Instructors

Who’s teaching you?

Erika Davis-Marsh (Owner)

Erika received her first certification in 2001 from Dawn-Marie Ickes and Allison Cabot, both Physical Therapists who specialize in the west coast or evolved pilates style. She will receive her second certification from Romana’s Pilates in 2008, from Sari Mejia Santo, specializing in the classical method. Sari’s mother and mentor, Romana Kryzanowska, has been the cornerstone of the Classical Pilates method . Erika has passed the National Certification test given by the Pilates Method Alliance, the only industry wide standardized test. She currently studies with Level 2 Master Teacher Trish Garland, who studied with and was personally certified by Romana Kryzanowska.   PMA CERTIFIED

Cassandra Jones (Owner)

Cassandra has been teaching Pilates since 2001. She holds two Pilates Certifications and is Nationally Certified from the Pilates Method Alliance.  She has dedicated hundreds of hours to learning the authentic Pilates Method. She continues to study with Romana Kryzanowska protégé and Level 2 Master Instructor Trish Garland.  Her first mentors were physical therapists Dawn-Marie Ickes and Alison Cabot of Core Conditioning. Cassandra has a BA in Theater Arts and has danced and acted professionally all over California and in Florida. Cassandra loves to see her clients feel stronger, more fluid and flexible, and mostly learn something about how their body works and feels.   PMA CERTIFIED

The Pilates Method Alliance

The Pilates Method Alliance (PMA) is the international not for profit professional association for the Pilates method. The PMA’s mission is to protect the public by establishing certification and continuing education standards for Pilates professionals.

The PMA made history in 2005 by launching the first industry wide certification exam for the Pilates method in the United States. The PMA has established recommended industry performance parameters guiding the practice of all PMA Certified and non-certified Pilates teachers. The PMA has established these
standards to further bring professionalism to Pilates.

The PMA has created the first nationally recognized, legally defensible certification for the Pilates method. Nationally recognized personal trainer and group exercise instructor certifications do not qualify instructors to teach the Pilates method. In an effort to help ensure the safety of Pilates exercise participants and the efficacy of the Pilates method of exercise, the PMA recommends that all instructors know the philosophy and purpose of pilates, the primary goal of each exercise, have a strong ability to modify the exercise without losing the primary intent, use accurate pace for effective movement experiences,and be able to communicate corrections effective through words and appropriate hands on touch.