Pilates Exchange

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It's well-known that the worlds of Pilates and dance frequently overlap, with many Pilates instructors having a background as dancers. Today on The Pilates Exchange, we discuss the common fears Pilates teachers have and remind you that you don’t need to have a dance or movement background to teach Pilates. Tuning in, you’ll hear about why some Pilates teachers feel intimidated by their colleagues with dance backgrounds, why your certifications aren’t what define you as a good teacher, and what really counts when it comes to instructing your clients. We delve into some questions to ask yourself to dive deeper into your insecurities before discussing the importance of authenticity. You’ll be reminded that dancers also have to learn how to teach Pilates! Finally, we stress the importance of letting your love for teaching soar! Thanks for listening.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Why teachers with dance backgrounds can be intimidating to other Pilates teachers. 
• What truly matters for Pilates teachers: the connection between you and your students. 
• Why the number of certifications you have is not as important as you think it is. 
• Digging deeper into your potential insecurity and questions to ask yourself. 
• The importance of authenticity and a reminder that dancers still have to learn how to teach.
• What to focus on when teaching: cueing your students and continuing to love what you do.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Free Ebook – 100 Pilates Class Themes: performance-fit-online.com/100-pilates-class-themes

Free Ebook – Top Teaching Tips: performance-fit-online.com/top-teaching-tips

Free Creativity Masterclass: mailchi.mp/pilates-studio-nuernberg/creativity-masterclass

Train the Trainers: pilates-studio-nuernberg.com/train-the-trainers

Connect with Us: [email protected] 

Performance Fit Pilates: pilates-studio-nuernberg.com 

Performance Fit Pilates on Instagram: @performance_fit_pilates

Performance Fit Pilates on YouTube: @PerformanceFitPilates 

Hannah Teutscher on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hannah-teutscher

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There is a Pilates method for every type of body — regardless of shape, size, age, or ability. Do all the exercises mirror those originally created by Joseph Pilates? Probably not. But is it still Pilates? Absolutely! In today’s episode, we dive into the conversation surrounding the bullying that persists in our industry around classical versus contemporary Pilates. Join Hannah as she delves into why she feels this is an important conversation to have (again), why thoughtful debate and discussion are indeed important especially when done together, and why she’s more concerned about how knowledge is being transmitted. She also provides insights into disarming the urge to bully, the importance of referring out as a core studio value of theirs, and explores a more meaningful discussion that should be happening in the Pilates world. For all this and more, don’t miss this insightful episode of The Pilates Exchange!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Why Hannah feels this conversation is a necessary one to have (again).
• Her thoughts on where the bullying stems from.
• Why thoughtful discussion and debate are important.
• What students care about (and it’s not a competition between classical and contemporary).
• Why Hannah is more concerned with how you are transmitting the knowledge you’ve gained.
• Injury and Pilates — what does the research really say? 
• She delves into a discussion on the appalling need for people to police each other. 
• The importance of coming together, lifting each other up, and supporting each other in this industry. 
• There should be Pilates for any of the special populations. 
• Hannah shares questions instructors should ask themselves about the method of Pilates they want to teach.
• Referring out and why it’s a key value of Hannah’s Pilates studio.
• The strange basis of Pilates-purist bullying. 
• Only “original equipment” versus having a wide range of manufactured equipment.
• The issue with large reformer classes: doing and teaching what suits your skillset and business model.
• She unpacks how the teacher can make a difference if you fall in love with a method.
• Hannah breaks down a car analogy for choosing your preferred method of Pilates.
• She looks at a more worthwhile discussion we should be having around the standardization of Pilates.
• Having conversations around taking steps to create better business models and safer, more effective environments. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Free Ebook – 100 Pilates Class Themes: performance-fit-online.com/100-pilates-class-themes

Free Ebook – Top Teaching Tips: performance-fit-online.com/top-teaching-tips

Free Creativity Masterclass: mailchi.mp/pilates-studio-nuernberg/creativity-masterclass

Train the Trainers: pilates-studio-nuernberg.com/train-the-trainers

Connect with Us: [email protected] 

Performance Fit Pilates: pilates-studio-nuernberg.com 

Performance Fit Pilates on Instagram: @performance_fit_pilates

Performance Fit Pilates on YouTube: @PerformanceFitPilates 

Hannah Teutscher on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hannah-teutscher

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Looking for your first Pilates teaching job? It might feel overwhelming, but with the right approach, you can stand out from the crowd! In this episode, host Hannah Teutscher shares valuable insights on how to make a lasting impression on studio owners, from attending classes to researching the studio’s culture. Discover why personalising your emails, demonstrating your values, and being prepared with detailed information can help to set you apart. Whether you’re a new or experienced teacher, tune in to learn tips to position yourself as the perfect fit for a Pilates studio and make your job hunt smoother and more successful!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Reasons to attend classes at a studio before applying for a teaching role there.
• What small studio owners are looking for and the importance of doing prior research.
• Reasons not to limit yourself to Pilates studios when applying for jobs.
• How personalising your emails can help make a strong first impression.
• The benefits of researching a studio’s culture and aligning your teaching style.
• Why including detailed information in your email saves time for studio owners.
• How offering to demo classes or be on a sub-list shows flexibility and commitment.
• Why following up after no response can keep you on the studio owner’s radar.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Free Creativity Challenge for Pilates Teachers: https://my.marvelouspages.com/performance-fit-online/free-creativity-challenge

Free Ebook – 100 Pilates Class Themes: performance-fit-online.com/100-pilates-class-themes

Free Ebook – Top Teaching Tips: performance-fit-online.com/top-teaching-tips

Free Creativity Masterclass: mailchi.mp/pilates-studio-nuernberg/creativity-masterclass

Train the Trainers: pilates-studio-nuernberg.com/train-the-trainers

Connect with Us: [email protected] 

Performance Fit Pilates: pilates-studio-nuernberg.com 

Performance Fit Pilates on Instagram: @performance_fit_pilates

Performance Fit Pilates on YouTube: @PerformanceFitPilates 

Hannah Teutscher on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hannah-teutscher

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Pilates has been put in the social media spotlight recently and that has led to a lot of people wanting to try it out. While this is wonderful, these newbies may have been misled by the glamours of social media and are potentially seeking the same aesthetics they see online. Today on The Pilates Exchange, we are discussing why Pilates is not a performance and sharing some tips for teachers to educate their students on what really matters in their classes. In this conversation, you’ll hear all about where the true performance comes in Pilates, how you, as a teacher, can support an environment focused on how your body feels and not how it looks and so much more! We even do a comparison between dance and Pilates and see how they differ in performance. Finally, Hannah shares why her focus at her studio is not on aesthetics and performance. To hear all this and learn about fostering an environment that prioritizes results over aesthetics, tune in now!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Why there is such a large influx of younger people wanting to do Pilates. 
• Their false impression of what Pilates is – performance. 
• Where the true performance comes in Pilates: your life. 
• How to create an environment that isn’t based on performance as a teacher. 
• Considering whether your cues are aesthetic-based ones. 
• A comparison between dance and Pilates and how the ‘performance’ goals differ. 
• Why Hannah’s focus at her studio is not based on aesthetics. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Free Ebook – 100 Pilates Class Themes: performance-fit-online.com/100-Pilates-class-themes

Free Ebook – Top Teaching Tips: performance-fit-online.com/top-teaching-tips

Free Creativity Masterclass: mailchi.mp/Pilates-studio-nuernberg/creativity-masterclass

Train the Trainers: pilates-studio-nuernberg.com/train-the-trainers

Connect with Us: [email protected] 

Performance Fit Pilates: pilates-studio-nuernberg.com 

Performance Fit Pilates on Instagram: @performance_fit_Pilates

Performance Fit Pilates on YouTube: @PerformanceFitPilates 

Hannah Teutscher on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hannah-teutscher

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If you’re feeling stuck as a Pilates teacher, you might be tempted to invest in an expensive new course. But what if you didn’t need to? What if, instead, you could tap into your creativity to keep your teaching fresh and adapt to the unique needs of your students? In today’s episode, we explore how a creative mindset can elevate your teaching. We examine why creativity isn’t about overhauling traditional Pilates methods but about broadening your perspective to better meet clients’ needs, and how using movement creativity tools in the moment allows you to tailor exercises to the individual in front of you. You’ll also hear about the Free Creativity Challenge for Pilates Teachers, a five-day event designed to boost your creativity and teaching skills. Tune in to discover how you can revitalise your practice and approach each session with fresh, innovative insights!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Creativity as a mindset; why it can help so many different aspects of your teaching.
• How creativity empowers you to be a more flexible teacher.
• Adapting existing exercises for the body that is in front of you.
• Using movement creativity tools and applying them in the moment.
• Why you don’t need to take an expensive course to keep your Pilates fresh.
• What it means to have a creative mindset as a Pilates teacher.
• Expanding your perspective beyond traditional Pilates dogma.
• What to expect from our Free Creativity Challenge for Pilates Teachers!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Free Creativity Challenge for Pilates Teachers – https://my.marvelouspages.com/performance-fit-online/free-creativity-challenge

Free Ebook – 100 Pilates Class Themes: performance-fit-online.com/100-pilates-class-themes

Free Ebook – Top Teaching Tips: performance-fit-online.com/top-teaching-tips

Free Creativity Masterclass: mailchi.mp/pilates-studio-nuernberg/creativity-masterclass

Train the Trainers: pilates-studio-nuernberg.com/train-the-trainers

Connect with Us: [email protected] 

Performance Fit Pilates: pilates-studio-nuernberg.com 

Performance Fit Pilates on Instagram: @performance_fit_pilates

Performance Fit Pilates on YouTube: @PerformanceFitPilates 

Hannah Teutscher on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hannah-teutscher

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Imagine answering a call in the early hours of the morning from a client who’s too drunk to attend class the next morning. It sounds absurd, right? Yet, this is the exact scenario that your host, Hannah Teutscher, had to deal with in the formative years of her studio before she learned how to set firm boundaries. With over two decades of teaching experience, Hannah uses today’s episode to share her journey from those early days to learning how to maintain professional boundaries. She discusses how to avoid falling into the trap of responding to every non-essential “emergency” with urgency, key strategies for optimal communication, and why maintaining boundaries takes constant work. Tune in to find out why it’s crucial to establish firm boundaries, manage client expectations, and preserve your time and energy, all while fostering a more balanced and ethical studio environment!

Key Points From This Episode:

• The challenge of setting boundaries with your students.
• What Hannah’s studio was like when she first started.
• The story of how a student called at 3 AM to cancel a class.
• Key lessons that Hannah learned about setting boundaries.
• How she improved communication with her clients.
• Why there are no emergencies in Pilates.
• Ways that students create false urgency.
• How responding with urgency robs you of time and energy.
• Why setting and maintaining boundaries is an ongoing process.
• Ensuring that there is a good fit between the student and the studio.
• Tips on how to optimally handle communication with your clients.
• Advice for setting emotional boundaries with students.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Pilates Elephant Episode 259: There’s no such thing as a Pilates Emergency with Kyle Marsh and Natalie Wilson — https://open.spotify.com/episode/52NMpBnXEapQhSLVPDUEna

Free Ebook – 100 Pilates Class Themes: performance-fit-online.com/100-pilates-class-themes

Free Ebook – Top Teaching Tips: performance-fit-online.com/top-teaching-tips

Free Creativity Masterclass: mailchi.mp/pilates-studio-nuernberg/creativity-masterclass

Train the Trainers: pilates-studio-nuernberg.com/train-the-trainers

Connect with Us: [email protected] 

Performance Fit Pilates: pilates-studio-nuernberg.com 

Performance Fit Pilates on Instagram: @performance_fit_pilates

Performance Fit Pilates on YouTube: @PerformanceFitPilates 

Hannah Teutscher on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hannah-teutscher

Send us Fan Mail

There is something truly powerful about being able to use technology to broadcast our movement classes across the world. It’s as if we're sharing our energy with the world in real-time. The wild thing? These tools are things that did not even exist 10 years ago! As we dive deeper into how technology and AI intersect with movement, we’re thrilled to explore the best online studio platform alongside the amazing Jeni Barcelos. Jeni is a multifaceted individual with roles as an attorney, parent, and artist. She co-founded the Marvelous software platform, And She Coaching Co., and the climate justice project, Three Degrees Warmer. Before entrepreneurship, she excelled academically at UC Berkeley and Yale, worked on presidential campaigns, and earned a Gates Public Service Law Scholarship. Outside of work, Jeni enjoys overlanding adventures with her family across the American Southwest. With Jeni’s extensive knowledge of online wellness and tech space, this is one conversation you definitely need to be a part of!

Key Points From This Episode:

• An introduction to the amazing Jeni Barcelos.
• Jeni explains how she leaped from the environmental sphere into technology. 
• How she strived to intertwine wellness and tech when starting her business.
• Stepping into the magical world of online studio platforms for wellness creators.
• Jeni’s take on the buzz around the saturation of the online space.
• Using creative marketing to set yourself and your content apart.
• The post-COVID trajectory of the online industry and why being online is important.
• Jenni shares one of her primary motivating forces. 
• The beauty of the scaling possibilities with online/internet-based wellness businesses. 
• She unpacks the biggest advantages that her online platform and the technology she’s created, offer.
• Seeing technology as a tool and not through the lens of good or bad. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Jennifer Barcelos on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenibarcelos/ 

Jeni Barcelos on X — https://x.com/iamjenibarcelos 

Hey Marvelous — https://www.heymarvelous.com/ 

Experience a Marvelous Demo (for free) —https://www.heymarvelous.com/demo  

Hey Marvelous Choose a Plan — https://app.heymarvelous.com/signup 

Free Ebook – 100 Pilates Class Themes: performance-fit-online.com/100-pilates-class-themes

Free Ebook – Top Teaching Tips: performance-fit-online.com/top-teaching-tips

Free Creativity Masterclass: mailchi.mp/pilates-studio-nuernberg/creativity-masterclass

Train the Trainers: pilates-studio-nuernberg.com/train-the-trainers

Connect with Us: [email protected] 

Performance Fit Pilates: pilates-studio-nuernberg.com 

Performance Fit Pilates on Instagram: @performance_fit_pilates

Performance Fit Pilates on YouTube: @PerformanceFitPilates 

Hannah Teutscher on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hannah-teutscher

Send us Fan Mail

Emerging technologies are transforming the world of dance, creating a dynamic interplay between digital innovation and human movement. Joining us today to explore this subject is Kelsey Paschich, a versatile dance artist known for integrating dance with new technologies. With a diverse 20-year international career, Kelsey has performed with renowned companies like The Moscow State Classical Ballet and River North Chicago Dance Company. Currently an Assistant Professor of Innovation in Dance at Western Michigan University, she blends choreography with film, animation, AI, motion capture, and interactive media, creating immersive, boundary-pushing experiences. Tuning in you’ll learn about Kelsey’s approach to integrating technology, choreography, and physical movement, and why she believes you always need to adapt as a teacher. Discover the ever-evolving contents of her Composition of Technology class, what it was like teaching over Zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how to address the challenge of preserving the human element in digital spaces. Join us for this inspiring episode as we immerse ourselves in the intersection between dance, technology, and human connection!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Introducing Kelsey Paschich and her multi-faceted career as a dance artist.
• Unpacking the intersection between dance and technology.
• The gap between emerging technologies’ capabilities and the bodily experience of wearing it.
• Observations on eye-tracking tech and what makes sight and the act of looking so personal.
• Why Kelsey feels cautiously optimistic about new technology.
• Kelsey’s students and what the term “embodied” means to them.
• Setting boundaries as a teacher when creating social media dance content during class.
• Different ways her students reacted to learning over Zoom during the pandemic.
• Insight into the handful of students who thrived through remote learning.
• Reflections on the constant adapting that you need to do as a teacher.
• Kelsey’s Composition of Technology class: how she integrates technology into her teaching.
• An overview of how she recently used motion capture technology with her students.
• Examining the intersection between technology, humanity, and spirituality.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Kelsey Paschich: https://www.kelseypaschich.com/

Kelsey Paschich on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelsey-paschich-mfa-49a666118/

Kelsey Paschich on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paschichkelsey/

Phygital Dance Lab on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phygital_dancelab/

Virtual Imaging Technology Lab: https://wmich.edu/vital

Choreographic Coding Lab (CCL) — https://fis.dshs-koeln.de/en/activities/choreographic-coding-lab-ccl

Laban Bartenieff — https://labaninstitute.org/
Free Ebook – 100 Pilates Class Themes: performance-fit-online.com/100-pilates-class-themes

Free Ebook – Top Teaching Tips: performance-fit-online.com/top-teaching-tips

Free Creativity Masterclass: mailchi.mp/pilates-studio-nuernberg/creativity-masterclass

Train the Trainers: pilates-studio-nuernberg.com/train-the-trainers

Send us Fan Mail

In the Pilates and movement industry, which often relies on traditional thinking, it is crucial for us to embrace innovation and open our minds to new ideas. If we don't start having important conversations about technology and AI, we risk being left behind. How can technology and AI enhance our practice and teaching? Join Hannah as she explores the potential benefits and transformative impact of AI and technology in the world of fitness and Pilates. She discusses how these advancements are changing the face of fitness, highlights the potential benefits for practices rooted in traditional thinking, and encourages traditionalists to explore the possibilities that technology and AI offer. Tune in for all this, and more deep thoughts from Hannah, on this episode on the Pilates Exchange. 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Today’s episode topic: exploring timely conversations around AI and Technology in Pilates.
• What AI could look like in the fitness industry. 
• The benefits of technology since COVID. 
• We look at how technology and AI have changed the face of fitness.
• Hannah unpacks the potential benefits of technology and AI for practices rooted in traditional thinking that may be “at odds” with technology.
• For the traditionalist out there: be curious about embracing change and understanding the awaiting potential. 
• You don’t have to be concerned because human connection is irreplaceable! 
• Hannah delves into aspects of technology and AI that spark some apprehension for her. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Free Ebook – 100 Pilates Class Themes: performance-fit-online.com/100-pilates-class-themes

Free Ebook – Top Teaching Tips: performance-fit-online.com/top-teaching-tips

Free Creativity Masterclass: mailchi.mp/pilates-studio-nuernberg/creativity-masterclass

Train the Trainers: pilates-studio-nuernberg.com/train-the-trainers

Connect with Us: [email protected] 

Performance Fit Pilates: pilates-studio-nuernberg.com 

Performance Fit Pilates on Instagram: @performance_fit_pilates

Performance Fit Pilates on YouTube: @PerformanceFitPilates 

Hannah Teutscher on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hannah-teutscher

Send us Fan Mail

Whether you are in the Pilates studio or coaching a school dance team, teaching is so much more than yelling, “Point your toes!” For over a decade, Dr. Chelsea Pierotti has leveraged her experience as a professional dancer and high-performance coach, along with her PhD in sports psychology, to help dance educators make a more meaningful impact in the lives of their students. As a speaker, workshop teacher, and podcast host, Chelsea’s mission is to create happier, more successful dancers through positive mental skills. In today’s episode, she shares effective coaching strategies rooted in sports psychology. Chelsea emphasises the importance of setting clear expectations, creating a space that fosters both mental and physical safety, practicing mindfulness to combat perfectionism, reframing what it means to succeed as a dancer, and much more. For a practical coaching guide that aims to transform the dance world for the better, be sure to tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Insight into the work Chelsea does with dancers and dance educators.
• Advice for creating a positive, constructive, high-performance learning environment.
• Why failure, friction, and discomfort are an expected (and necessary) part of the process.
• A practical and compassionate guide for building mental toughness and resilience.
• Suggestions to help you cultivate mental and physical safety for your students.
• The important role of embracing vulnerability and modelling emotional regulation.
• How to be mindful of who your students are as human beings, not just dancers.
• Helpful feedback tools to enhance performance without amplifying perfectionism.
• Reframing the definition of what it means to be a successful dancer.
• Why questions to encourage reluctant students who are “just getting by.”
• Tips for fostering a sense of autonomy, progress, and connection for your students.
• What it means to “control the controllables,” whether you're a student or a teacher.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Dr. Chelsea Pierotti: chelseapierotti.com

Dr. Chelsea Pierotti on Instagram: @dr.chelsea.pierotti

Passion For Dance Podcast: chelseapierotti.com/podcast

Free Ebook – 100 Pilates Class Themes: performance-fit-online.com/100-pilates-class-themes

Free Ebook – Top Teaching Tips: performance-fit-online.com/top-teaching-tips

Free Creativity Masterclass: mailchi.mp/pilates-studio-nuernberg/creativity-masterclass

Train the Trainers: pilates-studio-nuernberg.com/train-the-trainers

Connect with Us: [email protected] 

Performance Fit Pilates: pilates-studio-nuernberg.com 

Performance Fit Pilates on Instagram: @performance_fit_pilates

Performance Fit Pilates on YouTube: @PerformanceFitPilates 

Hannah Teutscher on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hannah-teutscher