AHA!PILATES

As a teacher of the body, I have created a space that serves the practitioner at their individual fitness level. I approach each student as a guide, you know your body: you are the one who is in charge of your trajectory toward ideal conditioning and overall health. One of my favorite moments is landing on the mat, the grounding of the body leading to the ease of breath, relaxed and ready. From this point springs forth the intention, which is bursting with possibilities.

Do you want to have more power in your body?

Or would you just like to reduce stress and be more at ease?

Increase flexibility?

Align your posture for better tone and balance?

Then the practice with my cues, guidance and touch, manifests through this intention. Whatever it is you the practitioner are seeking, there is a path for it. My teaching is fueled by my background in dance which includes the thousands of hours in the studio, all the joy, ache and persistence that performance entails. As well by the Pilates method, a brilliant method of core integration and a proven strategy for a strong and resilient body. Lastly and most recently I have become a Franklin Method educator. The Franklin method has provided me with a scientific basis for my teaching, a deeper understanding of how the mind and body interplay and a much more detailed knowledge of our anatomy. I am grateful to be able to share these practices and empower those I work with with the knowledge that they can discover their fullest self.

Katie’s teaching is founded on a complete understanding of the body and a rigorous Pilates and dance training. Her classes are highly effective and fun. They address specific issues that we may need to work on while providing ample challenge and opportunity to keep improving. Her repertoire of exercises and routines is endless which makes each class unique and engaging.  Katie’s qualifications, together with her deep care for teaching and natural empathy, make her an exceptional Pilates instructor.

-Jorge Schuhmacher

Instructor: Katie McNamara

Katie has had an ever evolving twenty five year career as a movement and Pilates teacher and is certified through NPCP. She came to Pilates as a professional dancer in Philadelphia and continued her training here in Rhode Island. During the pandemic she was able to deepen her knowledge by taking live dissection workshops with Tom Myers. Her dance background has highly informed her Pilates teaching particularly within ideas of imagery, rhythm, breath, direction, balance and the overall joy of movement. This March, Katie certified as a Franklin Method Educator, which deepens the study of the mind body interface for more effective movement. Katie also teaches yoga and dance technique and has taught dance composition and theory in higher education. She holds a BA in Dance and Anthropology from Connecticut College and an MFA in Dance Performance from University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.