FOUNDER & FACULTY PROFILES
CAROLYNE ANTHONY
Founder
(Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe & Malaysia)
Carolyne Anthony has been in the Dance, Fitness and Pilates world for over 30 years. She trained as a professional dancer in London, England in the late 1970’s. She obtained her teaching diploma in1982 and went on to dance professionally in Europe, Asia and Africa. She remains a member of the Royal Academy of Dancing and an Associate of The Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance. Carolyne was introduced to Pilates in 1983, at the prompting of her Jazz instructor. She found Alan Herdman and continued to learn from him until she left for the USA.
In the 80’s as a newcomer to the USA her focus turned to fitness as the aerobics boom began to hit. Carolyne certified with AFAA and the AEA as a group fitness instructor and went on to study the PACE (People with Arthritis Can Exercise) program. She put all this knowledge to good use as an instructor with the New England Health and Racquet Clubs.
While living in Connecticut Carolyne also joined the faculty of the Hartford Conservatory of Music and Dance, teaching ballet, jazz and pedagogy to the diploma students. She danced with the New England Dance Theater and helped found and became the Artistic Director of the Enfield Civic ballet Company. It was during this time that she became pregnant with her first child.
Carolyne was dismayed to learn that no matter how many certifications or diplomas she had acquired, nothing had given her any information on how to exercise during her pregnancy. Being too scared to do what she was doing, Carolyne opted to stop moving during the pregnancy. Finding herself with a unrecognizable body after the birth of her daughter, she busied herself with designing an exercise program that was both safe and beneficial for pregnant women. Her goal was to prepare the body for the birth, not just to be fit. Through the course of her next two pregnancies, Carolyne refined her skills and knowledge and today you have the highly successful Pre and post natal Pilates Specialist™ programs.
These programs and many of The Center’s workshops have been included in international conferences such as Body Mind Spirit and Pilates on Tour and IHRSA.
Carolyne works from a holistic point of view, seeing the body as an amazing instrument that needs the correct attention in order to work properly. Her efforts to make this possible for her clients has led her to study for her Masters in Natural Health, become certified as a Birth Doula and to learn other healing modalities . Currently Carolyne is a level two Reiki practitioner, Level 1 Myofascial release practitioner (John Barnes approach) and an Esoteric Healer. She is certified by Polestar, PhysicalMInd and the PMA.
Today, The Center for Women’s Fitness has 12 host studios around the world, 14 faculty members and more than 500 certified teachers teaching the method. The Center continues to expand.
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MINDY CATRON
Faculty (Maplewood, NJ USA)
Program Director (USA)
Website: www.spiritus-nj.com
Mindy Catron danced professionally for nearly 20 years on Broadway and National Tours and found her way from there to her second career, teaching Pilates and GYROTONIC®. As many dancers do, she discovered the benefits of Pilates and Gyrotonic and spent years taking classes in both disciplines. She completed her STOTT PILATES® full certification and then shortly after that she earned her Gyrotonic certification. She was only weeks into her own pregnancy in 2005 when she found Carolyne Anthoney’s course. It was an amazing weekend that had a huge impact on her both personally and professionally. She quickly began working extensively with pre & post natal clients and kept in close contact with Carolyne for advice and suggestions along the way. She feels very honored to have been chosen by Carolyne to teach this important work and hopes to inspire others the way Carolyne first inspired her. She lives in Maplewood, NJ with her husband and two daughters.
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AMY CADY
Faculty (Laguna Niguel, CA USA)
Website: www.abcpilates.com
Amy, owner of ABC Pilates, is PMA certified and certified in Pilates from Studio du Corps . She is also a certified pre/post natal Master Teacher for The Center for Women’s Fitness. She is also a member of the faculty at The Center for Women’s Fitness where she trains and certifies instructors to teach pre/post natal Pilates for Southern California. She is also a Balanced Body University Partner Faculty and teaches BBU curriculum for the ABC Pilates Teacher Training Program recognized by the PMA. She has also been the Pilates Coordinator/Consultant for YogaWorks Orange County and an Associate of the Renaissance Club Sport. She most recently completed her certification in the Pink Ribbon Program.
She continuously takes numerous intensive workshops from Pilates elders and master teachers in the field. She brings to her teaching a unique background in mind-body fitness and dance influenced by traditional exercises of Joseph Pilates and other modern techniques.
Amy has been given the honor of becoming an Ambassador at Lululemon Athletica for her community involvement and commitment to health and fitness in Pilates. In addition, she has developed the Pilates programs at Irvine Valley College, Saddleback College and the Ladera Ranch Community “LARCS”. She has been practicing Pilates for over 12 years and is a registered active member of the The Pilates Method Alliance® (PMA™).
Amy has published Pre Natal Pilates on the Exo Chair manual where she will go on tour and present next year. Look for her in an upcoming issue of Pilates Style Magazine and video for Pilates Anytime in 2011. Amy has also worked on the dance faculty at Orange Coast College, Irvine Valley College, Saddleback College. She has also taught Pilates at Studio du Corps and served on the Board of Directors for Rhapsody in Taps. She holds a B.S. ed in performance and choreography from the University of Georgia and has an MFA in Dance from UC Irvine with an emphasis in computer technology.
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CHANDLER MOORE-SANDERS
Faculty (San Francisco, CA USA)
Website: www.corepilateson17th.com
Chandler Moore-Sanders completed her initial Pregnancy and Postpartum certification through The Center for Women’s Fitness in the spring of 2005. This knowledge has been invaluable to Chandler as an instructor, but also as the owner of Core Pilates on 17th in San Francisco. She was originally inspired to obtain this specialized training by the increasing number of pregnant and postpartum women coming to the studio in search of safe, effective ways to workout.
This program, however, has given her the tools to go beyond mere exercise and has helped her make Core Pilates on 17th a supportive environment where new and expecting mothers feel comfortable to bring their questions and concerns. As a result, a true community has formed among these mothers and continues as their families grow. Now as a Master Trainer for this program, Chandler and Core Pilates on 17th are proud to be a part of this wonderful organization and look forward to teaching this wonderful work.
Chandler is the author of the book Prenatal Pilates on the Chair.
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BROOKE LEARY
Faculty (Sausalito, CA USA)
Website: www.corepilateson17th.com
Brooke’s love for movement began at the ripe age of 3 with a pink tu-tu and pig-tails. Since then, her passion has evolved into the wonderful world of Pilates. Originally trained through Polestar and STOTT Pilates, Brooke started her career in the San Francisco bay area. Over the years Brooke has found her home at Core Pilates on 17th teaching privates, semi-privates, group classes, and certification courses. Of her extensive continuing education, it was Carolyne Anthony’s program in Pre and Post-natal Pilates that has inspired Brooke the most! She has found this program to be the perfect next step to a general Pilates certification.
The Center for Women’s fitness has not only taught her how to work with pregnant and postpartum clients but has given her the knowledge and motivation to make a difference in a pregnant woman’s life. Brooke has been inspired and can’t wait to share her energy and enthusiasm with you and your studio!
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VERONIQUE COIGNAC
Faculty (Tring, Herfordshire, UK)
Website: www.tringpilates.com
Veronique first encountered Pilates back in 1982 while studying for a BA(hons) Dance Degree at The Laban Centre in London. She trained and certified with Alan Herdman, Polestar and attended various further education courses in Pilates and related disciplines. She’s taught mat and studio since 1985 in studios and dance schools as far apart as London, Scotland and even Damascus(Syria).
Veronique opened Tring Pilates Studio in 2000 and enjoys the challenge that each client presents. Tring opens their doors to anyone who wants to enter a journey in search of mind and body balance regardless of their reasons for doing so. Veronique also teach a certification program and specializes in post rehabilitation.
About having become a Master teacher for The Center for Women’s Fitness, Veronique says “I am now part of a group of very dedicated, passionate and open minded teachers with refined skills ready to help , educate and inspire mothers to be as well as Pilates teachers.”
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ERIN WETZEL
Faculty (Detroit, MI USA)
Sales Manager (USA)
Website: www.coreartspilates.com
Erin’s love for movement began with her training as an actor. At the University of Michigan she studied Movement and Voice and learned different modalities such as Alexander Technique, Tai Chi, Pilates, and Laban movement theory. After her first pregnancy, Erin revisited Pilates, and fell in love again. She has focused her Pilates career on working with both pre and post natal women, and actors in vocal training and movement. Erin is the owner of Core Arts Pilates in Jackson, MI, and looks forward to continuing to explore the body in motion, and to help others find their own potential for movement.
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ALEXI LOVE
Faculty (Ankara, Turkey)
Alexi Love grew up in London, UK, dancing at the Royal Academy of Dancing and enjoys sport and movement of all kinds. Alexi is a fully certified STOTT Pilates instructor, earned her BA in Psychology from the University of Michigan and is particularly interested in the health and wellness of women during pregnancy and postpartum.
In 2008 Alexi was trained in Carolyne Anthony’s Prenatal and Postnatal Pilates Program through The Center for Women’s Fitness and in 2010 Alexi joined their Faculty. Alexi and her husband have recently moved from Michigan, USA, and Alexi now lives and works in Ankara, Turkey. While living in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Alexi taught at Willow Wellness Studio, the University of Michigan, Liberty Athletic Center, the YMCA and was a lecturer in the Dance Department at Eastern Michigan University.
Alexi also teaches Mom & Baby Pilates classes and loves seeing the ways in which Pilates helps new mothers enjoy redeveloping their strengths, play and bond with their babies and build a community with other Moms in a relaxed setting. As a Faculty member with the Center for Women’s Fitness, Alexi is thrilled to share the many benefits of Pilates with instructors and students internationally.
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KY CARNELL-RUSSELL
Faculty (Santa Cruz, CA USA)
Ky Carnell-Russell is a lifelong dancer and movement educator. She is certified through Nora St. John and Naomi Leiserson at Turing Point Studios. Ky taught Pilates based rehabilitation as a Dance Medicine Specialist at St. Francis Hospital’s Center for Sports Medicine in San Francisco, CA for multiple years, where she worked with a variety of clients to help them regain functional movement experiences and recover from injuries. Ky currently teaches Pilates instructor training courses and CEC’s as a BBU faculty member at Agile Monkey Pilates Studio in Santa Cruz, CA and also teaches Pilates at a local chiropractic and wellness clinic. Ky teaches Anatomy in Clay and is in the process of obtaining her Master’s degree in Kinesiology from San Jose State University. Ky also formerly co-owned and directed a pilates and yoga studio and was a professional ballet dancer and circus performer.
Ky holds a BS degree from the University of California, Berkeley. Ky delights in sharing the joy of Pilates and movement with her students and thoughtfully blends lightheartedness and humor with the serious business of creating healthy, functional, happy bodies.
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FIONA XU
Faculty (Shanghai, China)
Fiona Xu lives in Shanghai, China. She has been a fitness instructor since 2001. She is certified by AASFP as an advanced personal fitness trainer and is authorized by Balanced Body University Pilates as a faculty trainer. She practices yoga and has fulfilled 200 hours of Yoga Alliance teacher training. She was invited as an Olympic trainer during the 2008 Beijing Olympics because of her experience working with clients who want to improve their fitness or rehabilitate back problems. Fiona also has a Chinese Massage certificate and a psychological counselor certificate.
She started teaching pregnant women in 2007 after meeting Sarah Manning, an experienced prenatal yoga teacher. Since then she has fallen in love with teaching this special population. She took Carolyne Anthony’s prenatal training course in Hong Kong in 2010 which gave her a more solid understanding of prenatal & postnatal exercises. She has since become a member of the faculty of “The Center for Women’s Fitness”, and her passion is to use her fitness and psychological knowledge to help clients have healthy, balanced lives.
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HEATHER KING-SMITH
Faculty (Decatur, GA USA)
Website: www.trinitypilates.com
Heather’s love of movement began as a child with gymnastics and dance. After dancing her way through high school, during her second year of college she quit dancing and turned to the thrill of outdoor sports such as hiking, mountain biking and inline skating. Five years later, she yearned for the kind of body awareness that comes through dance, and discovered Pilates. The moves were similar to what she had learned in dance classes as a warm up, and immediately she was hooked.
While writing her master’s thesis at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, Heather decided to pursue the Pilates 600 hour Certification through Pilates, Inc. Having had the honor of studying and passing her final exam with Pilates elder Romana Kryzanowska, she began teaching Pilates in 2000. Since finishing her initial training, Heather has completed continuing education courses with Power Pilates, Polestar, Katy Roelle, and Balanced Body University.
During these years of teaching, she has found teaching and practicing Pilates fulfilling on many levels—from the joy helping others reduce pain and improve their quality of life, to teaching others healthy movement and seeing aesthetic results, as well as experiencing the benefits of Pilates in her own body.
The most influential work Heather has done is with her post-rehab clients at One-on-One Physical Therapy, a clinic and Pilates studio that uses Pilates during and as a transition out of rehabilitation. Working with clients who have just completed physical therapy, and working closely with the therapists who treat them, has given Heather a unique perspective and deepened her understanding of the body and various conditions.
Heather enjoys meeting each client at his or her level, and tailoring each session to individual needs—realizing that needs may vary for each person from session to session. Having worked in gyms for seven years has enabled Heather to challenge even the strongest, most fit athlete who is looking to improve in their sport or cross-train. Training other Pilates teachers and experienced Pilates practitioners has also inspired her to be creative and find a way to push even a seasoned Pilates enthusiast.
In addition to her Pilates training, Heather has also completed several yoga teacher trainings. Her first training was in Ashtanga Yoga with David Swenson in 2002. In 2008, she completed Core Power Yoga’s Hot Vinyasa training. Her experience in teaching and practicing yoga influences her Pilates teaching, particularly in sequencing, fluid movement, and an emphasis on increasing flexibility.
In January 2010, Heather completed the training for Balanced Body’s Faculty, and is available to train new Pilates teachers and provide continuing education for Pilates teachers seeking to maintain their certifications. Balanced Body’s approach, which allows for a wide range of body types, physical abilities, and has endless possibilities for variations on Pilates exercises, resonates with Heather from a practical and creative standpoint.
Heather practiced Pilates before, during, and after her two pregnancies. She found Pilates to be an excellent way to maintain fitness during the changes a woman’s body undergoes during the childbearing years. In October 2010, Heather joined the faculty for the Center for Women’s Fitness, which provides Prenatal and Postnatal Pilates education and training for Pilates instructors worldwide.
With Trinity Pilates, Heather seeks to create a Pilates community that goes beyond that of a typical studio. Trinity is an intimate space in which people come together and practice Pilates with joy, gratitude, and comaraderie. It is a space in which people can grow and support each other, through the practice of Pilates and more.
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TRACI DIMOND
Faculty (USA)
Traci Dimond is certified in Pilates through Basi Pilates under the direction of Rael Isacowatz and is a certified pre/post natal Master Teacher from The Center of Women’s Fitness under the direction of Carolyne Anthony. She is also a member of the faculty at The Center of Women’s Fitness where she trains and certifies instructors to teach pre/post natal Pilates for Southern California & New York area.
Traci comes from an athletic background and has always been active and interested in health including running, marathon training, gymnastics, yoga, & anything that keeps her and her clients healthy and moving. She believes in Pilates for the pre/post natal body & believes it can make a difference in the entire pregnancy and birthing process. Traci would be a perfect fit to come share The Center’s knowledge on getting over your fear and feeling comfortable and understanding how to work with specific client.
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TRISH ANDREWS
Faculty (Illinois USA)
Trish Andrews first found Pilates when training for the Chicago marathon in 2005. She immediately fell in love with the not only the way it made her body feel, but more so, the mind-body connection she found. After a year of training, she enrolled in the Teacher-Training program at The Pilates Center in Boulder, CO. Through several conversations with her mother, a nurse-practitioner for OB-GYN, and a little research, she realized what an amazing program Pilates could be for prenatal and postpartum women. She decided she wanted this population to be her passion. She found Carolyne Anthony and her incredible program.
Trish so believes in the power and effectiveness of the work that Carolyne created and is so honored to have the opportunity to be a Master Teacher Trainer and to share this method with the world by educating other instructors. She loves teaching pregnant women Pilates because of the immense positive impact it can have on not only their pregnancy, but on the rest of their lives. Trish has a home studio in Chicago, as well as teaching at various locations throughout the city.
She lives with her husband and two “furry kids,” Marley and Bailey. Trish is expecting her first child in August, so is currently “walking the talk” of the prenatal program and experiencing first-hand how it prepares the body for nature’s greatest miracle.
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SARAH REGNARD
Faculty (Paris, France)
Born in South Africa, Sarah Regnard’s career in teaching movement, started at the University of Cape Town School of Dance where she obtained her diploma in ballet. In 1997, she attended the Laban Centre in London, where she completed a Diploma in Community Dance Studies and also joined the ballet faculty. At the centre, many of
her colleagues were trained Pilates teachers and Sarah developed an interest in learning more about Pilates. In 2003, when she moved to Paris, Sarah enrolled on the ‘Corebody’ Pilates Teachers Programme and gained her Teacher’s Diploma in 2005. She has since been teaching with Corebody.
Sarah’s interest in teaching the benefits of exercise and movement during pregnancy started during her time as a ballet teacher at Laban, where she taught classes well into her 7th month of Pregnancy. During her second pregnancy she was teaching and practising Pilates and gained first-hand experience of the benefits of pre and postnatal
exercise. In 2010, Sarah did Carolyne Anthony’s Pre and Postnatal program which gave her the necessary tools to launch her in this special field of Pilates. As a member of the faculty for the Centre of Women’s Fitness, Sarah aims to nurture and educate women through Pilates. She helps them prepare their bodies for natural delivery and then support their recovery in the postpartum period.
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CHRISTOPHER COATES
Faculty (Washington, DC USA)
A former University of Virginia collegiate, track-n-field athlete turned fitness professional to make a difference in America’s health today. Chris is an ACE certified personal trainer and has for the past 8 years worked at several private and public facilities in the DC area. Over the last 6 years, he’s studied as a Pilates apprentice and completed his certification for Body, Arts & Science International Pilates at a private studio. Just recently (June 2010), he received his Pre- and Postnatal Pilates certification, and joined the faculty of The Center for Women’s Fitness. With a new found love for training through Pilates, he hopes to change the world, one body at a time!
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YVONNE HSI
Faculty (Hong Kong, China)
Website: www.in-motion.hk
Yvonne grew up on competitive team sports in US and UK. Field hockey, lacrosse and running were eventually substituted with boxing, teaching group exercise and long hours of architectural work. A combination of old and new sports injuries, and detrimental work related postures finally led her to discover Pilates.
Pilates rehabilitation sessions helped Yvonne simultaneously recover and strengthen rapidly. As a result, her keen interest in Pilates was ignited as she wanted to learn more and share the benefits with everyone. Subsequently, she got her certification in Polestar Mat and Allegro and this was shortly followed by full training in Studio series. In union with the experience gained from teaching Yoga and Gyrotonic®, Yvonne is able to offer clients and students the benefits of the three complementary principles as an instructor, mentor and educator.
As Yvonne’s range of clientele expanded, she started teaching prenatal Pilates equipped with just 2 books from Carolyne Anthony and the experience shared within the group prenatal classes. Seeing that the books themselves were just the beginning of a rewarding discipline, she ultimately took Carolyne’s prenatal course and has never looked back.
Yvonne loves to share any and all fitness knowledge and watch her clients walk away from her classes with satisfaction and a huge sense of achievement. Blessed to have the chance to open a small studio which provides Pilates, Gyrotonic® and Yoga, Yvonne also is extremely thankful to be part of the faculty of the Center for Women’s Fitness where she plans to continue to share Carolyne’s inspirational teaching.
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FRANCINE HERNANDEZ
Faculty (Camarillo, CA USA)
Website: www.yourdailypractice.com
Francine started teaching movement in 2005 as a certified Therapeutic Yoga Instructor. The following year she moved to Uruguay, where she met Monica Passaro, a Polestar trained Pilates instructor and studio owner. Francine completed a five month internship with her and studied from Joseph Pilates’ texts. In 2006 she returned to the states and completed the Body Arts and Science International Training Certification and became PMA certified.
In 2009, Francine met Carolyne, director of the Center for Women’s Fitness, and completed her first Pre/Postnatal Pilates Certification, which she audited again in 2011. Francine immediately identified with the course. It combined her love of therapeutic exercise, science, and the respect she has a woman’s ever-changing body. Since that first certification she has had the privilege to not only apply the training to several prenatal clients but also to other women in different stages of life.
Francine has a B.S. in Biopyschology from University of California at Santa Barbara and is currently working towards her M.S. in Kinesiology at Cal State Northridge. She is also a Certified Hatha Yoga Instructor. Francine feels blessed to join the Center as faculty. Being a part of an international community of Pilates instructors dedicated to improving women’s health allows Francine to bring her love for movement, science, and teaching to certification courses world wide.
