Teacher Trainers and Training Programs

SANTA FE & Core Dynamics Pilates

Ruth Alpert

Ruth Alpert was raised in New York City where she received extensive professional dance training and performed with postmodern choreographers. She has been studying and teaching various movement re-education techniques since 1976, including the work of Lulu Sweigard, Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, Susan Klein and Emilie Conrad. 

Ruth has been a certified practitioner of the Trager®Approach since 1987. She was trained in pilates by Michele Larsson in 1992, to work specifically with her injured clients, and has been part of Michele’s teacher training program since its beginning. Ruth is also certified as a GYRONTONIC® teacher since 2002, and currently is in the Alexander Technique teacher training program. Ruth was instrumental in the creation of Momentum Studio in Santa Fe were she was active in its management for the first 5 years.

Since 2001 Ruth has taught both at Active Recovery and in the Core Dynamics Teacher Training Program, and continues her private practice in Trager®.

Celia Hulton

Celia was born in London, England and first studied Pilates as a dance student with Alan Herdman in the early 1970's. Throughout her 15 year dance career with London Contemporary Dance Theatre, she continued her Pilates studies with Gordon Thompson, Dreas Reyneke and Hana Jones among others. Celia moved to New Mexico and began to teach and train with Michele Larsson in 1990 at The Pilates Institute.

Celia trained in GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESES® in 1997 and became a GYROTONIC® Master Trainer in 2000. She is the director of GYROTONIC® Santa Fe and conducts GYROTONIC® trainings and Pilates workshops both in the United States and Europe.
Celia continues to instruct for Michele's Core Dynamics Pilates Teacher Training Program and at the Santa Fe studio, specializing in whiplash and chronic injuries and is also a licensed Massage Therapist.
Web site: www.gyrotonicsantafe.com

Michele Larsson

Michele Larsson, founder of Core Dynamics, is a former dancer and choreographer, who trained in NYC at the Juilliard School of Music. In 1981, she received a BFA in Holistic Health and Dance Theater from Antioch University.

In 1982, after 12 years of study with Eve Gentry, Ms. Larsson began teacher training under her guidance. She spent months working with Ms. Gentry, observing classes and individual clients, studied anatomy, kinesiology and did student teaching. She has also taken workshops with Carola Trier, Bruce King, Kathleen Stanford-Grant and Ron Fletcher. She then worked as an associate teacher with Eve Gentry for 10 years prior to the founding of the Institute for the Pilates Method in 1991. Ms. Larsson served as the director of training for the Institute and put together their first teacher training program. She developed videos and other products for the Institute before leaving to begin Core Dynamics.

Ms. Larsson directs the Core Dynamics Pilates Teacher Program as well as teaching Advanced Workshops worldwide. 

MIAMI, FLORIDA

Kevin Bowen at Pilates Miami

Kevin A. Bowen has been a fitness instructor since 1988. He has been the Exercise Director for the Pinnacle Clubs in San Francisco, Equinox Clubs New York City and the General Manager for the David  Barton Gyms both in Miami Beach and New York City. Kevin has been teaching Pilates since 1995, he was trained first through A Body of Work in San Francisco and received his instructor-training  certificate from Deborah Lessen and the Greene Street Studio  in New York City.

Kevin worked with the Core Dynamics instructor training program from 1998 to 2008 and has operated his studio Pilates Miami in Miami, FL since 1997. Kevin is the Co-founder and served as President/CEO and Executive Director of the Pilates Method Alliance until 2007. Kevin is an outspoken proponent of the many benefits associated from the Pilates method of exercise. He has been featured nationally on CNN and the Discovery Channel and is regarded both in the United States and internationally as the foremost authority of the professional Pilates community.

PITTSBURGH, PENSYLVANIA & FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA

Dilla Mastrangelo

Dilla Mastrangelo, co-founder of Wellspring Studio, is a licensed Massage/Shiatsu therapist with a master's degree in dance and dance education from New York University. She has studied the Pilates Method since 1989 is certified through two highly reputable organizations: The Pilates Studio of New York/Performing Arts Physical Therapy, where she was instructed by Romana Kryzanowska and also served as a senior instructor; and Core Dynamics Pilates, where she where she served as an associate teacher trainer working with Michele Larsson through 2008. A passionate advocate and practitioner of Gyrotonic®, Dilla also studied under Juliu Horvath (creator of Gyrotonic®) in 1999, and is an authorized pre-trainer  certified to teach both the Gyrotonic Expansion System® and Gyrokinesis™ floor work.

Christopher Potts

Christopher Potts, DPT, co-founder of Wellspring Studio, holds a doctorate in physical therapy from Slippery Rock University and a master's of fine arts degree in dance from Arizona State University. Immediately prior to Wellspring, he served as a physical therapist for the UPMC Center for Sports Medicine, company therapist for Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and was formerly a professional dancer in New York with the Erick Hawkins Dance Company. Christopher has developed extensive expertise in The Pilates Method over the course of his 20-year teaching career. He has successfully conducted scientific research demonstrating the effectiveness of Pilates for individuals with low back pain. In 1999, he was certified to teach Gyrotonic® by Juliu Horvath, and is currently pursuing advanced study of Myofascial Release with noted physical therapist John Barnes. Christopher is a guest lecturer in alternative medicine at the Graduate School of Physical Therapy at Slippery Rock University.

PHOENIX, ARIZONA (TEMPE)

Virginia Nicholas

Virginia holds a Masters degree in Theatre and Dance from the University  of New Mexico with an emphasis in choreography and kinesiology. She holds a B.A. in Political Science and is a registered nurse with extensive ICU, CCU, and ER experience.

Virginia is a faculty associate at Arizona State University in the Dance Department. She was a principle dancer with the Bill Evans Dance Company from 1988-1990.

Virginia owns and operates Moving Breath Pilates, a studio with Pilates training, GYROTONIC®, and exercise rehabilitation. Virginia is the creator of several videotapes on Pilates and dance. She has authored one book, "Moving Breath Floor Barre".

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

Margarette Raymond

Margarette Raymond worked with Core Dynamics Pilates as a teacher and teacher trainer in Chicago, Illinois. She is a business and educational member of The Pilates Method Alliance. A lifelong athlete, Margarette was drawn to Pilates to increase her flexibility after years of Marathon running. She has been teaching Pilates for seven years and was certified through Core Dynamics Pilates. She trained with Michele Larsson, and has assisted in numerous workshops with her. Prior to her work with Michele, Margarette was certified through the Physical Mind Institute. She is also certified in Gyrokinesis™ and GYROTONIC® and studied with master trainer, Juergen  Bamburger. Margarette is a Reiki practitioner and uses this energy work in all modalities of her teaching. She also works extensively with people with Parkinson's disease, and trained with John Argue, author of "The Art of Moving for Parkinson's Disease". She teaches classes for people with Parkinson's Disease throughout the Chicago area. Margarette's studio, Position Red, offers private instruction, group classes and teacher training. Her intention, intuition, knowledge, and open heart have lead her on her life's  path of compassionate teaching.