Instructor Trainer bios
The members of our esteemed team of Pilates Instructor Trainers are accomplished and internationally sought-after educators known for their comprehensive knowledge, dedication and professionalism. Each hold full certification in the STOTT PILATES® method and have achieved additional designations to complement their training.
A diverse group, they come from varied backgrounds including physical therapy, exercise science, athletic therapy, dance, and group and personal fitness training to name a few. Every member of the team strives to uphold the highest standards of training that have been developed worldwide.
Daniela Gonzalez Ares
COMPLETE BODY movement
Dublin, Ireland
IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork & Reformer, Cadillac, Chair, & Barrels, ISP; Total Barre®, ZEN•GA® Mat
Additional credentials and designations
Certified Gyrotonic Instructor, Certified Yoga Instructor, Massage Therapist and Pink Ribbon Instructor
Bio
Daniela González Ares is a Lead Instructor Trainer for Merrithew® specializing in STOTT PILATES®, Total Barre® and ZEN•GA® and is owner of Complete Body Movement in Ireland a Merrithew Licensed Training Center. Residing in Dublin since 1994, Daniela (called Dani by friends and family), was born to Spanish parents in the Netherlands and is a fluent speaker in various languages. She has always been interested in sport, particularly in swimming, karate, gymnastics and horse riding. Unfortunately Daniela suffered a horse-riding accident in her early twenties, which indirectly led her back to the gym, and a move to Ireland led her to STOTT PILATES. Daniela owns a personal training and Pilates Studio called AJNA in Dublin, is a certified gyrotonic instructor, certified yoga instructor, massage therapist and pink ribbon instructor. In 2012 Daniela received the award for Outstanding Personal Achievement by Merrithew.
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Danyelle Millar
The Pilates Body
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork & Reformer, Cadillac, Chair, & Barrels; CORE™
Bio
Former dancer and competitive swimmer, Danyelle was first introduced to Pilates by The Pilates Body Director, Connie Ierullo in 2000, where she has been a member of the teaching staff since 2002. Danyelle is an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew®, specializing in STOTT PILATES® and CORE™. She instructs the Matwork, Reformer, and Cadillac, Chair, and Barrels courses. Continuing to further her education, she is currently completing an Honours BSc in Life Sciences at the University of Toronto and the American Council on Exercise (ACE) accreditation as a Personal Trainer. Danyelle is driven to help clients achieve their goals and has worked with clients of all ages and abilities, but she finds it most fulfilling when teaching clients with specific needs or injuries. After the birth of her first child Danyelle and a difficult recovery, she has shifted her energy to teach Prenatal & Postnatal Pilates & Fitness. She helps to promote the benefits of exercise during pregnancy and enjoyment moms can experience while exercising with their babies.
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Darcy McMurray
Floating
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork & Reformer, Cadillac, Chair, & Barrels
Bio
With an extensive background in dancing and a fascination with the intricacies of the human body, Darcy easily embraced her Pilates practice when she began studying it in 2001 at the Merrithew® Corporate Training Center in Toronto. By 2003, she was asked to join the company as an Instructor Trainer and her career took off with international travel to represent Merrithew as an Instructor Trainer at workshops and exams. She also played an intrinsic role in the development of Merrithew’s DVDs, manuals and other course materials for STOTT PILATES®. She continues to attend workshops and study anatomy to further deepen her understanding of mindful movement.
David Freker
DFX Pilates
Sacramento, California, USA
IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork & Reformer, Cadillac, Chair, & Barrels, ISP
Additional credentials and designations
ACE Personal Trainer, BS and MS in Electrical Engineering
Bio
With Bachelors and Masters degrees in Electrical Engineering, David worked for fifteen years designing computer chips for Intel Corporation. He was first introduced to Pilates in 2000 by a Physical Therapist as a cross training method for cycling and mountain bike racing. With a strong technical background, he was fascinated with the precision, biomechanics and effectiveness of the method. He pursued instructor training with several organizations before choosing the STOTT PILATES® method and becoming a fully certified instructor. Passionate about Pilates, David changed career paths and became a STOTT PILATES® Instructor Trainer in 2004. After teaching the program in Northern California for several years, he founded DFX Pilates which serves as the Merrithew® Licensed Training Center for the Sacramento region. David became a Merrithew Lead Instructor Trainer in 2016.
Deborah Degano
Berliner Pilates
Berlin, Germany
IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork & Reformer
Additional credentials and designations
B.A. in Ballet & Modern Dance from the Dance Academy in Milan, Italy; Musical Fitness Instructor for F.I.F. (Fitness Italian Federation); Professional Theatre Acting Diploma
Bio
Deborah discovered Pilates while obtaining a professional degree in Ballet and Modern Dance from the Dance Academy in Milan, Italy.
She started her STOTT PILATES® training with Merrithew® Lead Instructor Trainer Claudia Fink at Pilates Italia® and in 2009 moved to Germany where she continued to focus on her Pilates education. In 2011, she became a STOTT PILATES Certified Instructor and immediately founded the Berliner Pilates Studio, where she enjoys training clients of all levels in the vibrant multicultural environment of Berlin.
She became a Merrithew Instructor Trainer in 2019, specializing in STOTT PILATES Matwork & Reformer. In addition to teaching Pilates and running her studio, Deborah is still passionate and active in many dance performance projects that are regularly presented at the independent art venues of Berlin.
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