The Original Instructors of Joseph Pilates Menu Verywell Fit Nutrition Weight Management Nutrition Facts Nutrition Basics Diets Meal Plans Meal Delivery Services View All News Fitness and Nutrition What to Buy How We Test Products Fitness Gear Nutrition Products Tools Recipe Nutrition Calculator Weight Loss Calorie Goal BMI Calculator Body Fat Percentage Calculator Calories Burned by Activity Daily Calories Burned Pace Calculator About Us Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Search Pilates Beginners The Original Instructors of Joseph Pilates By Marguerite Ogle MS, RYT Marguerite Ogle MS, RYT Marguerite Ogle is a freelance writer and experienced natural wellness and life coach, who has been teaching Pilates for more than 35 years. Learn about our editorial process Updated on November 05, 2020 Reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by nutrition and exercise professionals. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Kristin McGee, CPT Reviewed by Kristin McGee, CPT Kristin McGee is a certified personal trainer and currently teaches yoga and meditation for Peloton. She is also certified in Pilates and by the National Association of Sports Medicine. Learn about our Review Board Print Joseph Pilates works with a client in 1961. C Rapoport/Getty Images The title of Pilates elder is applied to people who were original students of Joseph Pilates, creator of the Pilates Method of Exercise. There were just a few original students who went on to found their own studios and teach the Pilates Method. Several of them are very well known names in Pilates today, and most Pilates teachers can trace their "lineage" back to one of these original students. Learn more about the Elders who shaped the way Pilates spread through the world. The Pilates Elders Often called the elders, the people usually included in a list of the original instructors are: Clara Pilates (1883–1977): As the wife of Joseph Pilates, she worked closely with Joe for many years. She continued to teach and run the Joseph Pilates studio after his death. Romana Kryzanowska (1923–2013): A close student of Joseph Pilates, Kryzanowska took over as director of the Joseph Pilates studio a few years after he passed away. Romana is one of the most well known and highly regarded keepers of the classical Pilates tradition. She dedicated the rest of her life to educating Pilates instructors around the world. Her daughter, Sari Mejia Santo, also trained with Joseph Pilates and taught with her mother. Now Romana's granddaughter, Daria Pace, owns Romana's Pilates, with affiliates teaching classical Pilates around the world. Mary Bowen (1930– ): Mary Bowen became a Jungian analyst but continued to study Pilates with Joseph Pilates and others of his students. She continues to teach Pilates through her ninth decade and developed a Pilates Plus Psyche program. Robert Fitzgerald: He was a dancer and opened his own studio in New York City in the 1960s that catered to the dance community. Ron Fletcher (1921–2011): Ron Fletcher was a dancer with the Martha Graham dance company. He opened a Pilates studio in Los Angeles and went on to develop his own Pilates style which is now known as Fletcher Work. Eve Gentry (1909–1994): She was a dancer who, like Ron Fletcher, brought her dance training into her work as a Pilates teacher thereby expanding the Pilates teachings. She developed her own "pre-Pilates" approach, calling it The Gentry Method. In 1991 she was one of the founders of the Institute for the Pilates Method. Kathy Grant (1921–2010): One of only two students who was actually certified to teach Pilates by Joseph Pilates himself, Kathy Grant taught Pilates at the Tisch School of the Arts in New York City, holding a faculty position there since 1988. She passed away May 27, 2010 Jay Grimes: Another dancer, Jay Grimes studied extensively with Joseph Pilates and with Clara Pilates after Joe's death. He also studied with Romana Kryzanowska and eventually taught with her. He continues to teach Pilates as the director of Vintage Pilates. Bruce King: He was a member of the Merce Cunningham dance company. He opened a Pilates studio in New York City. Lolita San Miguel (1934– ): She was certified to teach Pilates by Joseph Pilates and continues to teach Pilates. She introduced Lolita San Miguel's Masters Program. Carola Trier (1913–2000): She was the first person to open her own Pilates studio with Joseph Pilates' personal blessing. By Marguerite Ogle MS, RYT Marguerite Ogle is a freelance writer and experienced natural wellness and life coach, who has been teaching Pilates for more than 35 years. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit Related Articles Biography of Joseph Pilates, Exercise Pioneer Mari Winsor Made Pilates Popular With Weight Loss Workouts Best Online Pilates Classes of 2022 What Is Pilates? Essential Exercises for a Classical Pilates Mat Workout Best Online Dance Classes of 2022 The Best Free Pilates Videos You Can Find Online The Truth About "Pilates Machines" and Equipment 10 Reasons You Should Start a Pilates Practice Debunking the 5 Biggest Myths About Pilates Best Online Exercise Classes of 2022 The 7 Best Pilates Reformers for Your Next Workout Pilates Classes for Beginners 35 Black-Owned Fitness Companies to Support Now and Always How Zumba Can Help You Dance Your Way to Fitness How Many Calories Will I Burn Doing Pilates? When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Cookies Settings Reject All Accept All