The Pilates Movement offers high quality training in the authentic Pilates Method.  Only those who have completed an extensive certification program, consisting of over 600 hours of apprenticeship, will be accepted to teach at this studio.  Like snowflakes, no two people’s bodies are the same.  That’s why it is necessary to go through a very thorough training which teaches the entire system of over 500 exercises, modifications, variations, injury prevention, how to handle current injuries or physical limitations, safety on the equipment, and most importantly how to adjust to different people.  Each of our instructors must keep up with their training by attending Continuing Education courses, conferences, and taking sessions from master teachers.

Jennifer Ruggiero Owner/Instructor Jennifer’s love for movement started at the early age of seven. A native of Westchester County, she has been studying ballet and modern dance for over twenty-two years. Jennifer was first introduced to Pilates in 1995, while earning a BFA in Dance Performance at SUNY Purchase. Recovering from a stress fracture in her foot, she took Pilates sessions in place of her technique classes. After noticing the amazing result of her rehabilitation, she pursued teacher training upon graduation in 1998. She completed the intense 600 hours of training under Romana Kryzanowska, a Master teacher trained by Joseph Pilates, and completed her training in April of 2000. Jennifer’s teaching experience began at SUNY Purchase with the Purchase Dance Corp. As a performing member, Jennifer was also the rehearsal director for the children in the annual production of “The Nutcracker” for The Purchase Dance Corp. In addition to teaching Pilates, Jennifer has been a rehearsal director and dancer for The Dance Theatre in Westchester and a company member of DePersis and Dancers. For five years, Jennifer was a full time Principal Instructor and for two of those years, Program Director for re:AB® Pilates. She has also taught Pilates at Peridance, Drago’s Gym, The Pilates Studio, Equinox, New York Health and Racquet, and Casa Day Spa. She has continued her education with Romana Kryzanowska, Sari Santo, Brooke Siler, Bob Liekens, Michael Fritzke, Ton Voogt, Cynthia Lochard, and Cary Regan, as well as attending conferences for teachers. Her love of movement and teaching others has inspired her to open The Pilates Movement. Pilates has changed her dancing, changed her body, and most importantly, the quality of her life. She is excited to expand her teaching to reach many others and help change their lives as well.

Katrina Vishnupad Katrina Freiling has been trained in ballet and Martha Graham technique for 25 years. She also danced with numerous dance companies in New York City. She has danced with Joffrey Ballet and worked with Alvin Ailey Dance Company numerous times at Jacobs Pillow. She has worked with children with HIV/AIDS using dance and Pilates in Washington Heights for 6 years. Katrina has studied with the Kane School of Pilates in New York City for a year and a half studying Pilates and the mechanics of the body. She is a psychology major and dance minor at Hunter College. “I am so thrilled to be here at The Pilates Movement and hope to inspire and teach the healing and strengthening of Pilates.”

Diane Walton Diane Walton began taking sessions in Pilates in 1999 in California. In 2001 she moved to Spain for 2 years and in Barcelona continued her Education in Pilates at the Estudio del arte del Control with Directors, Esperanza Aparicio Romero and Javier Perez Pont. She completed the Pilates Teacher Training Program in 2003 after finishing an independent study program under Romana Kryzanowska and Sari Mejia Santo. For 2 years she worked as an instructor at Stretch and has taught at Re: AB Pilates in NYC.

Sarah Silk Sarah has enjoyed body awareness and conditioning activities since the age of 8, when she first started taking lessons in acting, dance, voice, and movement in her hometown of Pittsburgh. During college at the University of Chicago, she discovered her love of Pilates and started practicing the mat exercises regularly with local teachers. After graduating with a B.A. in philosophy, Sarah moved to New York, where she began her intensive training in Pilates. She completed a Comprehensive Teacher Training Program at Core Pilates and continues her training through attending lectures by teachers such Brent Anderson and Rebecca Leone. She has also attend workshops with teachers such as Alan Herdman, Kathy Corey, and Jillian Hessel. Sarah's love of theater and acting help to make her an engaging and expressive teacher. She has acted with several of the city's acting troupes and continues to find new correlations between her studies of acting and her studies of Pilates. She is honored to be teaching at such a warm and authentic studio.

Feather Davis Feather is originally from Florida where she has a dance background as a student and teacher. Her love of movement is what peaked her interest in the Pilates method. She was originally introduced to Pilates the summer of 2000 at American Dance Festival as a part of her conditioning. She saw and felt changes in her body that she had been trying to achieve her entire life. Since then Feather has completed her Pilates Teacher Training from The Pilates Center in Boulder, CO with 985 apprentice hours and is Pilates Method Alliance Gold Certified. Feather also has her BA in Psychology from University of Central Florida along with her esthetician license in Florida and Colorado. She is excited to share her knowledge and grow with The Pilates Movement.

Jill Hansen Jill recently relocated from California to New York and is very eager to continue pursue her dreams in this inspiring city. A former ballet dancer with companies throughout Southern California, studying since the age of four, Jill has discovered a love for teaching Pilates. After practicing Pilates for several years, she wanted to pass on the gift that it gives your body to others. Classically certified in Los Angeles, Jill has brought her passion and knowledge to New York. Her interests in acting, dance and musical theater make Pilates the perfect compliment to all of her career choices. She is very excited and pleased to be a part of The Pilates Movement.

Robyn Anguish Robyn is originally from Dallas, Texas where she grew up dancing throughout the United States and Europe. Robyn attended Old Dominion University in Virginia where she graduated in 1999 with two Bachelor of Arts degrees, one in Theatre and Dance and the other in Communications with an emphasis in Mass Media. After college, she moved to New York City to pursue a dancing, modeling and acting career. Within nine months, she was dancing with the National Tour of Peter Pan. After returning from tour, Robyn entered the Pilates Studio of New York’s authentic teacher training program. She was first introduced to Pilates in college by a dance professor and fell in love with the method. After training under the tutelage of Romana Kryzanowska trained by Joseph Pilates himself, for one year she became a certified instructor. Robyn has also been very fortunate to study under master teachers Sari Meja Santo, Michael Fritzke, Ton Voogt, Bob Liekens and Brooke Siler. She has been teaching for 5 years throughout New York including re:ab, Drago’s Gym, Premier Physical Therapy and the Brearley School. As well as teaching Pilates, Robyn continues to dance, model and act on television and in movies. She is currently teaching private Pilates sessions on the Upper East Side and looks forward to sharing her knowledge and love of Pilates with the Pilates Movement.

Lacey Mathis Lacey has recently returned to New York City after teaching Pilates in Los Angeles and Florida for the past two years. She is very excited to be back and able to share her love of the healing practice of Pilates with The Pilates Movement studio. Lacey is a Los Angeles native, who graduated with a B.A in Sociology from the University of Colorado, at Boulder. She is a yoga and running enthusiast and finds Pilates to be the perfect compliment to an active lifestyle. She received her comprehensive Pilates training at The Kane School in New York City. Lacey is very capable of creating effective and fun workouts, with an emphasis on body awareness, strength and stability.