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Kinespirit Teacher Spotlight: Witches of Eastwick, or rather Riverside: Martha, Kierstin, and Michelle--the Detroit-Wayne State-triad

Hi Ladies!  Tell us a little about your lives in Michigan and how you all ended up in New York.

Michelle: I grew up in Michigan dancing my whole life and eventually made my way to Wayne State to major in Dance.  New York is the hub of the dance world, and after visiting here a few times I was totally in love! I knew I had to move here.

Martha: I was born and raised in Michigan and started dancing when I was 6 years old. I was so passionate about it that I decided to go to school for it. I ended up at Wayne State because the scholarships were unreal, and I always loved Detroit. After school, NYC was basically the only place you could end up. There or Chicago, but Chicago was too close to home. And who doesn't want to live in New York?

Kierstin: I was born and raised in a very small, rural town. My family is very involved in the theatre and I knew from a young age that the arts were definitely going to play a huge role in my career. After deciding I wanted to major in dance, I knew that I didn't want to leave the state. Wayne State was recommended to me by the artistic director of the youth ballet company I was in. After auditioning and getting quite a bit of scholarship money from them, I decided that's where I was going to go. Although the whole town of Marshall was very apprehensive in letting me go to school in Detroit. I craved diversity and opportunity and it was my decision after all ;) and it acted as a great stepping stone for my move to NY! 

And how did Kinespirit end up with all three of you at the same time?!  Did you know each other before moving to the city?

Michelle: Martha was the first. She paved the way!  A few years later Kierstin and I graduated together (Wayne State, same school as Martha) and decided to figure out this New York thing together! About a month after our move Martha reached out to me that Kinespirit was looking for Pilates teachers (when we first moved I was working in Aeropostale Times Square, yikes!).  Only a few months later I mentioned to Emily and Aubrey that my roommate Kierstin was looking for more Pilates hours and finally our troublesome trio was complete!

Martha: We knew each other before moving to NYC. I'm a couple years older so I was a senior when Kierstin was a freshman. To this day I still think Michelle was in school the same time as me but she transferred in after my senior year. I discovered Kinespirit through my STOTT training. I had no idea Chantal was looking for instructors until one of my course Instructor Trainers (I guess) suggested me to Chantal. Chantal sent me an email and I was auditioning later that week. Michelle explains the rest perfectly.

Kierstin: We all met in college. Martha, being the eldest, started teaching here first. Once Michelle and I moved here, Martha got Michelle the job and then once I started looking for teaching jobs, Michelle referred me!

Tell us a little about your training.  You all did the same Stott program in Michigan, yes?

Michelle: Yes all Stott trained.  We had a great mentor/teacher at Wayne State (shout out to Eva Powers!) and she made us all Pilates addicts.  One of the first times I even met Martha was when she was back in Michigan briefly and using the Wayne State dancers to help complete her practice hours. She gave me and Kierstin some tips about the city and got us even more excited for the move.

Martha: We're all STOTT trained. One of our professors, Eva Powers, basically told us we had to get certified. Good advice in hindsight. We've all arrived at our certifications in different ways, mine took quite a while. I did my initial mat and reformer training in Michigan, and my Cadillac, Chair and Barrels course in NYC.

Kierstin: Yes, thanks to our teacher and mentor, Eva Powers. It was nice being trained at school because we got all of our practice hours in on the underclassmen. Since they were dancers, not many obstacles were thrown at us, so it was definitely a transition for me when I began teaching non-dancers.

Even though you all had the same initial training, you still have pretty distinct teaching styles.  Do you have any insight as to why?

Michelle: I think we have pretty distinct personalities which is reflected in that teaching style.  Kierstin is sweet and energetic, Martha is smart and sassy, and I'm...me?

Martha: Like Michelle points out, our personalities are all very different which makes our teaching styles different. We can all describe it different ways but Kierstin is the drill sergeant, Michelle is matter of fact, "you're doing it and you're doing it now," and as Beth Walman has told me, I'm the torturous dominatrix teacher. Haha!

Kierstin: I think our personalities come into play with this one as well as our own personal fitness goals and what we like most to get out of a Pilates session.

What is your favorite aspect of teaching and why?

Michelle: I like getting to know clients.  It's wonderful to impart my knowledge of Pilates and give myself to them each hour.  It's equally fascinating to meet so many different people and learn about their lives, their past and their bodies.  New York is not shy of variety and this gives me endless opportunities to challenge myself as an instructor and to learn more in order to grow.

Martha: I love seeing the "ah-ha" moment in clients. It's something we talk about in dance a lot, but you see it everywhere. That moment where something clicks in your brain and it reflects in your body, that is brilliance. And it really reflects what pilates is all about, and what we often forget, the Mind-Body connection.

Kierstin: I love connecting with clients, learning their story and then seeing them achieve their goals. When they start to notice the benefits of Pilates transforming their bodies, they light up, which ultimately makes me one happy camper :)

What are your lives like outside of Kinespirit and teaching Pilates?  Any overlap there, as well?

Michelle: Kierstin and I share a bedroom so you could say our lives overlap... We're all performers and the dance world is very small so there's a lot of crossover in our lives.  Martha produced a show in the fall that I choreographed in and Kierstin performed in.  For Martha's improv showing at UCB Kierstin and I (and Sofia!) went out to support her. New York is tough and the dance world is tough, so we do our best to find time in the craziness to give each other love and support. That being said we don't get to see each other NEARLY as often as we like, so when we do it's usually non-stop chatter (and usually squeals of excitement from Kierstin).

Martha: It's funny because I kind of led the way in terms of Wayne State alum moving to NYC. Some of my old roommates are here and other people that were great friends in college, and yet, I never really went to school with Kierstin and Michelle, and I see them more than anyone else! They both danced in a show I produced this past fall (Spark Performance Forum - shameless plug - check it out on fb), we see each other at auditions, pass along info on auditions, and try to support each other as much as possible and hang out whenever we can!

Kierstin: Ha! Michelle and I are as overlapped as you could possibly be... We sleep in the same room and share basically everything. Thank god I love her. I love Martha too, but don't get to see her nearly as much as I'd like to!

Do you have any other thoughts you would like to leave us with?

Michelle: In the words of the lovely Ava "Peace, love and narrowing (and one hundreds and downward dogs and massage tables...)"

Martha: #waynestatemafia #DETROIT

Kierstin:  Insert Ava's quote here. I like it a lot ;)

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Kinespirit's Move of the Month: The Columbian Sling Shot

with Kierstin 

Stand to the left side of the machine with your right knee on the upper right corner of the carriage with your toes tucked under, arms by your side.

  Lift your knee off the carriage so that the back leg is straight (back leg never bends!) and tilt your body forward so that your shoulders are in front of your hips (your body is now on an angle and it stays this way throughout the whole exercise).

  Bend your left knee. As you lunge back, arms reach forward by your ears. Make sure your left knee goes directly over your right ankle. If it goes over your toes, then shift your pelvis back further in the lunge.

As you lengthen your front knee, your arms come back by your hips to return to your beginning position.  Repeat on the opposite side.

This exercise is more effective the slower it's done.

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Kinespirit Bodyworker: Jen Furst

Hi Jen!  We're super-excited that you are on our team as a Bodyworker at Kinespirit!

Tell us a little about yourself.  What puzzle pieces fell together to bring you to Bodywork.

When I was in college studying music, I developed a hand injury (I guess from playing the piano so incorrectly!)...  When I went to see the doctors all they would say was, “Take some advil, it's tendinitis."  So it went on for 7 years!  One year, somebody gave me a gift certificate for a massage for my birthday--and when I told the massage therapist about my hand, she worked on my arm.  Lo and behold, after a few sessions, the 7 year injury had mostly gone away. I really wanted to know how she did that.  It took several years for me to eventually end up in massage school--but I did go and here I am.  I am sure that is why my own specialty has to do with injuries and specific deep work!

Give us a little background about massage in general.  Many people believe that it's something you as a gift to yourself to make you feel better, but it's more than that right? 

Ah yes, that is an age-old question!  Is massage more than a luxury?  My answer is an emphatic yes.  Massage is actually an adjunct medical practice that has been hanging around for thousands of years.  It began in China (or so they say--I really think touch is a natural thing to do with an injury and probably is a human instinct), and was brought to the West via a Swedish doctor (hence "Swedish" massage).  There are a ton of different techniques, but all of them center around treatment of the soft tissue via manipulation.  Aside from feeling good, the benefits include: increased circulation to damaged areas, flushing of lymphatic circulation, separation of adhered tissue, scar mobilization, increasing range of motion and joint function.  That list really goes on and on to include physical, mental, emotional benefits.  One thing I really like to remind people is that there is no such thing as a doctor for the soft tissue--you generally get referred to the orthopedist or the physical therapist.  But massage is also there, and we spend all of our days working in the soft tissue that comprises most of the body!!

  How do you feel like massage can complement an active lifestyle?  

Massage has a million benefits--if you are an active person, even if you do not get injured, one of the best things you can do for your training is to get your soft tissue worked on.  By its nature, exercise is contractile: that is to say, you build muscle by tearing it and regrowing it via repetitive contraction.  That's why you get so sore! Massage helps combat the natural soreness and tightness that activity brings by lengthening the tissues, increasing the circulation and increasing range of motion.  One of the best and most subtle things that massage can help do is teach you an awareness of your body, its patterns of tension and release and help you gain more specific control of the body in general.  This is beyond useful because you ARE your body and the more it knows, the better you perform.  

  What types of bodywork are you trained in and what techniques do you bring to the table?

My work is primarily focused around specific, deep tissue Swedish massage.  I take really special care to talk to my clients at the beginning of each session to see where they are that day and design a treatment that meets their needs, taking into account any pains/problems, general health issues, mood that day, general life issues, and so on.  I think most of the treatment depends on listening carefully and assessing what techniques will work at a specific time.  If you hammer away at deep tissue 100% all the time, that really doesn't benefit the body as much as titrating it to the specific concern.  I genuinely think this sets me apart as a therapist and I try to meet each client where they are and without a preconceived notion of "what will work." 

  You also have many talents outside of Bodywork, including performing professionally as an opera singer.  Tell us about your latest performance.

Ha, yes!  I am what we call in the opera world a "lyric soprano."  I just performed the role of Gilda in Rigoletto at the Pierce Opera House outside of Pittsburgh--it was fantastic!  I am also about to perform the role of Giulietta in Tales of Hoffmann at Symphony Space later this month, so it's been a good season for me operatically speaking.  I have been singing since I was a child and wanted to be a professional ever since I can remember.  I majored in Voice Performance in college and even now still study with a private teacher every week--like anything, you have to always be training your body to do what you want it to do.  I want to sing opera, so I practice most days and study with my teacher.  

Do you feel any sort of connection between your work as a singer and as a bodyworker?

Absolutely--in both fields of discipline you learn an awareness of the body and what it can do!  And insofar as music is the art associated with the sense of hearing, I think that massage is the art form associated with our sense of touch.  Both are about giving an experience to the audience that is visceral, meaningful, powerful and physical.  I try to bring musical ideas like phrasing, rhythm and breath into my massage work...and massage ideas like positioning, proprioception, and moving from the core into the singing.  I wanted to weave these parts of my life together and I think I manage that day by day--it's a work in progress, always.

  Are there anything last thoughts that you would like to leave us with?

One of the most important things to me as a massage practitioner is to give my clients what we call "unconditional positive regard."  We are all human animals and there is nothing "wrong" with your body as it is right now.  I wish for every single client to leave my treatment feeling like they were given a positive experience of their own body that they can take and incorporate into their lives.  I know that receiving massage helped me tremendously with self-image and anxiety and other kinds of mind-body issues.  I wish for people to know that massage isn't some hippie-dippy feel-good thing (not that there's anything wrong with that, honestly, because that's fun too)--but really is a powerful and empowering practice.  

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Kinespirit Move of the Month

Mermaid on the short box: Side-bend variation

withPhilippa

BEGIN : Sitting on top of the box with legs in external rotation and the foot closest to foot bar hooked in the foot strap. Other knee is bent as if sitting cross-legged on top of the box.  With a neutral pelvis, and arms stretched out to the sides try to feel as much length in the torso as possible and enjoy the height and spacial awareness that the box provides the body in this position. 

  1.) INHALE : Lean away from the foot bar feeling that no length has been lost in both sides of the torso.  Hip will have to rotate to keep the foot in the strap and will allow the body to really lever out through space energetically pulling away from the foot bar.

  2.)  EXHALE : Side-bend into the 'mermaid stretch' continually pulling the body into a stretch through space towards the floor, between the reformer tracks. Top arm stretches overhead while bottom arm tucks under the knee in front of the body.

  3.)  INHALE : Return the body to the starting seated position, planting the sitz bone closest to the foot bar back on the box by rotating the leg externally.

  4.) EXHALE : Side-bend towards the foot bar with the top arm overhead and bottom arm hugged low to the torso.

5.) INHALE : Right the torso back to vertical in the same seated start position.

6.) EXHALE : Regroup before beginning again.

Repeat 3-5x each side.

  I love this exercise because it gives the body the luxuriously deep stretch that it craves after we spend most our day in a sagittal plane of motion (think horse with blinders).  It also gives the body a great challenge to the obliques and spinal stabilizers. Challenge yourself to find a strong counter tension between head and tail during the movement without allowing any twisting or flexing in the torso.  It feels more difficult at first, but you will actually feel more stretch in the extremities as well as more strength in your core.  Enjoy!

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Kinespirit Client Spotlight: Keith Otten

  Hi Keith!  We're so excited to get to know you and your experience with Gyrotonic© a little more.

First of all, how long have you been living in NYC and what brought you here?

I came here after college (Syracuse) in ’84. It seemed, in addition to being the cultural capital of the world, to be a good place to pursue a music career – plus, I had no intention of going back to Ohio…!

I discovered (with some help from Google) that you are a guitar player and that you even have some solo CDs of your own.  This is awesome!  Tell us a little about your music career...  how you got started and where you are planning on going.

I’ve played guitar, fronted bands and played solo for as long as I’ve been in NYC. I’ve self-produced 3 solo discs and am working (slowly!) on a 4th.  I currently play guitar in Ninth House (termed “cemetery and western” by bandleader Mark Sinnis) and do occasional solo acoustic shows. My closest “brush with fame” was probably my stint in Feed, started by former members of the Psychedelic Furs.  I tried for many years to make music my career – while that has not been a realistic possibility for quite some time, I am still driven to write and play.

(more info at www.keithotten.com)

Is music something you do full time, or do you have another job?

That’s a very lovely thought, but no…. I manage data warehousing and data integration for Condé Nast, where I’ve been for 20+ years.

Let's get to know some more about your experience with Gyrotonic at Kinespirit.  How long have you been coming to Kinespirit and what originally brought you here?

That’s easy – I followed Uli here!! I was incredibly fortunate to have encountered her at another studio, and when she came full time to Kinespirit in 2007 I was more than happy to follow.

Gyrotonic can be a difficult thing to describe... how would you put it into words if you were describing it to a friend?

Great question! I usually refer to it as “Pilates except not as linear” or something similar. Since this typically leaves people with no clue what I’m talking about, I could definitely use a better description!

Have you ever ventured into the Pilates studio at Madison Park, or are you strictly a Gyrotonic guy? 

I initially started with Pilates at the encouragement of my chiropractor, maybe 8 years ago. It was Uli who convinced me to try Gyrotonic, and as I recall it took her quite a while! Now I don’t think I would trade a Gyro session for anything else, though I might try Pilates again if the week had 8 days….

You have recently had an injury and are using Gyrotonic as a way to rehabilitate.  Correct? In what ways has Gyrotonic helped you recover?

I did have knee surgery in the spring and Gyrotonic is definitely helping me recover. But more importantly, I have significant back issues and Gyrotonic has helped me immeasurably. It’s more of an ongoing process than a rehabilitation, but I can honestly say my life is significantly better for having found Gyro.

What are your hobbies outside of music and Gyrotonic?

My wife and I are lucky enough to have a little place in Montauk, and in the last couple of years have gotten completely addicted to paddle-boarding. It’s great fun and great exercise!

Tell us one interesting fact about yourself! : )

How about a silly factoid? Before my last move, every apartment I’ve lived in (I count 8) has been on the top floor. All but one was a walk-up, and 3 of them were on the 6th floor. If anyone has wondered why I take the elevator to the 5th floor at Kinespirit, now you know….!

Any last thoughts you would like to leave us with.

I am very, very happy to be at Kinespirit – it is a wonderfully open and welcoming place. I am forever indebted to Uli for introducing me to Gyro in the first place, for introducing me to Kinespirit, and for years of diligent, patient and amazing work. My Gyro may not be pretty now, but you should have seen me before!!!

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Kinespirit Teacher Spotlight: Alexis

Hellloooo Alexis!! Where are you from originally? I'm originally from Dallas, Texas.  But left pretty early (high school) to live in Northern Michigan for dance (Interlochen Arts Academy)… and I’ve traveled around quite a bit since then.

  How long have you been teaching Pilates at Kinespirit? Well... time has certainly flown by... I guess I have to think about that.  Since August of 2011 -- coming up on two years! 

  What lead you to Pilates? You became certified when you were super young, no? I was young! The folks in my training group were in their 30's and 40's, so 18 felt...  youthful! Though now I see more and more young people taking on the certification process.   I sustained an injury during my last year at Interlochen Arts Academy that extended through my time at Boston Conservatory.  The surgery took me away from rigorously training for about a year.  I was first introduced to Pilates during various summer dance training programs but a fellow dancer introduced me to Anneliese (now an IT here at the NYC STOTT® Pilates certifying center) who was teaching at the STOTT certifying center in Dallas, close to my mom's house.  She poured a lot of time and energy into me pre- and post- surgery.  The knowledge I had gained made my choices much more clear as a dancer.  I was also shocked to find that a return to ballet class was not impossible.  I was strong in a way I had never experienced before, and there was an ease in which I could move through things.  I was more aligned and spent less energy trying to find my alignment while dancing.  Through my alignment and rehabilitation work with Anneliese, I physically felt the STOTT Pilates method to be a very intelligent source of material that I wanted to know more deeply.  She encouraged me to start the matwork training and originally I took it on to have a much deeper understand of the work for myself.  I got hooked and once I started that training, I went through all the levels and equipment modules in one swoop, apprenticed at the studio, and ended up a Full Level 1 and 2 instructor, including injury and special populations, before I left Dallas again.     

  Why do you think Pilates is such a great modality? It's just so intelligent and studied.  It's one-part programming, one-part execution, and one-part alignment and restoration of a neutral and optimally functioning body.  It allows space for both a deep bodily and intellectual understanding.    

  In your experience, how has Pilates made the greatest impact in your client's lives? Pilates impacts different people in different ways.  For some people, the impact is direct -- Pilates is the saving grace in spinal situations such as herniations and slipped disks, facilitating a fully functioning and pain-free body as the end-result.  For others, the effect is more of a sneaky shift.  Pilates is the type of movement that can be tolerated through certain illnesses or personal situations.  By simply allowing people to access their bodies, Pilates serves as such a grounding force, facilitating the ability to make stronger and more confident decisions while in emotionally difficult places.  The impact is incomparable from person to person, and I can only speak from experience on the other end... having been truly impacted by the method.

  HOWEVER, I see so much impact on the pregnant ladies!  Over the past couple of years I've been fortunate to have a strand of pregnant ladies that I have worked with from beginning until end, and then post-baby.  Those pregnant bodies do so much shifting  in just 9 months, and I can really see the work take to their bodies within only an hour’s time.  Just three weeks ago, I had a lady in her third trimester come into the studio SO sick to her stomach and feeling just terrible.  By the end, she was so happy that she came because she wasn't feeling sick at all and felt like the rest of the day was given back to her.  By the end she was also moving around in the studio like a woman totally in control of her body. That's huge. 

  How has Pilates changed over the course of when you started training to now? The science of exercise just continues to grow and with that so does the method of Pilates.  Of course the method is also growing in two ways.  One way not so great, with those quick courses popping up that can certify you, your uncle, and anyone else to become an instructor in less than 5 minutes.  And, amazing marketing can make just about anything look like a million bucks.   But even the scam-y marketing has raised the awareness of the general population.  My 93-year old Gramma used to tell people that I was teaching Karate-s (the martial art), when I first started, but the TV has set her straight. Ha!  And second, with all of the haggling in the courtroom on the term "Pilates," what we now have is also an ever-growing contemporary approach to Pilates. I generally find the growth of the contemporary approach to be more and more scientifically intelligent.  Someone or some group is doing more research to further our understanding and create even more appropriate exercises, I find that really exciting.

  Word has it that you started doing some GYROTONIC®! How has that been? Oh you must have been misinformed.  Did Uli tell you that?

  How have you found Gyrotonic to be different from Pilates? Just kidding! :)  Yes, when I first came to the studio, Jen and Chantal asked if I had ever done Gyro and my answer was something like... "Oh like one session when I was dancing in Amsterdam..." And Jen was like "Oh that's cool... you'll do it" and then she just moved on to the next topic.  And I was thinking... "hmm... how can she be so sure?"  But I'm a fairly pre-meditated person so I watched through the window for a long time, until I think just about everyone around me was about to pop with "just try it already!"  So finally I dove in with a private session. And fast-forward... It really does resonate with me... Allison Plamondon (awesome Madison Park admin!) and I have a little party with Uli every Wednesday.  

I find both Gyro and Pilates to be neutralizing and complimentary in many ways.  And there are some ways in which they do overlap.  I find Gyro gives me more permissiveness to think and act on a more energetic level and experience movement from that end.  It is such a powerful stream for the body.  I also feel like I am able to access my fascial patterns more directly through some of the Gyro exercises.  And even though the more contemporary approaches to Pilates are taking the work into more 3-D actions, the base-work is still more linear.  Gyro is, at it's root, quite 3-D.  Often when involved in other aethletic forms like dance or sports there isn’t a whole lot of time to think about placement, sometimes you really just have to feel your way through it.  Gyro is great for assistance in that respect. I can also feel that my body really wants and yearns for all of the twisting and rotating that Gyrotonic offers.  And just when I think I've twisted and rotated in as many ways as humanly possible…Uli, I think enjoys, blowing my mind AGAIN!

    What else do you do besides teach at Kinespirit? What is your outside of the studio life like? Well, I dance! Last year I had a couple of creative residencies that were incredible processes to experience artistically.   And currently I am immersed in the creation of a new work.  I'm working alongside some really incredible artists and people and I feel like I never have enough time with the work or with them.  So that entire process pretty much takes up my out-of-studio life.  I also see quite a lot of dance.  NYC is such a resource that hosts a very huge community of creative artists and their works. 

  What is your favorite pastime? Honestly my favorite pastime is doing very little because I always do so much. It is having a good coffee with brunch (love brunch, I could have it 3 times a day) and reading some poetry.  Or, having a laid-back hang with friends.  My cat and I also like our sun spots.

  You have amazing style :) What is your inspiration?? Wow! Really?  You know... I buy very little.  I'm kind of selective about adding pieces and the ones I add I keep for a long time in the collection.  I look for fabrics that feel delicious and clothes that make me feel really great.  And to me, the most important part of a garment is the fit. We have so many yucky weather days in NYC that I have to counter it somehow... so my clothes have to feel good.  Also, my mom has amazing style.  I still raid her closet when I go back to Texas and end up with some vintage Ralph Lauren or something.  Word has it I was a pretty stylin' kid when she dressed me.  If it were up to me, I'd still be wearing the red and green (with bells) Christmas outfit I wore every day in Kindergarten for 2 months until my mom found out from my Nanny! 

  Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.

Well... I had to ask a friend for help. 

1 - I have a background as an Anthropologist

2 - I used to compete as an International Latin Ballroom dancer and yes, my dress was see-through and my skin had to be body-builder brown. 

  We want to know about your cat. Enlighten us. Geertz (prounced: g-EAR-tz) turned 7 this past Wednesday.  He's amazing but getting a little whiny these days.  I'm not really sure what to do about that… he might be getting influenced by the loudly-barking dogs downstairs.  He really loves french fries and edamame (I think he thinks they are bugs) so for his b-day we got him french fries from the local fried chicken place.  He only ate one though -- he's very mannerly.  And recently, he learned how to stretch his hamstrings.  Really! Using his front legs!

  Thanks Alexis! Kinespirit is privileged to have such an amazing teacher and person on our staff. We look forward to more wonderfulness in the Pilates department, and best of luck on your Gyro pursuits! SPIRAL ON!

[kinespirit-blog]

Kinespirit Client Spotlight: Shaari Gross-Cohen

HELLLOOO Shaari! Where are you from originally? How long have you lived in New York?

I am originally from Boca Raton, FL. Moved to LA after college in Chicago, and moved to NYC almost 7 years ago to open up a fashion showroom.

  Tell us how you found Kinespirit! I found Kinespirit through DJ Gray. I used to take Pilates and GYROTONIC® with DJ when I first moved to NY. Stopped the practice for awhile to focus more on cardio, and when I found out I was pregnant, I immediately called DJ to get back into it.

  Originally you began with Pilates, correct? Why did you decide to make the move to Gyrotonic? DJ had me transition to Gyro about 6 years ago as she really loves the practice and thought it would be good for me. I am very high intensity active person and Gyro is so centering and calming. The first time I ever did Gyro (and again when I got back into it pregnant), I left and started to cry. Not because I was sad!! I cried because it just brought so much tension and anxiety to the surface. It is very therapeutic.

  Do you ever envision yourself doing both, or have you become a Gyrotonic convert completely? I love the strength training associated with Pilates, so when I have the baby I see myself going back to Pilates as well. Pilates didn’t feel as good on my body pregnant as Gyro does.

  You are pregnant! How far along are you? I am 30 weeks!! Due end of May!

  Very exciting! Let us know the role Gyrotonic has played in your pregnancy thus far. Gyro has done wonders for the aches and pains associated with pregnancy. It just feels right and I always leave my sessions with the amazing Abbe feeling a lot lighter!

  Do you plan to continue Gyrotonic or Pilates after your pregnancy? Yes, hopefully if time and money permit, BOTH!

  You also just received a pre-natal massage at Kinespirit by the wonderful Jen Kosky. How was it, and how did it differ from a "normal" massage? It was great! I have gotten quite a few pre-natal massages at fancy spas and they barely touch me!! It is like a very light body rub! Who wants that? ESPECIALLY when I am carrying around a heavy basketball in my mid-region. Jen was no frills and just got in there and worked out my aches and pains. She knows what she is doing so isn't scared of getting in there and getting out the tension. She knows the places on a pregnant body to avoid but also the safe regions and she really helped my pain a lot!! Can’t wait for the next one!!

  Tell us about your career! I own a fashion showroom called Focus Showroom New York. I represent contemporary designers and act as the liaison between designers and retailers.

  What part of the city do you live in, and do you have any other children, or is this your first?

I live with my cute husband on the Upper West Side and this is our first baby! AND it’s a girl!

  What are your most favorite pass times? I love biking along the Westside Highway when the weather permits. I love spinning and soul cycle but found it did not feel right pregnant so I am on a brief hiatus! I love going to Broadway shows, fun dinners, and I am a HUGE BEACH GIRL so in the summer, I get to the beach as often as possible!!! I also LOOOOVE going back home to Florida.

  What is your favorite thing about living in New York? I love that everything is at your fingertips! You can walk outside your office or apartment and so much is going on!!! ALSO- I met my husband Gideon in NY and he is from Westchester so he is my absolute favorite thing about NY!!!!

                                                               If you could tell the world one message about Gyro, what would it be? TRY IT- I am the most high energy, non-yogi person in the world and I can attest Gyro will rock your world!!! It is such a relaxing and centering practice and can make the most anxious person zen-like.

[kinespirit-blog]

kinespirit Teacher Spotlight: Abbe Ouziel

Hi Abbe! How long have you been teaching GYROTONIC®? I have been teaching for about 4 and half years.

  How long have you worked at Kinespirit? I started out as workstudy in April 2009 and slowly started taking on clients. I switched over to just teaching at the end of 2009/ beginning of 2010.

  Where are you from? I am from Teaneck, NJ... a suburb 15 miles away from Manhattan.

  How did you first discover Gyrotonic, and what was your journey with the work and becoming a teacher? I first discovered Gyrotonic as a senior in high school. I was dancing at a studio in my hometown that was run by a former principal dancer of Dance Theater of Harlem. Leslie Ann Cardona, another former DTH dancer and Gyrotonic Instructor was subbing a ballet class at the studio. I was struggling with an ongoing ankle injury and she told me to come into the city to train with her. She didn't even tell me what it was, but I had been to PT for a while and knew that surgery was a strong possibility... I was open for anything that would help! I fell in love with the work instantly, and continued to train at a studio on the Upper West Side while I was getting my BFA in dance through the Ailey/Fordham BFA program. I ended up needing surgery on my ankle but Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis allowed me to get back on my feet in no time and kept me moving when I couldn't dance. My last year at Ailey, I decided it would be a good idea to get certified because I loved the work and wanted to have a job that would be a good fit for my lifestyle... but more importantly, I wanted to share this work with other people. I am so grateful I made that decision.

  How does Gyrotonic translate into your everyday life? I don't know what I would do without it! My body gets mad at me if I've gone a day or two without getting on a tower or doing some Gyrokinesis. It's also taught me that every single day brings something new and different because I've never once sat down to do Arch and Curl and had the same experience.

  How has the work evolved for you over the years? Well, when I first started doing Gyrotonic I was 16 and now, 10 years later, things are different! What I love about this work is that it has remained a constant in my life no matter how much things have changed. What has evolved is my status from student to teacher, which has been an extremely rewarding experience and thankfully being a certified instructor means that you are constantly learning more and more.

  Let us know a funny and/or inspiring teaching story. Teaching my mom was both funny and inspiring! She is a nurse and most of her career was spent in Labor and Delivery, so she's witnessed first-hand just how incredible the human body is. Her work has always inspired me to be curious and in awe of our physical capability. It was wonderful to share this work with her and show her just how much she is capable of.

  We want to know about your passion for acting, screenwriting, and theatre! Tell us more about this awesome world of yours outside the studio! I am not dancing as much these days, although I have started taking class again. I have switched gears to acting and, more importantly, screenwriting. I spent a year in an acting conservatory after college and loved it. Through auditioning and working on other people’s projects, I found that I had a real desire to make my own work.

  What is a fun short term goal you have with these pursuits? I have set a goal for myself to finish at least 2 short screenplays by this summer. I have some friends who are filmmakers and know a lot more than me! I'd like to get a team together to shoot one of my scripts this summer or fall.

  What about a long term goal? I would be so lucky to continue to create... maybe a feature length project, teach, and spend time with the people I love!

  We also understand that you are a bit of a music aficionado! Tell us about your favorite types of music and how music plays into your life! I can't live without music! I lean towards classic or alternative rock... Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, The Beatles, WIlco, REM, Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Smashing Pumpkins...the list goes on! I have always been a fan (of instruments), but never had time to learn how to play an instrument since I grew up dancing. But now I'm learning guitar! I've been studying for about a year and have started writing some songs myself... it’s just fun! My boyfriend is a drummer and in school right now for music production. Luckily I live with someone who is just as obsessed and is OK with concert posters everywhere.

  What are your parting words about Gyrotonic? Gyrotonic has changed my life in a lot of ways and I have seen the ways in which it has changed the lives of the people I've had the pleasure of working with. I think it's a wonderful way for people to get in touch with their bodies and the unique ways in which they move. There is always something new to learn about yourself through movement, and Gyrotonic is a great way to search for some of the things you haven't yet discovered.