Testimonials

"Pilates keeps me moving.  After years of back breaking work I was suffering with lower back pain.  Going to a chiropractor weekly was working but wasn't enough.  I needed to strengthen the surrounding muscles to relieve the strain on my back and spine.  Pilates has accomplished this for me.  Not only do I stand taller and walk straighter, I now have little to no lower back pain due to the new found muscle strength in my back and abdominals.  I have worked with Laura at the Maryland School of Ballet and Modern Dance for four years and will continue to make Pilates an integral part of my exercise routine."                             

  --  Denise Cangialosi

"I've been involved with a variety of athletics and physical fitness regimens since age eight.  Without question, Pilates is the most effective exercise I have ever done.  In addition to being an extremely beneficial exercise system by itself, it's an excellent compliment to other physical training routines.  Anyone involved in athletic competition should consider doing Pilates to gain a competitive edge."         

--  Paul Shorter

"I have been participating in Pilates for two years with Laura and have loved it.  Laura's program is a very professional one.  The exercises you learn are demonstrated and taught properly whether it is a mat class or a private apparatus session.  I have participated in both.  She knows her clients very well and pays careful attention to detail of their strengths and limitations.  No matter what you do, you know you have had a workout and feel so good afterward."                                            

-- Karen Taylor

"I have been an avid exerciser since my early 20s. Although I am not a “20 something” anymore, fitness continues to be very important to me. I discovered Pilates approximately two and a half years ago through my personal trainer. Shortly after that discovery, I joined Maryland School of Ballet and Modern Dance for personal, one on one Pilates training. I still do cardio and strength building exercises with weights to supplement the Pilates, which keeps my muscles long, lean and supple. Although I have done crunches, sit ups, and used all of the abdominal machines at the gym for years, I would never have believed how Pilates could strengthen my abdominals. The entire Pilates workout comes from my core and has an added benefit in that it increases my awareness of the way I stand and carry myself during the course of the day. I often do the beginner or intermediate basic exercises at home but always look forward to new and progressively more difficult exercises with my Pilates instructors, Laura and Lana, to take my fitness level one step further. I recommend Pilates for the beginner but also for the more advanced exerciser to change, strengthen and lengthen the muscles and train the body to use its “powerhouse” more efficiently, something you can never learn by simply pumping out reps with heavy weights. I offer one word of caution…there are a lot of Pilates classes being offered out there. The best results come from professionally trained instructors, like Laura, Lana, Chris and Jennifer, who can guide and instruct, based on each student’s needs and abilities. I look forward to my weekly Pilates sessions. They are not easy(!) but I always feel energized afterwards."

-- Candy

"Pilates is not only a fun and challenging addition to my fitness routine, it is also the best way I can manage the chronic back pain that goes along with being a professional horseperson".

-- Megan Wicks

"Coming to your studio has changed my life! I am more comfortable with my body at 28 then I was at 18!!!"

-- Stacey Reese

"I can’t say enough wonderful things about Laura, her staff and Pilates. I share my thoughts about her studio and the Pilates method every chance I get.

Seven years ago, I had a car accident which resulted in numerous orthopedic injuries (back neck, shoulder…..) and exacerbated some old ones. Until then, I was independent, active and enjoyed a very full life.

Months of physical therapy did not provide the relief I expected. As a last resort, my doctor suggested Pilates.

My doctor cautioned me about Pilates instructors. They aren’t all alike. Some of his patients had taken Pilates from local instructors and were worse because of it. Anyone can hang a sign out saying they are a Pilates instructor – no training necessary.

He would only allow me to take Pilates from an instructor who was certified in The Authentic Method – the real deal. I located Laura via the Pilates website. Once my doctor checked her qualifications, he approved with some very specific instructions.

This gets even better. Once at the studio, I discovered Laura was approved by Blue Cross – Blue Shield as an alternative medicine/treatment and I received a discount on my private lessons.

Laura was very patient with me. When I entered her studio, I could bend no farther than to touch my fingertips to my knees. My neck, back and shoulders were a source of constant pain. I didn’t sleep well, if at all. I found myself in bed most afternoons, because it hurt too badly to hold my head up any longer.

After the first session, I felt longer, taller and stretched.

I had been doing these basic exercises at home with no success. Why did I feel them working now?

Because, I was doing them WRONG. It was all about having the exact form and the proper breathing which I could not get on my own.

Four years later, I am not “healed.” I still have every orthopedic issue I came in with and have added a few more along the way. I am not totally pain free. If I do something stupid, I pay for it. It doesn’t take much to flare up any of these trouble spots. I have had setbacks from new issues, but continued on with the Pilates. Why?

Over time, I have increased my range of motion. I have learned how to stretch different problem areas of my body to provide some relief from pain. I stand taller, move better, feel better and have better body mechanics than I have ever had. My Pilates program allows me to do other things I thought I would never be able to do.

People who haven’t seen me since my car accident immediately notice a difference in the way I move. I couldn’t get out of a chair or walk without looking like I was hundreds of years old. Once in a while, I still have those moments, but usually when I have missed a few weeks of Pilates.

The insurance does not pay for my Pilates. I am not wealthy. It is not a luxury item for me to brag about to my friends. It is a necessary part of my well being. It keeps me moving and makes it possible for me to have a better quality of life.

Trying it on my own did not work. I had no concept of body mechanics, proper form or breathing. I think I would have only injured myself more. I can’t imagine what would have happened if I had been left to an uncertified instructor".

-- Jackie Whitaker