The Pilates Elders

When selecting a Pilates instructor or facility, it’s essential to grasp the “school” of instruction they align with. Classical Pilates revolves around the authentic Pilates tradition established by Joseph Pilates himself and the first-generation instructors known as the “Pilates Elders.” These exceptional individuals studied directly under Joseph Pilates and played a pivotal role in preserving and popularizing the Pilates Method worldwide.

Clara Pilates

During Joseph Pilates’ voyage to the United States in the 1920s, he met Clara, a calm and unassuming kindergarten teacher. They eventually married and opened a studio in New York at 939 Eighth Avenue shortly after their arrival in 1926. Following Joseph’s passing at the age of eighty-seven in 1967, Clara carried on their studio’s work, teaching the Pilates method of fitness. She also found relief from her arthritis pain through the rehabilitative exercises Joseph had developed. In 1971, Clara retired and entrusted the Pilates studio to Romana Kryzanowska, a trusted and experienced student and instructor. Clara remained connected to the studio until her passing in 1977.

Romana Kryzanowska

Romana Kryzanowska (June 30, 1923 – August 30, 2013) grew up in the Florida Everglades and moved to New York City at a young age to pursue dance. As a student at the School of American Ballet, she was introduced to Joseph Pilates in the early 1940s by the school’s director, George Balanchine. Romana had suffered an ankle injury, and Balanchine hoped that Pilates’ fitness conditioning therapy could aid her recovery and enable her return to dancing.

At that time, sports medicine was relatively unknown, and Pilates’ therapy stood out as one of the few nonsurgical treatment options. Joseph made a bold promise to Romana, saying, “If I haven’t cured your ankle in five sessions, I’ll give you your money back.” Remarkably, Romana felt improvement after just three sessions and became a lifelong devotee of the Pilates philosophy.

In 1971, Clara selected Romana as the successor to the Pilates studio’s operation, which she managed until its closure in 1989. Romana’s unwavering commitment focused on preserving the integrity of Joseph Pilates’ original work. She instructed and certified numerous individuals, ensuring the perpetuation of the “true” classical Pilates method. Romana is credited with preserving Joseph Pilates’ original techniques and philosophy.

Ron Fletcher

Originally from Missouri, Ron Fletcher (May 29, 1921 – December 6, 2011) relocated to New York City in 1944, captivated by the world of dance. He joined the Martha Graham Dance Company but faced a career setback due to a knee injury. Seeking a solution, Fletcher began working with Joe and Clara Pilates. According to his account, Joseph guided him through therapeutic strengthening and lengthening exercises on the Universal Reformer, enabling him to avoid unnecessary strain on his knee.

Fletcher successfully returned to dance and continued collaborating with the Graham Company. In 1967, he reunited with Joe and Clara, working alongside them until Joseph’s passing later that year. With Clara’s blessing, Fletcher opened his own studio for Body Contrology in Beverly Hills in 1971.

Eve Gentry

Eve Gentry, a master of modern dance and movement, dedicated over twenty years to working with Joseph Pilates. She had also studied under dance master Hanya Holm and motion study expert Rudolph von Laban, who had observed Pilates’ work in Germany before World War II. Suffering from knee and back pain caused by her intensive dance schedule, Eve was introduced to Joseph Pilates by Hanya Holm.

“I’ll never forget this sensation – after Joe had worked with me, all of my pains were gone, back pains and knees – everything. It was the first time in three years that I had not had pain, and I felt wonderful,” recalled Eve. By 1945, she was teaching at Pilates’ studio and later developed her own body conditioning technique. In 1991, she co-founded the Institute for the Pilates Method to carry forward Joseph Pilates’ teachings. Eve continued teaching until shortly before her passing in 1994 at the age of eighty-four.

Carola Trier

Carola Trier (1913-2000), a professional dancer and acrobatic contortionist known for her roller skate performances, began studying with Joseph Pilates in the early 1940s after a severe back injury. Initially believing she would rely on orthopedic support for the rest of her life, Carola experienced a remarkable recovery of strength and stability through her work with Pilates. After teaching the Pilates method in dance and movement classes across New York City, she opened her own studio in the late 1950s with the assistance of Joseph Pilates.

Hailing from Germany, like Joseph himself, Carola emphasized his philosophy of achieving uniform development for physical fitness. She identified common issues among dancers, such as the swaybacked stance, rolled-in feet, and hyperextended knees. Carola developed numerous Pilates-based exercises to address these concerns. She furthered her knowledge by studying anatomy at Lenox Hill Hospital, where she met Dr. Jordan, who began referring his patients to her for rehabilitation. Carola continued teaching Pilates until the mid-1980s and passed away in October 2000 at the age of eighty-seven. Deborah Lessen, one of Carola’s successful students, became a founding board member of the Pilates Method Alliance.

Kathy Grant

Kathleen Stanford Grant (1921-2010) played a significant role in preserving the Pilates legacy. Like many of Joseph’s students, Kathy had a background in dance before undertaking Pilates training. After injuring her knee in a fall, Kathy sought Pilates’ assistance in rehabilitating her knee to resume dancing. She became a devoted student of Joseph Pilates and one of only two people to receive official Pilates certification through a federally subsidized program of instruction supervised and approved by Joe himself at the New York State Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.

Kathy taught at Carola Trier’s studio and later managed the Pilates studio in the renowned Henri Bendel department store from 1972 until its closure in 1988. Joseph had established that studio in 1965 to offer his training techniques within the store’s highly fashionable beauty salon. Kathy Grant later served as a Pilates instructor at the Department of Dance in the Tisch School of the Arts, New York University.