Raising the Bar on the Future of Pilates

Episode 13 - Suzanne McCarty - Hara Beyond Movement Studio

Today I am talking to my dear friend Suzanne McCarty, 2nd Generation Pilates teacher, Gyrotonic Master trainer, yoga teacher and now massage therapist. She is also about to join the faculty on my Classical Pilates Mat program which will be held in in Brisbane and Coffs Harbour in 2025.
Suzanne has been teaching Pilates for almost 25 years, having had the amazing opportunity to learn from Romana Kryzanowska and other Pilates teachers in The USA , Europe and Australia. 
She is a deeply curious teacher and movement professional, and is constantly learning more about the human body to work more effectively with her clients.
In the podcast, I chat with Suzanne about how she approaches working with her clients and how she uses these multi-modalities to bring the best out of her clients. 
Suzanne comes from a Background In Ballet, having an incredible career in Vienna 1989-2000 at the Vienna Volksoper and the Vienna State Opera. She returned back to Australia in 2008 to start her own studio and we chat about her earlier career and how she found Pilates.
We’ll also touch on her home studio, her influences and what her plans are for the future.
We discuss:
Her early life as a dancer in Vienna
How a switched-on surgeon in the early 2000’s led Suzanne to Pilates after a knee injury
How she found herself studying in the US with Romana Kryzanowska and other master teachers
Her memories on Romana, Drago’s Gym and the Classical Pilates teacher training
How she found Gyrotonic®, how it informs her teaching and how she works with her clients in Gyrotonic®
How she started her own studio in her house, then opened a commercial premise before bringing her studio back home during Covid
How she has dealt with burnout in her commercial premise and how she has overcome imposter syndrome over the years
Her love and passion for training other teachers
Her thoughts on the current state of the Pilates industry
Thanks Suzanne!
 
You can find Suzanne here: 
Hara Beyond Movement Studio
https://www.beyondmovementstudio.com/
And on instagram:
@harabeyondmovementstudio
 
Suzanne mentions:
The Pilates Studio Teacher Training Mat certification, coming to Coffs Harbour and Brisbane in 2025
https://www.pilatesteachertraining.com.au/courses/classical-mat
 
Did you catch Episode 12 of the Podcast? in this episode I get candid about my thoughts on the industry and the #safepilates ethos.
 
To receive my 10, customisable #safepilates  Canva templates, subscribe to my newsletter at kimpaxtoncoaching.com/safepilates to get them sent to your inbox!
 
More about Suzanne:
Suzanne loves to share her passion for movement, anatomy and the energetic body that is based on experience from a lifetime of studying and practising movement.
She enjoyed a 12-year professional dance career in Vienna, Austria as a ballet dancer in the Vienna Volksoper & State Opera Ballet Companies before becoming a movement teacher in year 2000.
Suzanne has taught Movement to people from all walks of life full-time for over twenty five years. 
Suzanne’s deep understanding and love of movement, dance & anatomy enables her to guide both the fully able and the injured to move in a way that honours their body and gets the most out of each session. Suzanne is passionate about ensuring everyone who comes to her leaves her care in a better physical state than they arrived.
Suzanne has recently added remedial massage to her list of qualifications to offer a more hands-on approach to helping her clients achieve their best physical condition.
Suzanne is a Teacher Trainer in the GYROKINESIS® and GYROTONIC® Methods. She is passionate about sharing her knowledge and skills with other teachers or helping to expand the network of The GYROKINESIS® and GYROTONIC® methods here in Australia.
Suzanne holds the following qualifications:
2nd generation Pilates Instructor (Full Pilates education with Romana Kryzanoswka New York graduation year 2000.)
Diploma of Pilates/ Australia
Pilates Instructor-Principal Level Pilates Trainer Pilates Alliance Australasia
GYROTONIC® & GYROKINESIS® Master Trainer
Yoga Therapist (Certified-International Association Yoga Therapists)
Yoga Teacher 500 hours
Lisa Howell Dance teacher training level 1/ level 2 Pointework & Flexibility training
Dance for Parkinsons
Diploma of Remedial Massage
Former:
Ballet Dancer- Vienna Volksoper Ballet 1988-1996
Ballet Dancer Vienna State Opera Ballet 1996-2000
When not teaching movement, training courses  or performing massage, Suzanne loves spending time with her husband and puppy or travelling interstate to visit her sons & daughters. She loves Music , Film & above all The Ballet
 
 

Ep 12: Solo Show with Kim: Is falling off the Reformer the new industry standard??

Is falling off the Reformer the new industry standard??
I know, it's quite the statement. 
It's something that I'm hearing more and more about in the world of 'Pilates' and I feel compelled to talk about in this solo show. 
This podcast was inspired by an article in the Guardian last week, and it highlights a very troubling trend that I see often on social media - the #pilatesfail 
Call me old fashioned, but I don't think there is anything redeeming about falling off a Reformer in your Pilates class. As a teacher and studio owner, I care very much about the safety and welfare of my clients and it pains me to see our industry reduced to an internet trope, or a meme to share with your friends to laugh at the contorted bodies that have fallen through the springs (and I'm sure if the camera was to continue rolling, the follow up for that poor client probably involved a trip to the ER!).
I've had enough.
So, I have created a resource for you:
Sign up to my newsletter at kimpaxtoncoaching.com/safepilates and I'll send you 10, downloadable and customisable Canva templates using the #safepilates ethos so you can share on social media your philosophy around how you approach safety in your studio. 
Let's differentiate ourselves in the saturated Pilates market so we can let our clients know that we care about them by putting their safety first.
I hope you enjoy the episode, I would LOVE to hear what you think!
Yours, in #safepilates
Kim
PS: Here's a link to the Guardian article:
 

Jodie Tapper - Soul Flexible Online App and Soul Flexible Studio

In the latest episode, I had the pleasure to talk to Jodie Tapper of the Soul Flexible Online App and Soul Flexible Studio in Harrisdale, Western Australia (and my first guest from WA!)
The Soul Flexible App offers online access to classes run by fully certified Pilates instructors and educators from around Australia. These instructors come from diverse backgrounds and training schools, but share a common passion for delivering high-quality Pilates classes on demand.
I’m really excited to talk with an entrepreneur that is doing something different by building a business online, where the potential is vast, but the competition is real! In this interview we talk about how Jodie is carving out a niche in her corner of the internet.
(and look out for some Wunda Chair and Tower classes that I will be filming for the app soon!)
In this interview we talk about:
🌟 How Jodie got into Pilates after becoming injured in her corporate career. 
🌟 Why she decided to start an Online App and how Soul Flexible Online came to fruition with the help of her business (and life) partner
🌟 How her mentors have shaped her as a teacher
🌟 How she has struggled with burnout and feelings of isolation and how she has worked through it
🌟 How she combines running a home studio with developing the Soul Flexible Online App.
🌟 The hard work (and technology headaches) that comes with the territory of launching an app.
🌟 How the demographic for the app has changed over time.
🌟 How she collaborates with teachers to build the business
🌟 How she sees her business growing in 2 and 5 years
🌟 Her thoughts on the current state of the Pilates industry
 
Thank you Jodie!
 

Taking Time Off from your business to Revitalise Your Creative Spark

Episode 10
Welcome back to Raising the Bar on the Future of Pilates Podcast!
I'm doing something a little different today by putting up my first solo show. This show was inspired by taking some time out from my studio business last week to rest and strategise for the year ahead. 
I've had my Pilates studio, The Pilates Studio Blackwood for close to 10 years now and let me tell you, in the first few years of my business, I took too little time away from my business and ended up burnt out from the experience, in a big way!
I don't want that to be you, so I hope this inspires you to book some time off for yourself - for me, it's always a huge return on investment to step away and be able to get some perspective and think creatively about the future of my business.
I'd love to know what you thought of the episode and what topics you'd like to hear me talk more about in the future. 
I'd also love for you to head over to my website, www.kimpaxtoncoaching.com and sign up for my weekly (ish) newsletter to stay up to date with the latest podcast episodes and my musings on all things Pilates, running a Pilates business and keeping the bar high for the future of the industry.

Olga Tamara - Authentic Pilates Education International and Authentic Pilates Studio, Sydney

In this podcast I get to chat with the inimitable Olga Tamara. Creator and owner of Authentic Pilates International (APEI) and Authentic Pilates Studio in Sydney.
I’ve known Olga for almost 10 years now. When we first met, I hadn’t been in Australia very long and really knew very few people in the industry. I was looking to further my knowledge of Classical Pilates after studying it in Canada. Olga was incredibly welcoming to me, I have learnt a great deal from her and she has introduced me to a community of incredible, like minded instructors - many of whom I consider great friends today. 
I don’t think I’m alone when I say that Olga has created a real sense of inclusivity in the Pilates world here in Australia. Classical Pilates has been known to be very insular in the past, but Olga has brought down many of those barriers to learning. In fact she won Educator of the Year in the Pilates Journal Awards last year, which is so well deserved. 
Olga also facilitates and runs Classical Pilates conferences, where she brings in some amazing talent from overseas for us to learn from. She is about to host the next workshop in Sydney this coming October 18-20 (there’s still a few tickets available!).
In this interview we talk about:
Olga’s varied, creative careers: From dancer, to actress, movement teacher and fitness studio owner (including Jane Fonda workouts!) to events management and now as a Pilates studio owner and teacher trainer.
Her introduction to Pilates as a dancer and her retroduction to it years later
Her early days as a studio owner and how she manifested her clients from the beginning
How she stays inspired over the years and the varied clientele that she has taught in the past
How she launched her Classical Pilates teacher training program and how it has evolved over the years
How she makes Classical Pilates training accessible to a contemporary audience
The work that goes into creating a successful conference (spoiler: It’s a lot of work!)
Her feelings of burnout in her early career and how she overcame that.
Her views on the current state of the Pilates industry.
 
Thinking of going to the conference? A few tickets are still available: Book here
https://authenticpilateseducation.com/event/apei-classical-pilates-conference/
In the podcast, Olga mentions:
Lateral Thinking: Edward De Bono
https://www.amazon.com.au/Lateral-Thinking-Creativity-Step-Step/dp/0060903252
 
You can reach Olga via
 
https://authenticpilateseducation.com/
 
And via socials:
@authenticpilatesstudiosydney
@apei_sydney
 
Thank you Olga!
More about Olga:
OLGA TAMARA
Olga began her career as a professional classical dancer with the Australian Ballet Company in 1971 and first experienced the wonders of Pilates during those first precious years. She toured with the company for seven years then enjoyed a successful career performing on stage and television as an actress from 1979 until 1984. Her interest in movement didn’t waver during that time so in 1985 she became a certified fitness instructor.
Olga opened her first business “Designing Moves” in 1986. She taught body conditioning classes, movement classes to aspiring young actors and worked freelance as dance coach at McDonald School of Performing Arts as well as managing the corporate gymnasium at “Carlton United”.
Over the years Olga trained in a number of Pilates studios however it wasn’t until she experienced the essence of the Authentic Pilates Method with Cynthia Lochard that she was truly inspired. Impressed by the authenticity, quality and integrity of the NY Pilates method, Olga became a certified instructor of “The NY Pilates Method” and “Romana’s Pilates”.
Olga is founder and manager of the Authentic Pilates Studio, Lilyfield NSW and is Principal Trainer of Authentic Pilates Education International Teacher Training Program. Olga has presented a number of workshops and training seminars nationally, NZ and London. She presents ongoing continuing Education seminars and invites International guests to present at the APEI Pilates Conference in Sydney NSW.
Olga was PAA Vice President from 2010 to 2015 and is currently on the board of the PTA (Pilates Teachers Association UK).

Kerrie Murphy - Infinity Pilates

In this interview I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing Kerrie Murphy from Infinity Pilates studio in Balaclava, Melbourne.
Kerrie has owned and operated her Pilates studio for 21 years now. When you look at statistics related to business success, it is no mean feat to be running a thriving business for that long, in any industry. In this interview we discuss the many changes she’s seen in the industry in that time - from the explosion of Clinical Pilates, to the current Reformer studio model in the market of late. 
Kerrie draws from a number of influences in her work. She is a deeply curious and educated teacher of the Pilates method and it was a privilege to chat with her.
In this interview we discuss:
How Kerrie found Pilates while training as a dancer
Her early education in Pilates, including her time spent apprenticing in the UK
The birth of her Pilates studio and how she started small and grew over time
The long term relationships she has with her clients, some as many as 25 years in the making
The people that have been influential in shaping her as a teacher.
Her approach to melding together the scientific application of body movement with a deep intuitive sense of the body.
Moments when Kerrie felt burnt out and isolated in her business life
How she views the current state of the Pilates industry and how we need to remember our value as instructors and business owners. 
And so much more!
Additional Resources:
Tom Myers Author of Anatomy Chains.
 
Dr Robert Schleip : Leading fascial researcher
 
John Sharkey :Clinical Anatomist.
 
Dr Emily Splichal:  Podiatrist and Movement specialist.
 
Podcast: Liberated Body: Brooke Thomas
And you can find Kerrie here:
Infinity Pilates 
Email: info@infinitypilates.com
Socials: @infinitypilatesmelbourne
 
More about Kerrie:
Kerrie is the owner and principal trainer of Infinity Pilates Studio, Balaclava Melbourne.
A life-long to dance, especially to perform classical ballet, underpins an even greater
fascination for Kerrie Murphy—the mystery and magic of human movement.
Dancing from the age of eleven and helping to teach discipline since she was 15, Kerrie
completed her year 12 in Canberra. She went on to gain a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from
the University of Western Sydney, where she was first exposed to Pilates.
The degree gave her the impetus to return to Canberra where she danced professionally
with the Canberra Dance Theatre for three years. She also worked with the Australian
Institute of Sport, instructing gymnasts aiming for the Sydney 2000 Olympics and also taught
ballet at local ballet studios.
A two-year stint in the UK in the mid-1990s gave her the chance to explore Pilates further.
She completed a two-year apprenticeship with a Highgate, London studio led by Heather
Sampson, before returning to Melbourne in 1996 to a combination of performance, ballet
teaching and Pilates instruction.
Pilates gradually absorbed her other activities leading to an official course with the Australian
Pilates Method Association, followed by a two-year course with Body Arts and Science
International with Rael Isacowitz.
Kerrie now holds the highest levels of certified Pilates qualifications available in Australia. It
includes the Advanced Diploma in Pilates Practice through Sydney’s Pilates International
Training Centre with Sally Anderson.
After the highly competitive dance world, she loves the balance and absence of judgement
Pilates brings. And an environment in which both client and instructor continually learn and
grow.
Travelling to NYC 2007 Kerrie began further training with Deborah Lesson who worked with
Elder Carola Trier and Blossom Leilani Crawford who worked with Pilates Elder Kathy
Standford Grant. Over the years their mentoring continues to inspire and shape Kerrie’s
teaching and practice.
The interest in human movement inspired Kerrie to dig deeper into the human form.
Training with Dr Robert Schleip in Fascial Fitness 2014. Later training with clinical anatomist
John Sharkey who shared his knowledge on Bio tensegrity.
Drawing inspiration from the full integrated system of the natural world that works collectively
to keep life in motion shines the light on the true value and purpose of the Pilates Method.
Heading into 21 years operation at Infinity, Kerrie still strongly believes, more certainly than
ever that the Pilates Method gives you the space to explore the full purpose and potential of
your body. This gift means you can live a full and meaningful life.

Kate Shelby-James: Pilates Barossa and 'Pilates for Rural Living'

Today I am excited to be talking to fellow South Australian, Kate Shelby-James of Pilates Barossa and creator of ‘Pilates for Rural Living’.
Kate has owned and operated her studio, Pilates Barossa since 2016 , and in the past 12 months has moved into her amazing custom built space.
Kate is passionate about creating programming for members of her rural community and has developed her ‘Pilates for Rural living’ program to specifically take care of the mind and bodies of local farmers and their specific physical needs.  If you are familiar with the Barossa region (and if you are a wine lover than I expect you’d be very familiar), this area of South Australia is filled with award winning vineyards as well as a large farming community.
 
I’m excited to talk to Kate about her evolution from the finance and admin career change in her mid 30’s as well as her thoughts on the state of the industry and where she sees her business growing into the future.
 
If you’re a Pilates business owner outside a metropolitan area, this one is definitely for you!
 
In this interview we talk about:
 
How Kate segued from a career in finance and admin in the wine industry to a career in Pilates
How her studio grew from her living room into her custom built studio over the course of several years.
How she built her own commercial space to accommodate her growing business
Her new initiative: ‘Pilates for Rural Living’ a program designed for her rural community and how it supports the local farming community and beyond
How she grew her teaching roster, despite being in a smaller community. 
How she prioritises down-time and holidays to avoid burnout
How she supports new teachers in the industry
Her thoughts about the future of the Pilates industry in relation to her rural location
Kate mentioned the following resources in the podcast:Are you bogged Mate?
https://areyouboggedmate.com.au/bogged-blog/article/are-you-bogged-mate
Beyond Blue - For small business owners
https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/newaccess-mental-health-coaching/small-business-owners
 
Her PAA Article: https://www.pilates.org.au/kate-shelby-james-bringing-pilates-to-farming-communities/
 
Pilates for Rural living program:
https://pilatesbarossa.com.au/core-strength-pilates-for-rural-living/
 
And where to get a hold of Kate:
Socials: @pilatesbarossa
Email: kate@pilatesbarossa.com.au
 
More about Kate: 
Kate Shelby-James is the founder and senior instructor at Pilates Barossa, formally known as
Pilates by Kate.
Pilates is a form of exercises conducted on mats and / or apparatus. It focuses on core
strength, overall body strength, toning, balance, flexibility, functional movement patterns and
mindfulness.
She holds the following qualifications; a Diploma in Studio and Rehabilitation Pilates, a
Certificate 4 in Mat Instruction and an Advanced Diploma in Accounting. She has grown her
business from a new concept in the region in 2016, to now being a viable long-term business,
with multiple instructors by her side. In 2023 Pilates Barossa relocated to a new purpose
built, self-funded studio at the northern end of Nuriootpa.
Kate continues to focus on her education and engagement within the Pilates community.
She lives Tanunda with her husband and their two fur babies. When away from her studio
she can be found, cycling, enjoying general outdoor activities, travelling and relishing in good
food and wine.
 

Nic Psarros of The Movement Refinery

Nicholas Psarros is the owner of the Movement Refinery. Nic is a creative entrepreneur and connector in the industry here in Australia and someone I very much admire.
He is also the creator of the well known resource: The Pilates Teacher Network and creator of TMR Academy. In this interview, Nic talks honestly and openly about his business journey from his first studio in 2005 to today. We chat in depth about:
How he found Pilates as a young, injured dancer
How Nic feels about the immense teaching talent we have here in Australia (and New Zealand)
How important imagination, self belief and creativity is in the running of his business.
His vision to create ‘The Pilates Teacher Network’ and how it was a source of valuable information through Covid as well as his hopes for the future of TPTN.
How he navigated his business through Covid (when Melbourne was the most locked down city in the world.)
His advice to those new to the industry.
 
Find out more about Nic here:
www.themovementrefinery.com.au
Nicholas@themovementrefinery.com.au
 
And on the socials:
@themovementrefinery
Nic mentioned this resource in the Podcast:
How we built this - Podcast
Thank you Nic!
 

Ben Rashleigh - Aligned for Life and Benjaminrashleigh.com

In this interview, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ben Rashleigh of Aligned for Life Pilates. Ben came to Pilates from a career as a chef with chronic lower back pain. Pilates helped him strengthen his back and his fascination with the method changed his career trajectory from chef to Pilates teacher.
 
In this podcast we talk about:
How Ben approaches his work as a collaborative and educative process with his clients
Why our role as experienced instructors is to mentor the next generation of teachers.
How he marries Pilates with other modalities and influences
His feelings about the current gap in the market with finding experienced instructors as the Pilates teaching profession has boomed.
The importance of getting out from under the ‘tribal’ mentality of the Pilates industry to foster greater community and the sharing of ideas.
Ben mentioned:
Centered - By Madeleine Black
Where to find Ben:
www.alignedforlife.com.au
www.benjaminrashleigh.com
@bjrashleigh_pilates_movement
Thanks Ben!
 

Helen Fletcher - Equipoise Pilates

In this interview I had the pleasure of interviewing Pilates entrepreneur Helen Fletcher.
Helen is the creator of Equipoise Pilates and Movement Education. Since 2012, Helen has created clinics and more recently, online content bringing together Pilates with Equestrian Riding.
 
In this podcast you’ll discover:
How Helen found PIlates in the early 1990’s when it was an ‘underground’ movement modality
How her first Pilates session planted the seed for her future business idea.
Her ‘Deep sense of knowing’ that Pilates would be her future career
How she’s adjusted her business strategy over time to suit her demographic
How she dealt with the push back from the equestrian world when she started marrying riding with Pilates
Her optimism for the industry moving forward with the strong sense of community that’s growing amongst the Australian Pilates community
Her advice on how to ‘quieten the noise’ to develop your instinct as a new instructor.
 
RESOURCES:
 
You can learn more about Helen here: 
https://www.equipoisepilates.com.au/
https://www.instagram.com/equipoise_pilates_
 
Helen mentioned the book: Slings Essential:
https://www.amazon.com.au/Slings-Essentials-Resourced-Oriented-Integrative-Learning/dp/B09JDQ18M5
 
Thanks Helen!
 
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And, if you would like to join me in my online mentoring group, starting very soon, be sure to head to kimpaxton.com.au to put your name on the waitlist!