Club Pilates

Bios

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  Nandini Basu

  Lead Instructor

  Nandini was first introduced to a reformer at the Club Pilates Rancho Bernardo studio in 2010. Very quickly she realized that she responded to the workouts in a way that she hadn't experienced with other workouts and became hooked. Pilates became a key to unlocking mental, emotional, and physical wellness for Nandini. Nandini enjoys travel, hiking, and live music. In addition to teaching Pilates, TRX, and other group fitness classes, Nandini works as a freelance Human Resources consultant specializing in training and development. Nandini is originally from the Midwest and is so grateful to have moved to California and found her way to Club Pilates!

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  Tawnya Vickery

  Instructor

  Tawnya has an endless curiosity of people and the body. Her love for fitness and healthy living has always been a way of life. Tawnya began taking Pilates in 2004. She was looking for a gentle yet effective approach to gain core strength, balance and longer, leaner more toned muscles - Pilates was it! She convinced several friends to go with her to Pilates, some even going on to become instructors. She realized it was time to become an instructor herself. Tawnya earned her certification as a Pilates Instructor through Club Pilates, working under Master Trainer Vanessa Johnson Huffman. Tawnya is known for balancing her cheerful encouragement with butt-kicking workouts, all the while keeping it fun. On a daily basis Tawnya is inspired by the changes she see's in front of her as she watches people build strength and make health a priority. She enjoys working with people, learning and continually pursuing to further her education in Pilates and overall health and wellness.

• Shirley Karina

  Instructor

  Shirley discovered Pilates at the suggestion of her sister, a pilates instructor, to deal with neck and shoulder issues after multiple car accidents. After her first session sheI was hooked, As a gym rat and former bodybuilder, she was immediately drawn Pilates for challenging strength, building (and as we age, keeping) lean muscle. Shirley's classes are a mixture of traditional pilates combined with fitness and athletic movements. Her teaching philosophy is to keep classes fun and challenging so that you leave each class feeling both accomplished and aspirational. Shirley an Iowa native, has degree in Art/Graphic Design form the University of Northern Iowa. She is Pilates certified through Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California. When she is not teaching or doing art, she loves spending time with her husband and her akita, Kenji.

• Kaitlyn Hurley

  Instructor

  Growing up as a dancer, pilates has always played an important role in Kaitlyn’s life. It wasn’t until 2013 that she decided to complete the teacher training program through Mt. San Antonio College to further her pilates training. Out of the program she received a job with Club Pilates Chino Hills and has recently moved to Costa Mesa to join the Club Pilates Newport team. Pilates has changed her life and her favorite part of everyday is being able to interact with members and help them better their everyday lives through the pilates method. She wants her clients to leave her classes feeling energized and ready to take on the day!

• Maryann Thomson

  Instuctor

  Born and raised in Costa Mesa, this mother of two is passionate about movement. Maryann, a former professional dancer, was introduced to Pilates while studying ballet and modern dance at The California Institute of the Arts. “We were required to take reformer classes to keep our bodies in top form.” After college and kids, Maryann turned back to Pilates for fitness and a career. She enjoys the technical aspects of teaching, where the slightest change in form can make a huge impact. “I love the effect moving your body has on the mind and body, it can solve so many of our emotional/physical problems!” She has her Pilates Certification through Orange Coast College in 2010, and is constantly furthering her education to keep her workouts fun and fresh. She most recently completed a certificate for Pilates for MS.

• Lisa Blackstock

  Instructor

  Lisa started her Pilates journey back in 2005 as a client. Coming from Bootcamp workouts, she was skeptical when her friend talked her into taking a Pilates class with her. After one month, she was hooked! She couldn't believe the strength and mobility she had achieved in such a short amount of time. She became a full time client and was then inspired to become an instructor herself. Lisa was certified through BASI, under leading Pilates mentor Rael Isacowitz, in 2009. Lisa has taught at many studios throughout southern Orange County. She even opened her own small boutique studio in 2014 in Tustin. She was thrilled to turn a small studio into a talked about fun place to workout and make a name for it in Tustin. But after having another baby, she made the decision to sell her studio two years later, to focus more on her two small children. Lisa teaches a more cardio-based workout, in that she keeps you moving the whole time you are in her classes. She likes to say she gives you a break when you walk to your car after class!:)

• Miku Yoshida

  Instructor

  Miku has been practicing Pilates for over 5 years as a supplement to her dancing career. She graduated from UC IRVINE with a B.F.A in dance performance with an emphasis in ballet. She believes in classical Pilates as the foundation to promote alignment of the body and adds a modern twist to challenge the class. Miku continues to teach Pilates because she wants her clients to strive for longevity and to overcome their fears.

• Bailee Wilkenson

  Instructor

  Bailee was born and raised in Riverside, California. She has always been involved in athletics; she swam on a swim team since a young age, played tennis in High School and by the time she was 18, she was working as a personal trainer in a small gym. Bailee has always had a passion for a healthy lifestyle and finds helping others reach their goals truly rewarding. She fell in love with Pilates as a student in her first Club Pilates class in 2017 and just knew that her desire in helping others would ultimately be fulfilled by teaching in the studio! Meet Bailee at Club Pilates for a fun, invigorating, and challenging class- she’ll most likely be wearing colorful/crazy pants and she can’t wait to meet you!

• Angela Gu

  Instructor

  Angela Gu fell in love with Pilates after taking her first class! She knew right away she wanted it to be her career for the rest of her life. She is super passionate about it and still continues to study and practice it everyday. Never stop learning! Continued education is key. The wonderful thing about Pilates is the mind and body connection. You have to be super focused and have your mind tell your body what to do. You tell each little muscle what to do and it listens to you. Angela designs her classes to work the whole entire body but likes to focus extra on the abs and glutes because strong abs and glutes will have you standing strong and tall until you’re 100 years old! She also loves to find new creative exercises to make her classes fun every time. She strongly believes in safely challenging and building strength and endurance for every body. Pilates is not supposed to be easy.

• Jil Wexler

  Instructor

  Jil has a lifelong love of fitness and assisting people in maintaining functional movement. She taught fitness classes while working on her degree in college, where she emphasized health care & social issues. She continued teaching fitness classes while working on her doctorate specializing in life satisfaction and aging. People she studied aged more successfully when they incorporated a regular exercise routine into their lives. She fell in love with Pilates and noticed how much it improved posture and muscle definition. Jil’s classes emphasize a mind-body connection, a strong core, and functional movements. She loves learning about the the body and movement and wants to pass on that knowledge to her students. Her goal is to help you meet your goals and to leave her classes feeling strong, energized, and invigorated. In addition to her Pilates certification, Jil is certified in Parkinson’s Disease Awareness for Fitness Professionals and is working towards her Movement Specialist Certification with Balanced Body.

• Maristela Calogera

  Instructor

  Maristela joins Club Pilates with a diverse background in Dance, Performance, and Pilates. A devoted instructor since 1999, Maristela has taught students of all ages and backgrounds and is enthusiastic about sharing the joy and benefits of Pilates for clients in all walks of life. She has a BA in Dance and has enjoyed a vibrant career as a performer, teacher, and freelance choreographer. Her foundation in dance and movement naturally led her to the art of Pilates, where she has found a wealth of knowledge to serve and enhance the needs of the various worlds of movement, performing arts, athletics, physical therapy, and overall general wellness. Maristela first obtained a Mat Pilates Teaching Certificate through Body Arts and Science International (BASI) in 2009, and later returned in 2014 to pursue and earn the Comprehensive Teaching Certificate with Dance Specialization, under the instruction and guidance of distinguished expert, Karen Clippinger. Maristela is a wife and mother, and is inspired to pass on her love of movement, natural wellness and the performing arts to the next generation!