LOS ANGELES
Pilates Journal Expo
January 10-11, 2026
Agenda
Day 1 - Saturday January 10
Huntington Ballroom
Reformer room + mat room
7.15am - 8.00am
Barre to the Beat
with Clarissa Shepherd
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Get your heart rate up and your body moving in this energising low-impact cardio barre class, rooted in Pilates principles. Flow through dynamic, dance-inspired sequences set perfectly to the rhythm of the music—no matter the genre. Fun, uplifting, and accessible for all levels, it’s a workout that will leave you feeling strong, sweaty, and smiling.
Length: 45 minute mat class
Level: All levels
Equipment: Mat
Unilateral Edge
with Tracey Mallet
8.30am - 10.30am
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Discover the power of single-sided training in this innovative Reformer workshop with Tracey. Learn how to design creative, functional movement sequences that challenge stability, build strength, and improve balance through unilateral work. Tracey will share her signature approach to programming, giving you practical tools to address imbalances, enhance core connection, and bring fresh inspiration to your classes.
Length: 2-hour interactive workshop
Level: Intermediate
Equipment: Reformer
- Morning Coffee Break -
11.00am - 1.00pm
How Well Trained Is Your
Eye
with Maria Leone
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Seeing movement is one thing—interpreting it with accuracy and confidence is another. In this hands-on session, Maria will help you develop a sharper, more discerning eye as you observe real bodies in motion. Through live demonstrations and guided analysis, you’ll learn to identify alignment, form, and subtle compensations across different clients. The goal: to deepen your understanding of what’s truly happening on the reformer, and make more informed, effective corrections in your own teaching.
Length: 2-hour interactive workshop
Level: Intermediate
Equipment: Reformer
- Lunch -
Back It Up: Building a Better
Posterior Chain
with Amy Havens
2.00pm- 4.00pm
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Join Amy Havens for a dynamic workshop focused on building strength, mobility, and resilience through the posterior hip and back line of the body. Sitting for long periods can lead to tight hip flexors, weakened glutes, poor posture, and reduced mobility. This session explores how intentional, functional movement and Pilates-based strategies can decompress the hips, strengthen the glutes and hamstrings, and enhance daily performance. Amy will guide attendees through corrective exercises and functional movement patterns that improve alignment, prevent injury, and restore vitality to the body’s most powerful support system. Learn how the posterior chain keeps us upright, energized, and able to meet life’s demands with strength and ease. Perfect for instructors and movers alike, this workshop offers practical tools you can apply immediately in your sessions or classes.
Length: 2 hour workshop
Level: All levels
Equipment: Reformer
Classic Pilates for Today’s
Body
with Khetanya Henderson
4.30pm - 5.30pm
Reformer + Mat room
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Rooted in the original mat sequence created by Joseph Pilates, this class blends classical precision with the needs of modern bodies. You’ll move through the traditional order with rhythm, flow, and refined cueing—while addressing today’s common challenges like tech-driven posture, muscular imbalances, and a neglected posterior chain.
Expect intelligent modifications, purposeful transitions, and functional preps that build strength, awareness, and capacity over time. The result: a disciplined, energizing practice that leaves you taller, stronger, and more connected—honoring tradition while meeting your body where it is today.
Length: 1 hour mat class
Level: All levels
Equipment: Mat
Pacific Ballroom
Reformer room + mat room
Athletic Mat Fusion
with Andrea Speir
7.15am - 8.00am
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Get ready for a full-body, athletic mat workout that fuses classical Pilates precision with contemporary sculpting and strength training. Led by renowned instructor Andrea Speir, this session uses a looped resistance band to amplify every move—challenging your muscles, enhancing control, and delivering serious results.
Expect dynamic, musically driven sequences that target the core, glutes, shoulders, and legs while integrating balance, coordination, and functional strength. This class is designed to push you in all the right ways, leaving you feeling energized, strong, and deeply connected to your body. This athletic fusion delivers a smart, sweaty, full-body experience.
Length: 50 min mat class
Level: All levels
Equipment: Mat, Resistance Band
8.30am - 10.30am
Creative Formatting with
the Sitting Box
with Andrea Speir
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Discover the untapped potential of one of the Reformer’s most versatile tools—the sitting box—in this innovative workshop led by Andrea Speir. Blending the integrity of classical Pilates with contemporary creativity, Creative Formatting with the Sitting Box will challenge how you see, teach, and program with this essential prop.
Andrea will guide you through a range of dynamic sequences that honor the foundational principles of Pilates—control, precision, breath, flow—while offering new approaches that bring accessibility, variety, and depth to your sessions.
Expect thoughtful progressions, multi-level variations, and creative transitions designed to enhance strength, stability, and movement exploration. This is a practical, hands-on workshop that will leave you energized and equipped with fresh ideas for private sessions and group programming alike.
Length: 2-hour interactive workshop
Level: All levels
Equipment: None required
11.00am - 1.00pm
Get Stronger. Teach Smarter.
with Sean Bergara
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Get inspired to improve strength with Session One: Muscle Strength Focus. This interactive 2-hour session dives into upper and lower body reformer strength training. Developed by Sean Bergara, the session focuses on how to set up and perform foundational strength-based reformer exercises. You’ll walk away with the tools to structure safe, challenging, and systematic athletic conditioning classes on the reformer.
Length: 2 hour workshop
Level: All levels
Equipment: Reformer room
2.00pm- 4.00pm
How to support real bodies,
with real conditions
with Shelly Power
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In every Pilates class, you’ll meet clients who bring with them unique bodies and movement histories. Back pain, arthritis, osteoporosis, and joint replacements are just a few of the common conditions that can show up—and knowing how to confidently adapt your teaching makes all the difference.
Join Shelly for a 2-hour interactive workshop that will give you the knowledge and tools to create safe, effective, and inclusive group classes. Together, we’ll explore how these conditions impact movement, practice modifications that keep classes flowing, and refine cueing strategies that support both challenge and safety.
You’ll leave with greater confidence in managing a variety of conditions in group settings, along with practical tools to modify exercises seamlessly without disrupting class flow, plus creative ideas to keep clients of all levels engaged and successful.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:· Identify common conditions and pathologies frequently seen in group Pilates classes.
· Apply safe and effective modifications to Pilates exercises.
· Adapt class design and cueing to accommodate a range of abilities and needs.
· Recognize red flags and understand when to refer clients to a medical professional allowing you to work within your scope of practice.
· Foster an inclusive environment where all clients feel supported and empowered.
Whether you’re new to teaching or looking to refresh your skills, this workshop will expand your toolkit and help you make every client feel seen, supported, and empowered.
Length: 2 hour workshop
Level: All levels
Equipment: Reformer room
Centre stage: Mat for Movers
with Zola Williams
4.30pm - 5.30pm
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You don’t need a dance background to step into the spotlight in this dynamic mat session inspired by the strength and control of dancers. Zola will focus on strong, articulate feet, supported external rotation, hip mobility and stability, and length through the spine. Whether you’re a former performer or just love to move with intention, this class will help you tap into your movement intelligence, power, and precision.
Length: 1 hour mat class
Level: All levels
Equipment: Mat
Tides Ballroom
Business Panels + Mat
7.15am - 8.00am
All About Thass®
with Lesley Logan
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Get ready to discover (and feel) your Thass®—that magical spot where your leg meets your glutes. In this energizing class, you’ll learn targeted exercises to activate this connection, reduce hip clicking, and take the strain off your hip flexors.
Whether you’re a Pilates lover or an instructor, you’ll walk away with practical tools to help yourself or your clients find more strength and ease in Roll Ups, Teasers, and other challenging moves.
Length: 45 min mat class
Level: All levels
Equipment: Mat
8.30am - 9.30am
BUSINESS PANEL - What’s Next for Pilates: Are You Ready?
with Panelists
Jim Heidenreich, CEO Merrithew
Mohammed Iqbal, Chief Strategy Officer, ABC Fitness and CEO Sweatworks
Ken Endelman, CEO Balanced Body
Brent Anderson, CEO, Polestar Pilates
Sarah Luna, CEO, Pilates Addiction
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The Pilates industry is shifting fast. Are you ready to lead the change? In this forward‑looking session, industry experts unpack the bigger picture: global wellness trends, evolving client expectations, and how technology—from AI‑driven programming to hybrid models—is shaping the studios of the future. Learn how the most innovative businesses are staying competitive in a rapidly changing market and where the opportunities are for growth. You’ll leave with a clear understanding of what’s coming next and how to position your business to thrive in the next era of Pilates.
Duration: 55 mins
9.30am - 10.30am
BUSINESS PANEL: Uscreen
Sponsored by Uscreen
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Duration: 55 mins
Sponsored by Uscreen.
11.00am - 12.00pm
BUSINESS PANEL: Scaling your Pilates brand in a changing industry
with Panelists
Amy Jordan, Founder Pilates Addiction
Amanda Croce, Chief Marketing Officer, Club Pilates
Rachel Lea, CEO, Arketa
BodyBar Pilates, Matt McCollum
Reform RX, CEO, Yvette McGaffin
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As your business grows, how do you stay true to your values and community? This session is all about the practicalities of scaling: opening multiple locations, building a franchise model, or expanding your online presence while maintaining a consistent brand experience. Hear from leaders who have built thriving, multi‑layered businesses without losing the authenticity and culture that set them apart. You’ll gain tangible strategies around hiring, leadership, systems, and creating scalable operations so you can confidently take your Pilates brand to the next level—without compromising your connection to your clients.
BUSINESS PANEL: The Integrity Equation: Protecting Quality in a Booming Pilates Market
with Panelists
12.00pm - 1.00pm
Shannon Fable, Merrithew VP Education
Carrie Samper, Head of Education Equinox
Tracey Mallet, Founder Pilates Next
Anita Horry, Anita Horry Education
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With rapid growth comes responsibility. As Pilates expands at unprecedented speed, how do we ensure the foundations of the method - precision, purpose, and integrity - remain at the heart of this rapid expansion? This discussion brings together leading voices in the industry to explore what quality means in today’s marketplace, how to maintain it across studios and training pathways, and why staying true to Pilates principles is the ultimate differentiator in a crowded industry.
2.00pm- 4.00pm
Arm Back Connection
with Lesley Logan
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Tired of straining your wrists and elbows—or hearing “shoulders down” without really knowing what it means? It’s time to go deeper.
In this targeted workshop with Lesley Logan, you’ll learn how to spot disconnects, properly set clients up for success, and finally understand the why behind the cues. Say goodbye to generic instructions and hello to smart, effective teaching.
Through guided practice, you'll explore the true mechanics of arm-to-back integration using Pilates exercises that bring this connection to life. You’ll gain practical tools to help your clients (or yourself) move with more ease, power, and control—and even fall in love with exercises you may have previously avoided.
It’s not just about pulling the shoulders down—it’s about teaching movement that actually works.
Length: 2 hour workshop
Level: All levels
Equipment: Mat
4.15pm - 5.45pm
Empowered Pregnancy: Prenatal Mat Mastery
with Clarissa Shepherd
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Join Clarissa for a practical and inspiring workshop designed to help instructors confidently support clients through every stage of pregnancy. This session will explore safe and effective prenatal mat exercises, modifications for each trimester, and strategies to maintain strength, mobility, and comfort. Perfect for teachers wanting to expand their knowledge and ensure expectant clients feel empowered, supported, and seen.
Length: 1.5 hour workshop
Level: All levels
Equipment: Mat
Networking Drinks
6.30pm
Sponsored by
Day 2 - Sunday January 11
Huntington Ballroom
Reformer + Mat room
Sculpt and Flow
with Tracey Mallett
7.15am - 8.00am
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A dynamic total-body fusion class that blends classical and contemporary Pilates-based exercises with sculpting movements inspired by barre. This energizing class transitions seamlessly between standing and floor work to challenge balance, stability, and strength. Expect a flow that tones, stretches, and strengthens—while keeping your core engaged and your body moving with intention.
Perfect for those who love variety, precision, and a little burn with their breath work.Length: 1 hour workshop
Level: Advanced
Equipment: Reformer
Pilates Heat - Strength and
Sculpt
with Tracey Mallett
8.30am - 10.30am
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Turn up the intensity with Athletic Pilates Heat, a dynamic workshop that fuses cardio, strength, and classical Pilates precision. Using the jump board for powerful, heart-pumping intervals, we’ll mix in weights and contemporary fitness flows to challenge strength, endurance, and coordination. Designed for intermediate to advanced movers, this workshop will show you how to seamlessly combine jumping drills, strength sequences, and Pilates principles to create a high-energy, level 3 experience that pushes boundaries while staying rooted in control and alignment.
Length: 2-hour interactive workshop
Level: Intermediate
Equipment: Reformer
- Morning Coffee Break -
The Future of Pilates:
Evolving with the modern client
with Andrea Speir
11.00am - 1.00pm
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Join world-renowned Pilates educator Andrea Speir for a dynamic Reformer workshop that explores how to adapt your teaching for today’s evolving client. As the industry grows, so does the need to meet modern movers—people who are time-poor, tech-savvy, and seeking intelligent, results-driven sessions that support longevity.
- Lunch -
Introducing Club Pilates
Circuit
with Marilyn Harder
2.00pm- 3.00pm
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Experience Club Pilates' newest class format, CP Circuit, launching nationally and internationally at the start of 2026! Circuit takes your favorite flow and organizes it into a heart-pumping Pilates adventure. Delivered in three progressive rounds, this dynamic, full-body class combines strength, mobility, and just the right amount of cardio across your favorite Pilates apparatus, keeping your body challenged and your mind engaged from start to finish.
Length: 1 hour workshop
Level: All levels
Equipment: Reformer
- Afternoon Coffee Break -
3.30pm - 4.30pm
Maria’s Flow: A Pro Reformer
Class
with Maria Leone
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Experience Maria’s signature flow in a high-level reformer class designed for seasoned instructors. Expect seamless transitions, intelligent sequencing, and a powerful movement experience that challenges and inspires. This session brings together everything Maria is known for: dynamic pacing, creative programming, and a deep connection to the method. Come ready to move, learn, and experience the art of flow in a room full of like-minded professionals.
Length: 55 minute reformer class
Level: Advanced
Equipment: ReformerExpect intelligent modifications, purposeful transitions, and functional preps that build strength, awareness, and capacity over time. The result: a disciplined, energizing practice that leaves you taller, stronger, and more connected—honoring tradition while meeting your body where it is today.
Length: 1 hour mat class
Level: All levels
Equipment: Mat
Pacific Ballroom
In-Tension ™ (yin mat class)
with Amy Havens
7.15am - 8.00am
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Amy Havens’ In-Tension™ mat class blends yin-style stillness, fascial release, and Pilates-inspired strength. This unique class is designed to ease restrictions, restore movement, and promote an internal sense of space and calm. Through a combination of gentle oscillations, held postures, and deep stretch work, participants will tap into the body's natural rhythms—creating a sense of grounding and release. Inspired by Amy’s extensive experience with Pilates and love of slow, intentional shapes, this class invites you to move with less force and more presence. Expect to feel light, expansive, and centered by the end. In-Tension™ is ideal for anyone looking to counterbalance intensity with introspection—offering a perfect reset for both the body and mind.
Length: 1 hour mat class
Level: All levels
Equipment: MatLength: 45 minute mat class
Level: All levels
Equipment: Mat
Target. Train. Transform. Muscle Sets.
with Sean Bergara
8.30am - 10.30am
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This 2-hour session gives you a deep dive into how to structure athletic reformer classes using specific training sets—ideal for instructors ready to design more advanced or specialized programming. Learn how to group and sequence exercises to safely challenge clients while staying aligned with performance and rehabilitation goals.
Length: 2 hour workshop
Level: All levels
Equipment: Reformer room
11.00am - 1.00pm
Rhythm and Flow Reimagined
with Maria Leone
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“Correctly executed and mastered to the point of subconscious reaction, these exercises will reflect grace and balance in your routine activities.” – Joseph Pilates
“Contrology will help you acquire that natural rhythm and co ordination associated with all subconscious activities.” – Joseph Pilates
“You must always do Pilates with rhythm and control. The rhythm keep it flowing and gives life to the movement.”- Romana Krysanowska
“Pilates has a dance-like quality. It’s meant to move, not be mechanical.”- Kathy Grant
Discover the power of rhythm and flow in this dynamic two-hour workshop that bridges the roots of Pilates with contemporary creativity.
We’ll begin by tracing rhythm back to its origins in Joe Pilates’ original work, exploring traditional exercises performed with his intended tempo and control. You’ll experience the natural pace and cadence built into the classical method and learn why rhythm was considered essential for grace, coordination, and mastery.
Next, we’ll shift into building short flows on the Reformer—seamlessly blending traditional and contemporary exercises to create purposeful, progressive sequences. You’ll gain tools for designing workouts that suit both your teaching style and your clients’ needs, whether you favor precision, artistry, or athleticism.
We’ll conclude by stepping beyond the traditional Pilates framework, performing an expressive flow to music. This closing movement sequence becomes a playful, artistic exploration—part Pilates, part dance—inviting you to experience the joy of pure movement.
This workshop celebrates both the old and the new, empowering you to honor tradition while making it your own.
Length: 2-hour interactive workshop
Level: Intermediate/Advanced
Equipment: ReformerLength: 2 hour workshop
Level: All levels
Equipment: Reformer room
2.00pm- 3.00pm
Mixed-Levels Mastered:
Making Every Student Feel Challenged and Supported
with Maria Bardet
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What really makes students come back to class? How can we balance novelty with education, and challenge with accessibility? In this workshop, we’ll explore how to create classes where every student leaves feeling accomplished, motivated, and eager to return.
From the perspective of both a teacher and a studio owner, you’ll learn how to:
· Structure and teach multi-level group classes so students of all experience levels feel successful, while making your teaching work feel more effective and fulfilling.
· Strike the right balance between challenge and accessibility to keep all students progressing without leaving anyone behind.
· Implement practical strategies for common challenges in teaching multi-level classes, making your teaching feel smoother.
· Create a consistent class experience across all teachers on the team, so your studio builds a reputation for consistency -- delivering high quality experiences while valuing teachers’ individuality.
· Develop a studio-wide class structure, so students can move seamlessly between teachers and feel supported studio-wide.
This workshop is designed to be an intersection for both teachers and studio owners — giving teachers the tools to elevate their classes and helping studio owners build a unified, collaborative team that keeps classes full and students loyal.
Join Shelly for a 2-hour interactive workshop that will give you the knowledge and tools to create safe, effective, and inclusive group classes. Together, we’ll explore how these conditions impact movement, practice modifications that keep classes flowing, and refine cueing strategies that support both challenge and safety.
You’ll leave with greater confidence in managing a variety of conditions in group settings, along with practical tools to modify exercises seamlessly without disrupting class flow, plus creative ideas to keep clients of all levels engaged and successful.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:· Identify common conditions and pathologies frequently seen in group Pilates classes.
· Apply safe and effective modifications to Pilates exercises.
· Adapt class design and cueing to accommodate a range of abilities and needs.
· Recognize red flags and understand when to refer clients to a medical professional allowing you to work within your scope of practice.
· Foster an inclusive environment where all clients feel supported and empowered.
Whether you’re new to teaching or looking to refresh your skills, this workshop will expand your toolkit and help you make every client feel seen, supported, and empowered.
Length: 2 hour workshop
Level: All levels
Equipment: Reformer room
Tides Ballroom
Mat and Business Panels
7.15am - 8.00am
Empowered with props: Pilates with Support
with Khetanya Henderson
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This isn’t your average “prop class.” In Empowered by Props, we use small tools — like the magic circle, ball, light weights, and resistance band — to clarify, not complicate.
Rooted in the classical mat sequence, props become intentional feedback tools to support alignment, deepen powerhouse engagement, increase challenge without losing form, and reveal hidden habits. Rather than changing the method, they illuminate it—making exercises more accessible for some, and more intense for others.
You’ll leave with a fresh perspective on movements you thought you knew.
Length: 1 hour mat class
Level: All levels
Equipment: Mat
8.30am - 9.30am
BUSINESS PANEL: The State of the Pilates Industry
with Lise Kuecker
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The Pilates industry is evolving faster than ever, with new opportunities opening up for studios, teachers, and educators. In this session, Studio Grow’s Lisa Kuecker will break down the biggest shifts we’re seeing right now—from the rise of reformer studios and digital learning to changing client expectations and fresh business models.
You’ll discover what’s fueling growth, where the opportunities are, and how you can adapt your approach to thrive in the years ahead. Whether you’re building your first studio or leading a global team, this session will give you the clarity and confidence to stay ahead of the curve.
BUSINESS PANEL: One Thing That Changes Everything
with Panelists
9.30am - 10.30am
Jenna Zaffino, JZ Pilates
Jen Martinelli, Core Collab
Roz Norman, Pilates & Co.
Seran Glanfield, Spring Three
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What’s the one lesson every instructor or studio owner needs to hear? In this intimate, no‑fluff session, industry leaders will share the single most powerful piece of advice, strategy, or insight they’ve learned on their journey. From the mistakes they’ll never repeat to the practices that transformed their businesses and teaching careers, you’ll walk away with key takeaways you can apply immediately. This is your chance to hear the wisdom they wish they’d had when starting out—and use it to move forward with confidence and clarity.
Duration: 55 mins
11.00am - 1.00pm
The Art of Cueing
with Nicky Lal
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This in-person workshop is designed for Pilates instructors who want to sharpen both their verbal and tactile cueing skills, with a strong focus on clarity, adaptability, and confidence. You’ll get hands-on experience teaching challenging exercises, receive real-time feedback, and explore how the same cue can land differently depending on the body you're working with.
By the end of the session, you'll leave with a refined approach to teaching and the confidence to work with a variety of body types and movement styles. We’ll wrap up with a Q&A to address any questions about cueing, teaching, or programming.
Length: 2 Hour workshop
Level: All levels
Equipment: Mat
2.00pm- 4.00pm
Why Your Clients Don’t Get It
***WORLD PREMIERE
with Lesley Logan
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Teaching Pilates isn’t just about demonstrating an exercise—it’s about making sure your clients truly understand what you’re asking them to do. In this dynamic session, Lesley Logan will unpack why your explanations sometimes fall flat, even with your best intentions.
Length: 2 hour workshop
Level: All levels
Equipment: All equipment
Speakers
More to come soon…
Partners
“What an incredible experience. The Pilates Journal Expo was packed with inspiration, learning and connection. I'm walking away with so many valuable insights.”
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FAQs
If you have any questions you can reach out via email or read our FAQs.
attendees@pilatesjournalexpo.com
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The Waterfront Beach Resort, a Hilton Hotel, California, USA just 20 minutes from LA airport.
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Your ticket includes:
Two days of inspiring workshops and panels
Morning mat and movement classes with world-class educators
Catering across both days: tea & coffee, morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea
Access to the Exhibitor Showcase, featuring leading industry brands
Entry to the Networking Drinks event
Opportunities to connect with presenters, brands, and fellow Pilates professionals.
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The Pilates Journal Expo is open to Pilates instructors, enthusiasts, and anyone interested in learning more about Pilates. All levels are welcome!
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Attendees can expect to learn new Pilates techniques, teaching methods, and insights from industry experts. There are also opportunities to network with fellow Pilates professionals.
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Yes, we often offer early bird discounts and group rates for attendees. Check our website or contact our registration team for more details.
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Absolutely! The expo will feature a variety of vendors showcasing the latest Pilates equipment, apparel, and accessories on the market.
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Email info@pilatesjournalexpo.com and we’ll share further details on how you can book with the Waterfront Beach hotel in Huntington Beach.
