Carolyne Anthony was born in Singapore of British and Indian parentage in the years following the independence of Malaysia. Her family moved to Kuala Lumpur in 1962, just as Singapore separated from Malaya, and she spent her formative years in the Malaysian capital. From an early age, Carolyne was drawn to movement and performance, with a dream of becoming a dance teacher and opening her own school in Kuala Lumpur.
In 1978, she left Malaysia for London to pursue her studies in dance, receiving her Diploma in Dance from the Stella Mann College. Instead of returning home to teach, Carolyne embarked on a professional career as a dancer. She performed across the United Kingdom, Europe, and East Africa, gaining wide experience on international stages. It was in London, in 1982, that she attended her first Pilates session with renowned teacher Alan Herdman. Pilates became a vital tool in her training, helping her enhance performance, manage the demands of touring, and contain the effects of her hypermobility. She went on to certify with PyhsicalMind Institute, BASI, Polestar Pilates and NCPT.
In 1986, Carolyne relocated to the United States, where she expanded her work beyond the stage. She obtained certifications through AFAA (Athletics and Fitness Association of America) and AEA (Aquatic Exercise Association), teaching in fitness clubs and dance studios while continuing to develop her Pilates practice. Her passion for education led her to join the faculty of the Hartford Conservatory of Music and Dance as a professor of dance. There she taught ballet, jazz, and pedagogy to diploma students, shaping the next generation of performers. At the same time, she continued to dance professionally with the New England Dance Theatre and served as Artistic Director of the Enfield Civic Ballet Company.
Carolyne’s career took a pivotal turn in 1988 with the birth of her first child. The experience of pregnancy and postpartum recovery opened her eyes to the profound changes women undergo in their bodies—and to the lack of reliable guidance and support available at the time. Driven by both curiosity and necessity, she immersed herself in the study of women’s health, connecting with midwives, doulas, and childbirth educators. She trained and certified as a doula, attending births and gaining first-hand insight into the physical, emotional, and psychological dimensions of pregnancy, labor, and recovery.
Her subsequent pregnancies only deepened her understanding. Each birth brought new insights into the complexity of the female body, adding more layers to her evolving philosophy of movement, healing, and support for women. This marked the beginning of a lifelong mission: to integrate her background in dance and Pilates with evidence-based approaches to women’s health.
Over the following decades, Carolyne became a pioneer in the field of movement for women’s health. She developed programs that addressed the needs of women through every stage of life—from preconception and pregnancy to postpartum recovery, menopause, and beyond. Her work placed particular emphasis on pelvic floor health, hormonal transitions, and conditions such as diastasis recti, areas often overlooked in traditional fitness and rehabilitation systems.
In addition to her work with women’s health, Carolyne explored the field of fascia and self-myofascial release. Drawing on the teachings of John F. Barnes, Dr Robert Schleip, John Sharkey and others, she began integrating her own extensive movement experience and created self-release protocols designed specifically for women. These techniques combine breath, neuromuscular and fascial movement, and somatic awareness to restore alignment, release restrictions, and promote functional strength.
Her decades of study, teaching, and clinical application culminated in the creation of The Carolyne Anthony Method—a comprehensive system grounded in four guiding principles: Regulate, Release, Realign, and Restore. The Method recognizes that optimal movement arises when the body is in a parasympathetic, tension-free state, and that lasting rehabilitation requires attention not only to muscles and bones but also to fascia, breath, and the body’s hormonal environment.
Today, The Carolyne Anthony Method serves as the foundation for a wide range of specialized courses, including:
- Self-Myofascial Release Techniques (Sensa Ball™, Sensa Pod™ and Rocking to Release™)
- Support Your Floor™ – Pelvic Floor Training
- Menopause Movement
- Pre- and Postnatal Movement
- Diastasis Recti Recovery
- Hypermobility
Through these programs, Carolyne has trained movement specialists, Pilates instructors, fitness professionals, and women’s health practitioners worldwide. Her approach blends rigorous anatomical knowledge with lived experience, offering a holistic framework that empowers women to reconnect with their bodies, restore resilience, and embrace each stage of life with confidence. Carolyne has regularly presented at conferences around the world from Body, Mind, Spirit in the early 2000’s to Pilates on Tour, PMA, IRHSA, BASI Symposium, FitnessPro, Pilates Asia Summit and The Fascia Research Congress to name a few. She is currently working on a book on Diastasis Recti and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction.
Carolyne’s legacy is defined not only by her method, but by her vision. She has been described as a pioneer, an innovator, and an educator who bridges tradition with forward-thinking practice. Above all, she is a passionate advocate for women, dedicated to restoring agency, dignity, and strength to the female body through movement. Her work continues to inspire, empower, and transform the lives of women and the professionals who serve them across the globe.
Her greatest joy in life are her three daughters, their partners and her precious grandchildren.
EDUCATION
Doreen Bird School of Theatre Dance –Teaching Diploma in Theatre Arts (1979)
Stella Mann College Diploma in Dance Education London, UK (1982)
Member, The Royal Academy of Dancing (1982)
Associate of The Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance (1982)
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
AFFA (1992) – Group Exercise Leader
Step Reebok (1994) – Group Exercise Leader
AEA (1997)- Group Exercise Leader
Birth Doula (1998)
Yamuna Bodyrolling (2002) – Myofascial release certification
PhysicalMind Pilates (2005) – Comprehensive Pilates Instructor certification
Polestar Pilates (2006)- Comprehensive Pilates Instructor Certification
BASI Pilates (2008)- Comprehensive PIlates Instructor Certification
NCPT -Certified Pilates Teacher
Pilates Dance Specialization with Karen Clippinger (2009)
Level II Reiki
John F. Barnes-Myofascial Release Practitioner
Esoteric Healing Practitioner level 4
EMPLOYMENT
Gin-Pac Ballet Company Nairobi, Kenya (1984)
The Black Theater Dance Company of London (1985)
The Hartford Conservatory of Music and Dance, Hartford, CT (1986 – 1987)
Professor of Dance-choreographer, taught daily ballet and jazz classes, and taught pedagogy to diploma students.
Enfield Civic Ballet Company, Enfield, CT (1988 – 1989)
Artistic Director-Auditioned and trained teenage girls, choreographed dances, and organized and supervised rehearsals.
New England Dance Theater, East Long Meadow, MA (1986 – 1989)
Ballet Dancer
BASI PIlates Advanced Education Faculty for Pre and Postnatal Education (2007-2008)
Balanced Body Faculty (2008-2011)