Hailey Wood

Hailey found her passion through movement at a young age as a dancer. She was fortunate enough to be introduced to Pilates by her ballet teacher in her early teen years, and has been intrigued by the body and functional movement ever since. While studying at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas as a BFA in dance performance and choreography, Pilates became a huge part of her dance training, as her ballet professor, the founder of DK Body Balancing, made Pilates an integral component of the dance program. Upon graduating, Hailey realized that Pilates was key to her success of being a professional dancer, so she continued on to become a certified Pilates instructor. This allowed her to unlock her passion of guiding her clients to their best selves through movement and mind body connection. Hailey has been teaching Pilates in Chicago since 2015, and is so blessed to be a part of the Studio 8 community.

 

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Riley Bliss

Riley believes that purposeful movement is the foundation for injury prevention, rehabilitation, and living a healthy life. Riley’s training in Pilates is sourced from the Fletcher lineage. He trained directly under Kyria Sabin-Waugaman, the Lineage holder of Fletcher Pilates. Throughout his time studying Dance at the University of Arizona, Riley studied, trained, and taught among the master teachers of the Fletcher work. Riley previously taught at the international home for Fletcher Pilates, the Body Works Pilates studio in Tucson, AZ. As an athlete turned dancer, he has utilized Pilates to help align, strengthen, and rehabilitate muscular patterning. Riley loves the adaptability of Pilates and knows there is a program to suit every person who wishes to live a healthy life. He is excited to share this wonderful work and is ecstatic to be teaching alongside the Studio 8 team!

 

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Becca Goodrich

Becca Goodrich found pilates in 2014 after a nerve injury in her back. Pilates aided in her recovery and she has been practicing ever since in order to prevent future injury, grow stronger and form good movement practices. She also credits Pilates for helping carry her through a healthy pregnancy and recovery postpartum. Becca went through pilates teacher training under Beth Ruder at Studio 8 Pilates and is now focused on bringing her passion for pilates to others.

 

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Jennifer Johnston

Jen developed an interest in Pilates to help recover and build strength after multiple spine surgeries. As
an avid and frequent traveler for both business and leisure, she has learned how to stay healthy on the
road using Pilates principals in hotel rooms, airports, and meeting rooms! Staying active is a high priority that she balances with proactive body care to maintain spinal health. She underwent instructor training under Beth Ruder at Studio8 and is now focused on how to apply her skills to help students find their own healthy body program.

 

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Kori Edens

After six years of living and teaching among the concrete where Joe and Clara Pilates first offered sessions to the socialites and dancers of New York City, Kori recently returned to her home neighborhood of North Center with hopes to offer clients all she learned in the birthplace of the Pilates method. Trained in contemporary style of Pilates though Body Arts and Sciences International (BASI) in 2009,  as a lifelong athlete, Kori has found comfort in the Pilates method as a safe way to exercise that is rooted in total body control and awareness. While completing her certification hours, she suffered through her own injury from a bicycle accident resulting in a scapular fracture and has found that the versatility in Pilates repertoire offers many options to those who need strengthening and body conscious modifications to their workouts. She has experience working with many special populations including men and pre and postnatal moms as well as out of physical therapy offices alongside physical therapists rehabbing individuals with such injuries as sacroiliac joint issues, osteoporosis, diastasic recti, low back pain and more. She has continuing education training in trigger point therapy and foam rolling as well as familiarity with Alexander Technique, Gyrokinesis, Gokhale Method, Yamuna, the Melt Method all of which she incorporates into her training. Kori approaches each client holistically and is sure to challenge their bodies while being mindful of each person’s unique skill level. Helping to transform the way clients view their body and mind, Pilates sessions with Kori will enhance your physique, posture and how you think about movement.

 

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Nadia Torres Gallo

Nadia's love affair with Pilates began in 2009 with a free private session and she's been a devoted student ever since. It has improved her strength training workouts, alleviated her lower back pain, and even helped her stay strong and pain free during and after pregnancy. 

In 2015, she decided to become a trainer to deepen her understanding and help others realize how revolutionary the method is. Nadia completed her 550-hour Comprehensive Pilates Teacher Training in 2016 through Pilates Artistry and also became a PMA® Certified Pilates Teacher that same year.

Nadia's approaches her work with students by understanding that each body is unique and has different needs. Her goal is to help you move through your life with strength, ease, and joy, and to truly appreciate your body for what it can accomplish. 

 

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Jessica Parsons

Jessica was introduced to Pilates at a very young age thanks to her mother who has been teaching for over 20 years. Growing up around the method, Jessica naturally became aware of the benefits of regularly practicing Pilates. After graduating from the University of Colorado Boulder with a political science degree, Jessica got a job working for a US Senator. However, Pilates continued to influence her and her desire to learn more about the method grew each year. In 2012, she decided to move to Boulder and spent six months immersing herself at the The Pilates Center. After her time in Boulder, Jessica moved back home to southern California where apprenticed with her mother while managing the family’s Pilates studio. She completed her teacher training through Stott Pilates® in 2015.

 

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Christine Hall

Christine Hall is a senior instructor and the owner of Studio 8 Pilates, her second studio in Chicago. She completed her comprehensive pilates training (apparatus and mat) in 2006 through The PhysicalMind Institute. Christine is also a member of the Pilates Method Alliance (PMA) and is certified instructor through the National Pilates Certification Program (NPCP). She found pilates after a knee injury from running and also post delivery of her two children which left her with a division of the abdominal wall (diastasis recti). To avoid surgery, Christine chose to find a therapist who specialized in rehabilitating women’s bodies. That decision led her to discover pilates and she fell in love with the movements and how they could be gentle and extremely challenging in one breath.

Christine specializes in training people who want to move better, feel better and live healthier lives.

 

Pilates Certifications & Additional Experience

• Comprehensive Certification - PhysicalMind Institute

• Pilates Method Alliance (PMA) Member

• National Pilates Certification Program (NPCP)

• Diastasis Recti & Pelvic Floor Certifications - Carolyne Anthony and The Center for Women’s Fitness

• CoreAlign & MOTR training - Balanced Body

• Jumpboard Dynamics Training - BASI

Her clients include many that have back/spinal surgeries, hip and knee replacements, c-sections, scoliosis and other spinal conditions.

Areas of Deep Study

• Pilates for prenatal & postpartum care

• Pilates for Diastasis Recti and pelvic floor health

• Pilates for shoulder mechanics & optimal health

• Pilates for hip and knee mechanics & optimal health

EXPERIENCE & BACKGROUND

Chris herself was an young athlete first, having played competitive tennis for many years and running long distance. Fast forward when having 2 children led to a diastasis recti and back pain, Chris decided to seek alternative methods of exercise to safely rehab herself and return to the sports she loved. Two visits to physical therapy finally exposed her to the world of Pilates.

Pilates was the balance she had been looking for a combination of the challenge of athletic movements as well as the lengthening/strengthening and core development her body was missing. After a few years of being a Pilates client, Chris decided to leave her corporate finance career to pursue teaching Pilates. Chris has successfully completed 3 marathons, numerous half marathons around the country, and is virtually injury free. In her own words: I want to feel great on as many days as possible. I don't believe in aging gracefully, I believe in fighting it every step of the way!

 

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