Pilates Perspectives

Leah Grant, NCPT and BFA, explores the powerful connection between functional exercise, creative expression, and the ultimate mind-body experience. Through the lens of the Pilates method, Leah shares how mindful movement can help quiet distractions, invite emotional openness, and create the ideal conditions for achieving a psychological flow state.

Leah reminds us that every fitness professional has the capacity to think, move, teach, and problem-solve creatively. Like any physical skill, creativity grows through deliberate practice, repetition, curiosity, and imagination. For Pilates instructors, that creative practice shows up every day in technical Pilates cueing, innovative Pilates sequencing, adapting exercises for diverse body types, and empowering students to trust their own somatic voice.

Explore how letting someone else lead can open new pathways for professional inspiration, why setting structural boundaries is essential for reducing mental distraction, and how cultivating receptivity can help us access more creative freedom in both somatic movement instruction and everyday life.

This episode is powered by Balanced Body®.

What happens when therapeutic Pilates meets physical therapy, evidence-based practice, and decades of advanced movement education? Joy Puleo sits down with Chrissy Romani-Ruby—Educational Director of PHI Pilates, PT, D.Ed, MPT, ATC, NCPT—and Cassie Ruby-Nemec, NCPT, DPT, and Board Certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist, for a thoughtful conversation on the powerful relationship between clinical Pilates and physical rehabilitation.

Learn how Pilates for physical therapy accelerates patient recovery, why deep anatomical knowledge matters for every Pilates teacher, and how movement professionals can become more effective communicators through precise Pilates cueing and instruction. Chrissy and Cassy discuss the vital importance of biomechanics, how to evaluate peer-reviewed research, and why high-quality Pilates continuing education is essential in an ever-evolving wellness industry.

Unpacking the pitfalls of "meaningless movement" and examining the risks of becoming too mechanical in your teaching style, this episode offers practical insights for Pilates instructors, physical therapists, and movement educators who want to teach with greater clinical clarity, purpose, and impact.

Tune in for an inspiring discussion on evidence-based Pilates, lifelong learning, and how sports science, communication, and human connection work together to create better rehabilitation outcomes for clients and students alike.

This episode is powered by Balanced Body®.

What does it take to become the Pilates teacher you aspire to be? Joy chats with Lesley Logan, founder of OPC (Online Pilates Classes), Pilates educator, business owner, and host of the Be It Till You See It podcast, for a candid conversation about teaching, self-advocacy, and building a meaningful Pilates career.

Lesley shares practical advice for new and experienced Pilates instructors alike, including how to build confidence before you feel fully ready, create the kind of learning environment you wish existed for yourself, and foster a genuine sense of belonging for every client. Hear about the power of curiosity, the importance of asking questions, and why great teaching starts with listening.

Together, Joy and Lesley discuss how self-advocacy can help movement professionals find the right opportunities, why instructors should focus on what clients can do rather than what they can’t, and how creating a welcoming, supportive Pilates experience leads to stronger client relationships and better outcomes.

Tune in for an empowering conversation on Pilates instruction, professional growth, authentic leadership, and creating the kind of movement community you’d be excited to join yourself.

This episode is powered by Balanced Body®.

What role does Pilates play in fitness, athletic performance, and real-life movement? Joy chats with John Garey, founder of Pilates & Fitness TV and Pilates Grad School, about how Pilates can support athletes, everyday fitness clients, and anyone looking to move through life with more ease.

John shares how Pilates can impact strength, mobility, coordination, body awareness, and performance in meaningful ways. He explains why athletes, despite excelling in highly specific skills, can often feel like a “fish out of water” when asked to move outside their sport’s demands, and how Pilates can help fill those gaps.

The conversation explores what personal fitness really means: being able to live easily and efficiently, without having to think about every movement. John also breaks down the “IT factor,” the importance of understanding human behavior, and why great teaching requires meeting clients where they are.

For Pilates instructors and fitness professionals, this episode offers practical insight into blending Pilates with fitness training while staying clear on the Pilates principles you’re using, what you’re offering, and why it’s uniquely valuable. John also speaks candidly about branding challenges in the Pilates industry, the misconception that Pilates can “do it all,” and why no single modality can meet every need.

This episode is powered by Balanced Body®.

What does it mean to facilitate Pilates “queerly”? In this episode of Pilates Perspectives, host Joy Puleo speaks with Sofia Engelman about creating more inclusive, trauma-informed Pilates spaces for queer and trans clients and for everyone who deserves to feel respected, supported, and safe in movement.

Sofia Engelman shares practical ways Pilates instructors can move beyond surface-level inclusion and create meaningful change in their inclusive Pilates teaching. Learn the importance of using pronouns on intake forms, avoiding gendered assumptions in group Pilates classes, and building trust around verbal and tactile cueing in LGBTQ+ friendly fitness spaces.

Joy and Sofia also discuss the importance of trauma-informed Pilates instruction, accessible movement practices, and the power dynamics that exist in Pilates and fitness environments. Sofia offers grounded advice for people who want to strengthen their empathy and compassion “muscle,” including doing their own research, practicing pronouns, seeking out education, and engaging with books and media that deepen understanding of queer and trans experiences.

This episode offers thoughtful guidance for creating inclusive Pilates studios rooted in consent, inclusivity, accessibility, and authentic care. Perfect for movement professionals seeking to build safe movement spaces and develop trauma-sensitive movement education that welcomes all bodies and identities.

This episode is powered by Balanced Body®.

Safety is essential to a strong, effective Pilates practice for students, teachers, and studio owners alike. In this episode, Brooke Bowersock, Balanced Body Principal Educator and Founder of ALIGN Pilates Studios, talks about how to create safer, more supportive Pilates class experiences.

Brooke shares practical Pilates safety tips for both students and instructors, including what to look for in instructor credentials, why correct form and thoughtful corrections matter, and how to approach equipment safety with greater awareness. She also discusses the importance of offering modifications, creating systems that support safety at scale, and building an environment where students feel emotionally safe, empowered, and able to advocate for themselves.

This episode is powered by Balanced Body®.

Joy and Shelly Power, VP of Education at Polestar, have a thoughtful conversation on navigating movement advice and fitness misinformation in a world full of conflicting information. Shelly Power shares how to identify fitness misinformation, evaluate sources, and model critical thinking in fitness when deciding what guidance to trust. She also explores why evidence-based movement is rarely as simple as “right” or “wrong,” and how movement professionals and practitioners can prioritize safety, effectiveness, and the individual needs of each body.

This episode is powered by Balanced Body®.

Proprioception is often described as the body’s “sixth sense,” but what does that really mean for movement quality? In this episode of Pilates Perspectives, Joy talks with Misha Von Bechtolsheim about proprioception, kinesthesia, and the sensory systems that shape how we move through the world.

Together, they unpack the relationship between proprioception, kinesthesia, the vestibular system (balance), and the visual system. You’ll learn how these systems work within the neural hierarchy to help the brain make better movement decisions and improve neuromuscular control.

Misha explains why high-quality sensory input is essential for improving movement quality, developing body trust, and supporting the nervous system. Plus, she shares simple exercises you can do at home to improve proprioception, enhance body (somatic) awareness, and use sensation training for more connected, confident movement.

This episode is powered by Balanced Body®.

How do we teach Pilates in a way that empowers rather than corrects? Joy and Cara Reeser, Master Teacher and second-generation Pilates educator, explore a more nuanced, relational approach to Pilates teaching. Drawing inspiration from Kathy Stanford Grant’s gentle dissuasion of performance, Cara reflects on the value of helping clients move how they actually move, not how they think they’re supposed to move.

Together, they unpack how mindfulness in Pilates requires attention, intention, and attitude. They discuss the importance of nurturing both the teacher-client relationship and the client’s relationship with themselves, offering a model of teaching rooted in self-exploration, curiosity, and embodied learning.

If you’re a Pilates teacher interested in mindful movement, client-centered cueing, and more empowering ways to teach, this conversation offers a thoughtful perspective and practical insight.

This episode is powered by Balanced Body®.

What does it really mean to practice “classical” Pilates, and is that even the right word? In this thoughtful conversation, Blossom Leilani Crawford, owner and director of Bridge Pilates in Brooklyn, reflects on the classical Pilates traditions that shaped the method and how it continues to evolve today. Drawing from her close mentorship with Kathy Stanford Grant, Blossom shares intimate insights from Kathy’s post-class writings, the generosity she brought to teaching Pilates, and the deeper philosophy behind the work.

Joy and Blossom explore the unique perspectives of each Pilates Elder —from dancers to injury recovery to chronic illness—and how those experiences have shaped the Pilates lineage we know today. The Pilates Elders brought diverse backgrounds that enriched the method’s evolution and continue to influence traditional Pilates methods.

This episode is an excellent reminder that great Pilates instruction doesn’t come from complexity. By returning to the source, keeping the work simple, and understanding the “why” behind every movement, Pilates can remain both rooted in tradition and open to evolution.

This episode is powered by Balanced Body®.