HI, I’M GRACE,

GROWING UP, I DESPISED EXERCISE AND BELIEVED IT WAS A FORM OF PUNISHMENT OR A PAINFUL TOOL TO LOSE WEIGHT AND ACHIEVE A CERTAIN ‘fitness trend look.’ I DIDN’T SEE MANY PEOPLE AROUND ME EXERCISING FOR ENJOYMENT, FOR MENTAL HEALTH OR FOR OVERALL WELLBEING. CONSISTENT EXERCISE DIDN’T LOOK LIKE SOMETHING I’D BE CAPABLE OF, LET ALONE ENJOY!

FAST FORWARD TO MY LATE TEENS, I STRUGGLED WITH MY BODY IMAGE BUT ALSO HAD NO IDEA HOW TO HELP MYSELF. I WANTED TO EXERCISE BUT DIDN’T KNOW HOW AND WOULD DO AB CRUNCHES IN MY BEDROOM IN SECRET – anyone else?? - OR FORCE MYSELF TO RUN A LONG, LONG WAY, AND USUALLY GIVE UP AFTER A WEEK OR TWO.

IT WAS A SLAP IN THE FACE TO DISCOVER PILATES WHEN MY MUM OPENED HER OWN STUDIO – WAS THIS A FORM OF EXERCISE THAT WAS ACTUALLY FUN AND DIDN’T FEEL LIKE I WAS GOING TO DIE HALF-WAY THROUGH THE WORKOUT?! 

FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, MY LOVE FOR PILATES HAS GROWN, AS HAS MY LOVE FOR TEACHING AND SHARING IT WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

I WANT TO CREATE A SPACE WHERE PEOPLE FEEL COMFORTABLE AND WELCOME, AND WHERE THEY TOO CAN DISCOVER A LOVE FOR PURE MOVEMENT, IN A SUPPORTIVE AND LOVING COMMUNITY.

PILATES FOR ME IS NOT ABOUT HAVING THE BEST ABS - because frankly, I don’t, and I am A-OK with that - OR THE DEEPEST SQUATS, IT’S ABOUT HOW MOVEMENT IMPACTS MY WELLBEING, MY MENTAL HEALTH AND MY APPRECIATION FOR MY BODY. IT HAS GIVEN ME THE ABILITY TO MOVE AND GROW AND MEET SOME INCREDIBLE PEOPLE ON THE SAME JOURNEY.