Starting Over 201

Our first photo

In walks Dawn

A studio opened near my house in Spring 2015. I had one lesson with the studio owner before she paired me with a new instructor, still in teacher training. Her name is Dawn.

I felt like a fish out of water, learning Romana, sometimes having to think and breathe different than what I was originally taught. Meanwhile, she was learning how to teach. It was an interesting combination. Sometimes I pushed back on her and other times she pushed back on me. We still joke about the first time she asked me to do Tree. I responded with, “I don’t do tree.” and she replied with, “Well, you will today.” and so I did.

Within a year I found myself asking more questions, trying to understand the movement, inquiring on the history of Pilates, more than I had before. Dawn was amazing and patient. She understood that I am a visual learner and would bring out bones and other items to try and show me what my body was doing.

Creativity to find hamstrings

Here we were, navigating the pilates life together!

Trust means so much to us students. We need to trust that a teacher will guide us through the moves, that they won’t let us fall, and that we are in a judgment free zone. There are times when I think there’s no way in hell I’m going to be able to do something. However, Dawn sees it differently and says I can. I have learned that when Dawn says I can do something (even though I say I can’t) that 9 times out of 10 I will. It may not be a big movement or something grand, but it’s a start. She sees my body better than I do and that means the world. I believe that is one thing that makes for a spectacular teacher but it also comes with time and practice. It’s a commitment for both parties, in some way, wouldn’t you say?