Lisa is originally from England, and it was in London she trained under one of the global leaders of the Classical Pilates world, Holly Murray.
On obtaining her certificate with Holly in 2016, Lisa lived and taught in London, attending trainings with some of the most revered Classical Pilates Teachers in the world.
Lisa opened her studio Connect Centre Pilates in 2022, being the only fully equipped Traditional Pilates studio in Nelson.
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She is also the co-creator of Teach Pilates, a Classical Teacher Training Program, and when she's not teaching privates and classes at the studio, she is presenting teacher training seminars and mentoring the next generation of Classical Pilates teachers.
Lisa (owner)
Lisa previously experienced many years of pain and limitation in movement, due to a twisted pelvis and scoliosis; discovering Pilates with the use of spring resistance and focus on alignment, was exactly what her body needed.
The daily soreness subsided, and she got stronger in a way that allowed her to enjoy more her other physical hobbies of running & cycling, plus not get injured, like she was prone to do previously.
It is Lisa's goal to support and guide people to feel freedom and strength in their bodies in a non-judgmental environment, and to live a fuller life experiencing greater mobility, agility, strength and confidence.
Lisa is a finalist in Exercise NZ's Pilates Method Teacher of the Year award - the winner has been selected and will be announced on 30 Nov '24.
"I'm feeling pretty chuffed and very proud - this recognition reflects the passion and dedication I have for teaching Pilates, always motivated to learn, grow, and give back to my clients."
Maren trained as a physiotherapist in Germany and has been teaching Pilates since 2010.
She is Classically trained, having completed her comprehensive Pilates training through The Pilates Standard Germany.
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Maren is also specialised in pelvic floor health as well as in pre and postnatal Pilates. She experienced first hand the benefits of practicing Pilates during and after her two pregnancies.
She is passionate about sharing her knowledge and expertise with other women."...for me, Pilates has many faces, it works for people who have physical issues, it helps to rehabilitate and facilitates better movement patterns. It improves self-esteem, and is a great complement to any sport..."
Maren
Maren loves how Pilates helps people feel good in their body and increase their quality of life.
She offers a highly personal approach to her teaching, keeping her clients motivated throughout the training sessions
and working towards achieving their personal goals.
Jana is from the Czech Republic and from a young age has had a deep passion for movement. At university she established and lead a dance group and her love for dance continues to this day.
Jana qualified in the Bodylight® system in 2016.
The system is a combination of Pilates, Yoga & Qi-gong.
She went on to deepen her learnings of ancient yoga with a 200-hr Yoga Teacher Training course in the Himalayan mountains.
Jana is currently deepening her learnings of traditional Pilates undertaking a 600-hr fully comprehensive course in the Pilates Method with Teach Pilates.
And to top it all off, Jana is also a manual therapist, offering therapeutic massage including deep tissue, reflexology, trigger point, Thai yoga and reiki.
Jana
From all of Jana's experiences, she has gained an understanding of how to treat the body with deep respect and provide individual guidance through movement and breath with the mind being present.
Jana delivers a session that restores mind-body awareness and connection, inner joy, relaxation, visualization, and more.
Mayra is from Brazil, where she completed a bachelor in physical education and a post graduation in biomechanics and exercise physiology.
Her passion for movement and strength lead her to Pilates training with Stott Pilates.
Mayra loves to dive deep into current research and findings, especially around injury and specific physical issues.
Mayra combines all her knowledge and passion to deliver Pilates & Functional Strength classes at Connect Centre - combining Pilates and functional strength training with emphasis on resistance training; using bodyweight, resistance bands, dumbbells, kettlebells, medicine balls, etc...
It is a whole body workout, incorporating multi-joint movement patterns, focusing on spine, pelvis and of course the core!