About Rhinebeck Pilates

This post describes Rhinebeck Pilates, my pilates studio located in Rhinebeck, NY.

About Rhinebeck PilatesRhinebeck Pilates is a fully equiped, classical pilates studio located in the center of historic Rhinebeck, NY.
All pilates sessions at Rhinebeck Pilates are taught on Gratz equipment. Gratz equipment has incredibly smooth gliding movements, strong springs and sturdy bases AND is authentic to Joseph Pilates specifications and original designs. The Gratz equipment at Rhinebeck Pilates includes the Cadillac, Reformer, Chair, Barrel and Ped-o-pul.

We also have the "wall of cubbies", which are full of fun pilates props either designed by Joseph Pilates or that are just really useful or challenging. Along the wall you will find Magic Circles, Foot Correctors, the Sandbag Set, Joseph Pilates designed Push Up Bars, weights, balls of all different sizes and textures, ankle weights, and bars of various weights and lengths. We like to keep things interesting

So, clearly, by saying we are "fully equiped", we mean that we have lots of different pieces of pilates and exercise equipment to use during pilates sessions. However, that's not all. When Joseph Pilates created his method, he not only created exercises but many different pieces of equipment to challenge the body in a multitude of ways. A complete understanding of pilates, in both the mind and the body, as well as a full workout, includes working on each piece of pilates equipment. If we were to offer only some of the equipment designed by Joe, students would only be getting SOME pilates! At Rhinebeck Pilates, we are the whole package!What do we mean by "classical pilates"? Similar to yoga, there are a number of different styles of pilates. Classical Pilates adheres as close as possible Joseph Pilates original intentions and exercises, with modern day knowledge of safety and proper biomechanics. Students of Classical Pilates benefit from knowing that they're doing "real" pilates, safely.The studio is full of natural light, it's spacious, and clean. Many people tell me that the atmosphere in the studio is both energizing and calming, and I'm so glad! While designing the studio, I chose colors and fixtures that compliment the pilates equipment, to create a seamless, flowing feel around the whole space. We used wide-plank, bamboo flooring throughout the whole studio for its incredible smoothness and durability, not to mention the fact that its a renewable, natural resource.

With all the pilates equipment available to us, we're able to offer a variety of pilates classes to fit everyone's budget and needs. Not only do we offer individual sessions, but we also offer group classes on the towers, as well as our newest, popular "Curcuit Classes", which use all the equipment in a group setting. Of course, we also have mat classes- these classes are small to provide each student with proper attention.

Rhinebeck Pilates InstructorsAnother great thing about my studio is my fantastic staff of knowledgeable, friendly, and enthusastic instructors! Having a variety of instructors is such a benefit to our students for a number of reasons. Though we all teach the same body of exercises, each instructor has their own unique vocabulary in describing how to do a movement. Sometimes just hearing someone describe an exercise differently than we're used to hearing can completely enhance or even change how we do the movements to make them BETTER! Taking classes with different teachers keeps working out from feeling boring or repeatative.

Not only are Rhinebeck Pilates instructors trained on each and every piece of pilates equipment in the beginner, intermediate, advanced, and super-advanced levels of pilates, but we all frequently attend pilates Continuing Education classes and pilates seminars to keep our minds fresh and our "mental tool boxes" full. We all also mantain our own weekly pilates workouts, as well as remain physically active in other disciplines, to keep the knowledge not only in our minds, but in our bodies as well. Below is a list of our instructors and their credentials.

Elaine Ewing- Studio Owner, Certified Pilates Instructor,
Certified Walk-ilates InstructorElaine began practicing pilates to suppliement her yoga practice in 1998 while living in New York City as an art student at the School of Visual Arts. She has since become a fully certified pilates instructor through the Ellie Herman certification program, taught by Erica Essner and Jessie Zalla in NYC. Since then, she has studied and practiced pilates extensively through workshops and classes taught by master teachers Bob Liekens, Alycea Ungaro, Irene Dowd, Jennifer DeLuca, Caitlin Cook, Michael and Ton, and Juliet Harvey, to name a few.

In June 2008, she attended the Mount Sinai’s FAMI workshop, a renowned workshop about functional anatomy for movement and injuries (FAMI), taught
by anatomists, physicians, and expert pilates and yoga instructors.

In 2009, Elaine became a certified Walk-ilates instructor. Improper walking and running biomechanics are the main causes of aches, pains, and injuries. Walk-ilates incorporates special releases and stretches using the foam roller, Pilates exercises, standing balances, and gait analysis. Lower back, neck, knee, foot,
and hip strains can drastically improve just by learning how to walk and carry
the body properly.

Elaine’s style of teaching is not only influenced by her studies with pilates teachers, it is also heavily influenced by the Alexander Technique, which she
has practiced extensively for eight years with Hope Gillerman, Joan Arnold, and Judith Muir.

Prior to owning Rhinebeck Pilates, Elaine taught at various studios in Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Hamptons, and the Hudson Valley. She continues to teach pilates mat classes at Columbia-Greene Community College, in Hudson, NY. When she is not teaching or doing pilates, Elaine enjoys running, hiking, taking yoga classes, gardening, and writing this blog. Besides staying active, she enjoys creating art in her home studio and spending time with her family.

Shannon Flynn-Boenig- Certified Pilates Instructor
Shannon Flynn-Boenig graduated from DeSales University with a BA in Dance and a BS in Psychology. After experiencing the benefits of regularly attending Pilates classes, Shannon's curiosity grew. This interest led her to study the Pilates Method in depth for her final senior project. Shannon had the privilege of studying the classical system under Bob Leikens, Phoebe Higgins, Susan Moran and many other senior instructors at Power Pilates. Shannon is a certified teacher through Power Pilates in New York City.

Terianne Gogg- Certified Pilates Instructor
Terianne graduated from SUNY Brockport with a B.S. in Studio Art: ceramics concentration and minors in dance and art history. As a dancer, Terianne was exposed early on to pilates as a dance conditioning resource. After graduation, Terianne began her personal study of the pilates method, taking classes with a variety of teachers in the Hudson Valley area, as well as voluntary class observation. Shortly after, Terianne received her Power Pilates Beginner Mat Certification in NYC with Susan Moran-Perich and the Power Pilates Comprehensive Teaching Certification with Julie Harvey in Beacon, NY.

Terianne loves moving, finding time to run, hike and dance around whenever possible.

Tammy Ogletree- Certified Pilates InstructorTammy began practicing Pilates as a way to strengthen her yoga practice of more than 10 years. Through the Pilates Method, she learned so much about her own body, and bodies in general, that she’s been hooked ever since. She began her training as a teacher to share her passion for Pilates and to help others. Tammy was first introduced to the Pilates Method by to her teacher and mentor, Elise Bacon in New Paltz, NY in 2006. She studied the classical system under Juliet Harvey in Beacon, NY, and is certified to teach through Power Pilates.

A former dancer, Tammy has been moving all of her life. She loves yoga, hiking, dancing, running, skydiving, swimming, and having fun. She tries to connect with nature every day in this ever-changing, fast-paced lifestyle of today.

Alexander Technique at Rhinebeck PilatesWe are now so thrilled to have Alexander Technique teacher, Judith Muir, available at the studio. She is currently available for private sessions, and will be teaching Alexander group classes in January of 2011. Stay tuned or contact me for further details on the classes!


Judith Muir- MM M.AmSAT DipIMH
ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE TEACHERJudith’s first exposure to Alexander’s work came in 1972 while studying clarinet, piano and voice at the Coventry School of Music. The benefits to her music were immediate; her clarinet playing actually became easier. She went on to attend the Royal Academy of Music where she was awarded the Drapers Scholarship for Advanced Clarinet Studies. Later Judith completed her Masters in Music in clarinet performance at the Manhattan School of Music. Much in demand as a soloist and chamber musician, Judith has appeared at numerous venues including Wigmore Hall in London and Carnegie Hall in New York City.

After training as an Alexander teacher in 1983 with Walter Carrington at the Constructive Teaching Center in London, she was invited to teach in Cape Town, South Africa for three months. Upon relocating to New York a year later, she served as Vice Chair of ACAT New York and was a founding member of the North American Society for Teachers of the Alexander Technique (now AmSAT). While in Manhattan, Judith maintained a large teaching practice, and served on the faculty of the Actors Movement Studio for eight years. She has been guest instructor in the music, dance and drama departments of Universities in Michigan, New Jersey and Georgia and has appeared numerous times on radio and television.

A longstanding interest and involvement in healing and the power of music led to a degree in music therapy, and in 1997, after working with children with special needs, Judith began her study with Dr. John Diamond, a leading authority on the use of music and the creative arts as methods of life enhancement and healing.

Judith also teaches the Alexander Technique in the Theatre Department of Bard College, and she is the co-founder, with her husband Peter Muir, Dip. IMH Ph.D., of Music for Life, a program based upon the work of John Diamond, M.D. She is one of a handful of people in the world certified to teach the Diamond-Dart Meridian Sequence.

For more info on Alexander Technique, and how it can help and enhance pilates.

For more info on Rhinebeck Pilates, or to book your class.