Class Descriptions

Pilates Mat

At Celebrate Life, we teach the authentic, New York style of Pilates, as in what Joseph Pilates actually taught, and as forwarded by his world-renowned protégé’, Romana Kryzanowska. Both JoEllyn Musser and Elise Iannitti maintain current affiliation with Romana’s Pilates. The authentic style emphasizes dynamic movement through space with stretch, strength, and control. While Yes! Pilates is a full body conditioning system, and Yes! We are moving arms and legs, Pilates teaches us that all the movements initiate from a strong sense of center (what we call the “Powerhouse”) and then stretch long in opposite directions.

Pilates is a workout from the inside out, focusing on the most internal abdominal muscles, and the muscles that wrap around to support the lower back and hips, what we call the “powerhouse”, also referred to by some as “the core”. When the powerhouse supports the spine on its vertical line from the inside, the muscles of the upper back and shoulders don’t have to work so hard. Pilates will not give you a cut and ripped “six pack” because the exercises are targeting three to four layers deeper in the abdominal support system including iliopsoas and transversus. We feel it is healthier and more functional to focus on those muscles that support the internal organs and help us defy gravity.

Romana says, “Pilates is a workout!”