Winner of "Best Pilates Studio in Sussex"
Our Teachers
Joni, Studio Owner and Pilates Teacher
Joni is the founder of The Pilates Company. Her Pilates journey started in 2010 while she working as a commercial Lawyer in Sydney. Instantly she was in LOVE. She'd been a dancer from a young age through to university, and enjoyed movement and how it made her feel, but Pilates took it to a whole new level. Not only did Pilates help her create a stronger body, overcoming the negative effects of sitting at a desk for much of the day, it reconnected her to her body, helping to reduce the stress and anxiety caused by her demanding job.
What her training with Body Control Pilates did for her was appreciate how important alignment and helping people connect to their deepest core structure really is. You must have this foundation in place before you can build more complex and challenging exercises and movements on top.
For Joni, working with people who have special conditions is something she feels passionately about.
"Many people can do Pilates for years not having a clue what they are truly doing. My aim is to help them “get it” and appreciate the huge rewards that come with this."
Qualifications:
Level 3 Diploma Matwork Body Control Pilates teacher
Level 3 Diploma in Pre and Postnatal Pilates
Qualified to teach studio equipment
Workshops and Courses:
Shoulder Pathology
Pilates for Scoliosis
Pilates Magic Circle and Small Ball
Pilates for Equestrians
Pilates for Bone Health
Pilates for Hypermobility
Michelle, Studio Manager, Leadership Team and Pilates Teacher
Michelle signed up to her first Pilates class 8 years ago while living in Melbourne, Australia. She did this to make new friends in a new city. As well as a community, through the class she found a new relationship with movement and a deeper understanding of the body and how small modifications can make a huge impact. She progressed through her Pilates practice loving how it made her feel stronger and more connected to her body, using Pilates practice to support her through both pregnancies and her postnatal recovery.
Michelle decided that the this dedication to practice was illustrating that she needed to become a teacher - she trained in Inferno Hot Pilates, a HIIT class that combined Tabata training with Pilates principles. She loved how this modality made her feel, incorporating the considered nature of pilates with a high energy work out.
Michelle’s passion is to empower clients to move fearlessly, she understands that Pilates and the space these classes are held can be intimidating to some people so she makes her classes accessible, welcoming, fun and friendly allowing her clients to feel less inhibited while they learn something new, whether that’s the movement or how to appreciate their body. Michelle believes that movement is key, it leads to improved mental health, increase body positivity and helps people to make better choices that will take them closer to whatever their goal might be. You will leave Michelle’s classes with an increase in energy and feeling good about yourself - as there is a lot in you to feel good about!
Grace, Client Relationship Manager, Leadership Team & Pilates Teacher
Grace began her Pilates journey in Melbourne. After years of intense high impact workouts, Grace started to suffer with joint and back pain. She joined a Pilates studio in the hopes it would help. She immediately fell in love with the practice as it offers an effective workout that is challenging but gentle on the body. Besides feeling great in class, Grace noticed improvements in how she felt in daily life.
Grace took the chance to study with STOTT, an international school of Pilates, when she moved to Hong Kong in 2018. Since then, Grace has taken the leap from a 9 to 5 desk job to teaching Pilates full time so she can share her love of the practice with others. Grace is trained in mat, reformer and studio Pilates. She has also completed additional training in injuries, pre & post natal exercise, TRX and barre.
Grace enjoys movement and how it makes her feel, both in the moment and afterwards. The beauty of Pilates is that you can carry the skills you learn in class into your daily life. Grace strives to teach others how to care for their mind and body and give them the tools to move fearlessly. She loves watching people not only get stronger in class but become more confident in their body’s ability. Seeing someone go from a place of discomfort and pain to being able to move with confidence is a great achievement.
Grace takes pride in building classes that are challenging but accessible. She likes to provide students with the tools to build strength, control, coordination, and body awareness. Join Grace’s classes for a dynamic and fun workout that will ensure you leave feeling strong and energised. Her classes are supportive and nurturing yet challenging. They offer a space for students to have fun whilst working their bodies efficiently.
Andrea, Leadership Team & Pilates Teacher
Falling in love with Pilates many years ago, Andrea immediately recognised the huge benefits that Pilates brings to the body and mind. Originally working in the fast-paced travel and events industries in London and Dubai, Andrea decided to follow her passion and turn it into a new career, wanting to help others feel better.
Andrea is a certified STOTT Pilates Mat and Reformer instructor and is also trained in Pre and Postnatal Pilates. Andrea has a particular interest and love for helping clients with EDS, HSD and chronic pain. She has learned a lot from working with clients with these conditions, as well as completing training with Jeannie Di Bon who is a specialist in this field.
During a class with Andrea you will feel welcomed and supported, she will encourage you to move mindfully, you’ll have fun, be challenged at the right level for you and finish with a sense of calm in your body and mind.
She can’t wait to welcome you to class soon!
Sepideh, Pilates Teacher
Sepideh (Sepi) began her Pilates journey in Istanbul and Tehran. In Iran she was a professional gymnast and it was through this discipline that she incorporated Pilates into her daily routine.
Pilates has changed her life in a very positive way (many of us can relate to this!) - it made her more aware of her body-mind connection, she suddenly had more balance and control, strength and it really helped her confidence.
Having taught Pilates in Istanbul and Dubai she feels deeply lucky to have met so many wonderful teachers and clients from around the world; helping her grow as a teacher.
As a teacher, Sepideh loves to challenge her clients in a fun and accessible way. She enjoys introducing them to a new way of moving and feeling about themselves.
Sepideh is really excited about sharing her fun and creative love of Pilates with you.
Qualifications :
Level 3 Diploma in Matwork
Level 3 Diploma in Reformer, Ladder Barrel and Cadillac
Workshops in Small Ball and Pilates Band
Ulala, Pilates Teacher
Ulala is a Pilates Foundation teacher who has undertaken training with Dominique Jansen the director of Pilates off the Square in London, Hannah Jones and Susanne Lahusen.
She brings a wealth of movement experience and knowledge of the body, gained during her career as contemporary danc to her understandings and application of Pilates.
She has been teaching Pilates for over 18 years and has taught a variety of different groups in both Japan and the UK. She teaches all levels and age groups from pre-and post-natal clients to very elderly clients, and teaches individual tailored programs for rehabilitation,including pre and post surgery Pilates. She has also organised and run a number of Pilates and movement workshops for dancers in Japan. Through her dance career and two pregnancies she has discovered the fantastic benefits of the Pilates method and feels passionate about sharing this with her clients.
Certified as Mat work Teacher Feb 2006
Certified as comprehensive studio teacher June 2011
Debora, Pilates Teacher
Debora started her Pilates journey more than 10 years ago in her home of Barcelona, Spain.
As a former Ballet Dancer, Debora has always understood the importance of the Pilates principles in applying them to her work. Pilates had helped to prevent her from injury and helped keep her strong.
After 22 years as a professional Ballet Dancer, the next chapter to becoming a Pilates teacher was a natural next step. Debora qualified as a Pilates teacher in Switzerland, where she worked and lived for 18 years.
Debora prides herself on being a versatile Pilates teacher; creating tailored programs, for small group classes and private sessions; she enjoys the power of personalised attention and hopes to inspire and grow together with her clients.
Qualified Level 3 pilatesSwiss Zurich (450hrs):
Mat Pilates
Reformer Pilates
Chair Pilates
Ladder Barrel
Cadillac
Postnatal
Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow (PLATO)
Michelle K, Pilates Teacher
Michelle’s Pilates journey started after the birth of her first born. Her hypermobile body struggled with the labour and she was left in chronic pain as a result of her hypermobility. She tried everything, but nothing helped, until she was recommended the reformer! It was an absolute game changer, it quite literally saved her life! Being strong in my body was a revelation, no longer was her back going out more than her :)
It became her go to exercise, her mindfulness time, a place that she could connect her body and her mind, her ‘me’ time. She realised she wanted to spread the love and decided to retrain, to help other people on their journey.
Beth, Pilates Teacher
Beth’s Pilates journey started over 16 years ago when she was training as a contemporary dancer. Pilates was and continues to be a foundational element of Beth’s dance practice, it was crucial in healing from a knee injury during her dance training and more recently, was key in her post natal recovery.
Beth loves the wholistic approach to movement that Pilates offers and the benefits of greater control, strength and connection between body, mind and spirit. She believes Pilates is a wonderful portal to understanding your body better which has far reaching benefits beyond the studio.
Having taught dance to a range of ages from babies to older adults, Beth is passionate about the importance of healthy movement at all stages of life and loves helping people to connect to their bodies in ways that best suit them.
Beth holds a Level 3 Diploma qualification as a Matwork Body Control Pilates teacher.
Beth is excited to share her passion for Pilates and movement and aims to create friendly, enriching and tailored classes for her clients.
Caroline, Pilates Teacher
Caroline’s journey to Pilates started when she began to suffer with severe (at times crippling) low back pain from from working in an office job. Two children later and her pelvis felt broken. She began to restore herself with gentle yoga and Pilates, but it was the Pilates that really held her together and helped Caroline to regain strength in her joints and realign her body. She started to understand more about how her hypermobility was contributing to her injuries and that’s when the controlled and precise movements in Pilates really clicked (and no longer in her hips!).
She continued attending Pilates classes under the watchful eye and manual corrections of Miki Floyd and other local instructors for several years, which enabled her to run again and participate in high intensity training. With her confidence renewed, Caroline decided it was time to get back to her fitness roots!
In May 2018 she embarked on an Advanced Diploma in Mat Pilates; including Pilates with Small Equipment, Adapting Exercise for Ante/Post Natal Clients, and Pilates for Common Orthopaedic Conditions. Since then she has been working at local leisure centres and private health clubs, teaching various styles of holistic exercise classes, focusing on Mat Pilates as her core discipline.
Caroline conveniently combined lockdown with the birth of her twins but the pregnancy, with immobilising pelvic pain and diastasis recti, set her right back to zero. She began rehabilitating her pelvic floor muscles the day she gave birth and has completely restored the abdominal muscle separation with patience and perseverance.
A passion for back care and personal interest in pain management drove her to specialise in GP referral as a route to Level 4 Exercise for Low Back Pain. Her aim is to learn more about human biomechanics and muscle testing. The aim is simple: to get people moving more freely in their bodies; enjoying the grace and poise that Pilates principles dictate and ridding themselves of debilitating pain so they can live to their full potential.
Qualifications:
Level 3 Diploma in Matwork
Level 3 Diploma in Pregnancy and Postnatal
Level 3 Diploma in Exercise Referal
Level 4 Diploma in Exercise Management for Low Back Pain
Course and Workshops:
Exercise for Orthorpedic Conditions
Exercise for Parkinsons
Helen, Pilates Teacher
Helen’s teaching practice has evolved through her studies and qualifications with various Teaching bodies (BCP, Future Fit, Group X Training, F.I.T.T) as well as being taught by some inspiring teachers enabling her to become the teacher she is today.
In 2006, after a complicated miscarriage she was diagnosed with cancer in the form of Gestational Trophoblast Disease (aka Molar Pregnancy). You can read some of her story on the ‘Patient Stories’ section of the website:
She was given the All Clear in 2007.
The scars remain – emotional and physical, but she is a survivor, and this experience (both positive and negative, joyful and scary) has shaped who she is today.
She found Pilates whilst in recovery in 2007 and the love has never stopped!
Qualifying in 2015 with Future Fit as a Level 3 Classical Pilates Teacher. Her passion for Pilates turned into her career. Pilates helps her and her clients every day – a very positive part of life. Joyful and life affirming.
In 2019, she qualified with Body Control Pilates after taking their Conversion Course and her studies continued with them until 2022.
2020 and 2023 were also challenging years for her health, but Pilates helped her through surgeries and months of treatment.
She cares very much about what she does, about her clients, about movement and health. She is passionate about Pilates and wellbeing. She loves an organic flow – bringing mind and body together in harmony. Her matwork and reformer classes are holistic and fun, challenging and uplifting.
Her qualifications are as follows:
· Specialist Diploma in Advanced Pilates VTCV (Anatomy and Physiology Level 3; basic mat Pilates; Intermediate Mat Pilates; Advanced Mat Pilates)
· Pilates for Common Orthopaedic Conditions
· Small Mat Equipment
· Pre and Post Natal Exercises
· 14-16 Year Olds Children’s Fitness REPs CPD Upskilling Paper
· Vertical Fusion Pilates
· Barre Fitness (Barre Basic; Barre Body; Barre Burn; Barre Bend)
· Hypermobility – Keeping it in the Box Workshop
· Fitt Pilates Reformer 1
· Hip and Knee Replacement Post Op
· Body Control Pilates (BCP) Level 3 Matwork Pilates Conversion Course 2019
· Breast Cancer Rehabilitation Pilates with BCP
· Reformer 1 bridging course at BCP
· Basic First Aid - Prime Resuscitation and First Aid Training.
Rosie, Yoga Teacher
Rosie began her Yoga journey a decade ago, after an ankle injury led her to find a new modality of movement from her regular ballet.
From her first class Rosie knew she wanted to bring the sense of calm, tranquility and gentle movement to others. Having always enjoyed poetry and the impact words have on the mind and body, she discovered meditation as a holistic way of combating anxiety and appreciating the present moment.
One of the many benefits Rosie finds by practicing yoga is the ability to step out of our busy, modern lives and take time for ourselves.
Rosie describes her classes as a opportunity to relax, unwind and really breathe. She focuses on the mind body connection; creating calmness within the two and guides you through a gentle combination of movement and meditation.
Rosie is a certified Hatha, Vinyassa, Restorative and Yin Yoga teacher and is currently completing a level 3 qualification in Classical Mat Pilates.