Starting Over 2019

Schedules change

Over the years Dawn’s schedule adjusted due to life and we made our best efforts to adjust our lessons with it. However, in 2019, I was unable to accommodate the change. I was saddened and torn because I didn’t want to start over but I also couldn’t fit private lessons in during her allowed time. I had to find a new instructor, again. There are several teachers now at the studio, most of them new and still in teacher training. As much as I believe in their abilities I wasn’t wanting to start with someone who hasn’t graduated yet. No offense to the teachers in training, one day I will be in their shoes, but for me at this moment I didn’t think it was the best choice for my development.

That left me with one person – JoAnn

JoAnn and I had a few lessons together over the years but it had been a while since we were one on one. I knew that JoAnn was into the archival movement and that she had gone to a workshop with Mary Bowen. This intrigued me because I love nerding out on all things pilates. JoAnn knew that I wanted to become a teacher & that I was also open to experimenting past the classical. So here we were.

JoAnn asked me regularly what I enjoyed doing, how I felt, if I was in the mood for anything in particular. I told her that I always crave Cadillac after I get back from a trip. Otherwise I was open to whatever she wanted to do. We began with standard reformer work, so she could see how my body moved. Then she would bring archival movement and experimental movement into our lessons.

Six months later

We had a moment where we sync’d up! I honestly thought it would take longer. One day, when getting out of bed, I had horrible pain from my plantar fasciitis. I tried stretching my calf because it was also tight. I knew I was overworking my calf. That evening I went to the studio for my private. JoAnn asked what I wanted to do and I saw her eyeing up the Cadillac. I didn’t say much because I was indecisive. She said, “I was thinking we’d work on the Cadillac. I have some ideas to focus on your lower abdominals, psoas, glutes and hamstrings.” AH! This was just what I needed and I thought she read my mind.

She made simple modifications and we shortened the range on a lot of things to help me practice “getting out of my calves”. By the next day I knew something was different as I could feel it. I hurt for days in places I didn’t always tap into. So we continued doing this type of lesson for three more weeks. It will be interesting to see how the focus will translate into the other work.

Find your people

It is so important, as a student, to find instructors that you jive with. I don’t think I would enjoy pilates as much if I didn’t enjoy the instructor. My recommendation to anyone starting over or beginning, give yourself and the instructor at least four lessons together. Sometimes it takes time to click with them but when you do, it is the coolest thing. I believe it makes your practice more effective. You will also want to continue to go back.