I offer 1:1 sessions on classical pilates equipment.
In March 2020 I started my Masters Pilates Certificate with JPilates Ltd, training through all studio equipment finishing in November 2020. In January 2022 I embarked on a new journey with Maria Earle in Barcelona enrolling on her inaugural Graduate Training Programme for experienced trained Pilates Teachers. This latest venture has been the most extraordinary phase in my pilates life so far. Studying and training with other teachers from the UK and USA in Barcelona with Maria, absorbing her philosophy, the teaching's and protocols from her mentor and pilates Elder Kathy Grant, have continued to drive my passion for this wonderful discipline of pilates. Always studying the Pilates technique, I now continue my Pilates education with Danica Kalemdaroglu through her Pilates company, Pilates804. This journey has developed my knowledge of Anatomy and Kinesiology way beyond the traditional pilates training, igniting my personal and rehabilitation pilates practice. Danica's insight is inspirational and I bring all I absorb to my students with the aim to develop their full, individual movement potential.
Pilates has completely changed my body, my mind and has given me a new and totally encompassing passion. On the mat, reformer and Cadillac, I personally feel invincible - my physical restrictions melt into insignificance. Through my personal history, I have a particular affinity to 1:1 clients on the rehabilitation road to recovery hence my continued drive to increase my knowledge and understanding through workshops and training.
I hope this has given you a brief insight into who I am and I look forward to welcoming you into my Pilates community.
Much Love,
Carrie