Our Team

I have always loved the human body and it’s ability to inspire and awe us through movement. Whether it’s an elite athlete, a dancer, a child or an elder- the things our bodies do for us is incredible. My practice of Pilates started well over 15 years ago and it helped keep me strong and centred through my career as a professional dancer and actress. After having my two lovely daughters it gave me the time to heal my body and calm my mind though movement and breath.
My decision to dive deeper into the classical training of Joseph Pilates was a natural one and I was extremely lucky to study beneath the inspiring Matilda Christensen and Veronica McClurg, graduating from The Pilates Center Teacher Training program in 2017. I will forever be a student of movement and love the community that Pilates has brought to me.
I hope to inspire and nurture my clients on their Pilates journey, empowering them to heal their bodies and discover their full potential. Everyday is a different day just as every practice is a different practice and I hope they embrace that!

Pilates is the complete coordination of body, mind and spirit

~ Joseph Pilates

From a young age, I was always drawn to movement and the exploration and self-expression that can be found within it. Through my childhood and adolescence, dance, mainly ballet, fulfilled this need. As an adult, I continued this exploration of movement through Pilates. Academically, throughout high school and University, Sciences and Physical Geography caught my attention. As a result, I graduated from Simon Fraser University with a Bachelor of Science and carried on with a career in Mapping Technology. After starting a family of my own, I was looking for a more family friendly career as I re-entered the work force. Becoming a Pilates Instructor was the perfect combination of my love of movement and Science.

I graduated from Pilates from the Centre in North Vancouver, one of the most intensive Pilates teacher trainer programs offered. Studying under Matilda Christensen and Veronica McClurg I completed the 850-hour comprehensive and experiential program. Continuing my studies of healthy body movement to further enhance my Classical Pilates Method training is important to me as I believe we are all eternal students.

For me, Pilates is more then just a physical exercise regime. It is the continual exploration of mind and body connections, resulting in a physical realignment and strengthening of your body. My goal as a Movement Instructor of Pilates, is to help others find and strengthen these mind/body connections, improving their own movement patterns so they can take them out of the studio and into other aspects of their lives.

“Change happens through movement and movement heals”

~ Joseph Pilates

I started dancing at the age of three and trained and preformed intensively for almost 20 years in many styles of dance including classical ballet, modern, and contemporary.  Part of my professional training, starting at the age of 12, included classes in anatomy and Pilates so becoming a Pilates Instructor was a very natural progression of my love of movement, flexibility, and strength.  

I did my Pilates teacher training with Lori and have loved learning more about my own movement as well as how to lead another person through the Pilates repertoire. I am a very positive, energetic, and enthusiastic person and I love to see people leave my classes feeling good in both their body and mind.

For me, Pilates is an exploration of movement with intention and breath that improves both health and mindfulness.  Being a Pilates Instructor, and working either one on one or in a class environment, provides me with an opportunity to help clients improve their physical movement patterns and core strength to make them feel great in their everyday life.

I am a certified Pilates teacher through Mindful Movement and certified with the National Pilates Certification Program. I have been coaching sports and teaching fitness for ten years. I fell in love with Pilates after taking classes during my travels through Australia in 2017. When I returned to the Pacific Northwest, I found Mindful Movement and decided to start my teaching journey, and I haven’t looked back! I teach Pilates full-time now and strongly believe in the healing and strengthening benefits Pilates can provide for all. 

Pilates was a natural calling for me. I grew up competing in Trampoline and Tumbling, then switched to Volleyball and Track in high school. During my senior year of high school, I had surgery on my shoulder and a severe hip trauma that kept me from finishing out the season. I spent the rest of the year recovering before returning to the sport in college, where I played as a Middle Blocker for Bellevue College. During that time, I coached club volleyball, was a lifeguard on Lake Washington, and taught swimming lessons to all ages. After college, I traveled to explore and work on farms in Australia. My shoulder and hip were a significant source of pain for me. When I noticed Pilates, I knew immediately that this form of movement was what I needed to help continue my journey of healing and strength. Now, I continue to weightlift, rock climb, play competitive beach volleyball, and occasionally throw a backflip off a diving board or trampoline, all in good spirits because of my journey with Pilates!

Throughout the years of coaching and teaching fitness, I have found Pilates to be the most rewarding as a teacher. Next to teaching people how to swim, this form of movement has been a beautiful way to witness people overcome fears and build confidence, flexibility, and strength. I recommend trying Pilates, especially if you have come to the end of the rope with treatments and care. 

Since becoming a full-time Pilates teacher, I have taught all ages privately and in groups. I enjoy facilitating my client’s journey to better mobility and well-being. I continue to learn through the people who I’ve worked with and continue to educate myself on human movement through research and studies. 

As Joe said…’Not only is health a normal condition, but it is our duty to not only attain it but to maintain it.’

I started dancing at a young age with Vi Cameron in Surrey. After many years of training with Vi, I received my dance training and education with Betty McHardy and Barbary Tutt. In 1985, I opened my own dance studio and for the next 14 years partnered up with Rori Bruschinsky and worked side by side to make the Surrey Dance Center a well respected dance studio which produced many professional dancers.

My training in gymnastics, competitive cheerleading and dance dovetailed perfectly into my Pilates journey. After being a student of Pilates for over 10 years I took my Pilates Teacher Training with Pilates from the Center with Matilda Christensen and Veronica McClurg (Surrey Pilates Studio) and graduated after over 1000 hours of intensive schooling in the classical Pilates Method.

I have continued to educate myself in functional movement in which she feel passionate about as a former dancer and dance studio director.

Tracy brings a wealth of knowledge and experience as well as energy and enthusiasm to her Pilates classes and private clients.

I have appreciated my body's ability to move for as long as I can remember. I was drawn to sport at an early age as a competitive swimmer before discovering my love for volleyball. Although I played many sports growing up, volleyball was where I excelled and continued playing at the college level. While finishing my degree in Human Kinetics at UBC I found a love for running and triathlons. I have competed in 2 Ironman Canada's as well as finished many marathons, including the prestigious Boston Marathon, and placed in the top 20 in the Vancouver International Marathon. After reaching my running peak I decided to take up cross country mountain racing, which is where you will most likely find me today when I have some spare time. I have also completed my 200 hour Yoga Teacher training.

My Pilates journey started at a young age, as I've always had a passion for moving my body, however I did not dive into the trainings of Pilates until years into my personal training career. I was always trying to discover the why's behind movement and Pilates gave me that tool to dive deeper into how our bodies move. I studied Balanced Bodies Pilates under the master teachers of Heather Low and Lauren Brandt and since completing my teacher training I have continued to explore how Pilates can improve not only how we feel in our bodies but how we can excel in our chosen movement. My goal is to help people move in ways they love for as long as they possibly can.

Originally from Sakatchewan, I fell in love with dynamic movement at an early age and have always enjoyed playing a variety of sports including running and doing anything that made me move my body!

When I learned about The Lab Pilates Mat Teacher Training Program I jumped at the idea hoping to gain knowledge on how I could implement the restorative properties of pilates into my own training regimen and to help me become a stronger runner and help reduce injury from my high impact sport. Learning how to work even the smallest muscles in the body, to using breath through movement has helped me through my own athletic journey and has pushed me to pursue my passion for all things movement and overall total body wellness

I have since added the Mindful Movement Pilates Teacher Training Program to my education and am working on completing my hours to even further my knowledge. Through this I found that I'm even more passionate about helping those around me meet their fitness and wellness goals. I have worked with athletes of all ages and levels in speed, agility, and strength as an instructor. Additionally I am training with people who just want to move their bodies more and find that mind-body connection.  

When I'm not in the Pilates studio, you can find me playing in the mountains on the trails with my dog. I've recently fell in love with Ultra running and really enjoy pushing myself and my body to reach new goals. 

What can you expect from one of my classes? I love adding in fun, high energy athletic and dynamic moves that can be translated to the weight room or other daily activities and sports.

Education:

-Mindful Movement Teacher Training (2022-Current)

-Empowered Perinatel Movement-Jenny Redford Pilates- (2021)

-The Lab Pilates Training (2020)

I am certified CY-RYT 500 hour yoga teacher. I am currently working on my 500 hour pilates certification with Mindful Movement.
I work full time as a Critical Care Nurse. I am fascinated by the human body and its capacity to adapt and move.
My approach to teaching is both playful and creative. I love to combine traditional  movements with new science for a life long sustainable movement practice.

I am passionate about health, wellness, Pilates, and the study of movement and posture. I'm a certified Pilates instructor through the National Pilates Certification Program and an Integrated Movement Specialist through Balanced Body. Recently I completed my Clinical Pilates certification and was accepted into university for The Bachelors of Kinesiology program. I am also working towards my certification as a Pregnancy and Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist, and will be working towards my license in Dynamic Neuro-muscular Stabilization through The Rehabilitation Prague School.

Growing up, I was involved in dance, drama, and music and performed in musical productions. As an adult I was certified in fitness and nutrition, and had the opportunity to perform and work with physical conditioning of performers in Brazil. This is when I first started practicing Pilates and fell in love with it. It wasn't until I went through teacher training that I became obsessed with the practice and decided to work exclusively with Pilates and functional movement. I should have known during my grade 7 human anatomy project in science class that this is what I'd be doing with my life.

My classes and clients include people from all walks of life. I've worked with athletes, pre-teens, teens, adults, the elderly, pre and post natal, the injured, and those with pathologies. My desire is to help people move efficiently in their bodies and to do so by finding the connections necessary for that to happen. I put my all into my classes, and believe in striving for excellence in whatever I do.

I am a comprehensive certified Stott Pilates Instructor. I have always been drawn to movement and danced throughout my childhood. My love affair with Pilates began 20 years ago and in 2017 when I decided to leave my career in healthcare to pursue my passion of fitness and Pilates.

My love of movement extends into my teaching by helping to guide my clients in achieving their individual health and fitness goals. I enjoy working with clients of all backgrounds, ages and fitness levels. With a focus on postural alignment and functional movement, to enhance performance of the body in daily movement.

Outside of the studio I am a mother of two. When I am not teaching, I can be found hiking, reading, and traveling having had the opportunity and fortune to visit eighty countries.

I am grateful to be a part of the Mindful Movement team! I began my own Pilates practice at Mindful Movement in 2018 after suffering a back injury and subsequent surgeries. I went from living an active lifestyle enjoying many outdoor pursuits to living in chronic pain, reduced mobility, deconditioning, fear of movement and lack of confidence in my own body. Lori and the team at Mindful Movement have offered an environment of support, knowledge, encouragement and so much more.

Over the years Pilates has offered me a way to not only reduce pain while regaining strength and mobility, but also a way to trust in my body again and find joy in movement. Going through my own health journey has led me to deepen my knowledge, understanding and embodiment of functional movement patterns, the connection and importance of breath to movement, and the integration of mind and body in ones’ healing. I’ve been known to say “Pilates is the key to life”. It certainly has been for me through my injury and chronic pain journey. My hope is to bring my passion for Pilates to others who are in their own healing journey.

Pilates will be a lifelong practice for me and I am excited to deepen my knowledge and exploration through my continued self-practice as well as through the teacher training program here with Lori and now joining the team as Administrative Manager.