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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.

Lisa Palmer
The Movement Lab
Cape Town, South Africa

IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork & Reformer, Cadillac, Chair, & Barrels, ISP; ZEN•GA® Mat; Total Barre®

Bio

Lisa decided to pursue her passion of movement and the human body by becoming fully STOTT PILATES® certified in 2005 and then an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew® specialising in STOTT PILATES the following year. In 2016, Lisa received special recognition as a Merrithew Lead Instructor Trainer for STOTT PILATES, she is also a Lead Instructor Trainer for ZEN•GA® and Total Barre®.

Lisa is the founder and owner of The Movement Lab, Cape Town. Her studio is the only Merrithew Licensed Training centre in Africa, where she also offers music-driven, challenging and creative Pilates classes.

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Lucy Garcia
Floating
San Diego, California, USA

IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork & Reformer, Cadillac, Chair, & Barrels, ISP

Additional credentials and designations
200 hour yoga certification

Bio

Lucy started as a personal trainer and aerobics instructor in her native England, but her connection to the performing arts brought her to LA in 1990. She discovered Pilates in 1995 when dancing with a modern dance company. Lucy has been teaching Pilates for 20 years and completed her STOTT PILATES® training at the Corporate Training Center in Toronto. In 2004 she became an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew® specializing in STOTT PILATES, and continued her training by qualifying as an Instructor in CORE Athletic Conditioning & Performance Training. She has trained student instructors in San Diego and Los Angeles. Lucy specializes in both therapeutic and post-rehabilitation Pilates and athletic performance. After suffering a traumatic back injury in 2003, she passionately completed an extensive series of back therapy courses, all of which incorporate the latest research findings.

Lynn Yan
The Orange Room
Shanghai, China

IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork & Reformer

Additional credentials and designations
ZEN∙GA® Qualified Instructor, Halo® Training Qualified Instructor, ACE Certified Personal Trainer, RYT

Bio

Lynn has always been passionate about sports. Since high school, she competed on her school's volleyball team but was forced to stop due to a disc herniation in her lumbar area. Seeking a solution, she found relief from the numbness in her leg and lower back pain through yoga practice. This experience inspired her to pursue a career where she could assist others. Lynn completed yoga teacher training and began teaching in 2014. After her first STOTT PILATES® training in 2017, she was inspired by its theory and structure, which introduced her to new ideas and teaching approaches.

For Lynn, practicing and teaching Pilates requires wisdom, which helps her set a positive attitude to life. She recognizes the profound impact of physical health and spiritual balance on the quality of life and is dedicated to helping others achieve this harmony through Pilates.

In 2023, Lynn became a Merrithew® Instructor Trainer, specializing in STOTT PILATES Mat and Reformer. She continuously enhances her knowledge in health and wellness, studying Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture, body meridian therapy and other training methods. Lynn's goal is to help more people understand and practice Pilates, experiencing its benefits for a pain-free life.

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Lyudmyla Arefyeva
Pilates Italia
Milan, Italy

IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork & Reformer, Cadillac, Chair, & Barrels; CORE™, ZEN•GA® Mat

Bio

Lyudmyla has been working in the fitness industry since 1996, and in 2006 she received her first STOTT PILATES® Certification. In 2011 she became an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew® specializing in STOTT PILATES and currently works at Pilates Italia, the Licensed Training Center in Italy. She also runs her own Pilates studio in Grosseto, Italy.

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Maki Fujiwara
Bcube
Osaka, Japan

IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork & Reformer; Total Barre®

Bio

Maki graduated from the Kobe College Music Department with a B.A. in Dance. While in college, she studied classical ballet (the Graham Technique), and also began to study Pilates and anatomy. After graduating from college, she received her STOTT PILATES® Full Certification and is currently working as an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew® specializing in STOTT PILATES and Total Barre® at the Licensed Training Center Bcube in Osaka, Japan. With her passion for dance, Maki loves to incorporate elements of dance performance into her lessons which has enabled her to share her knowledge with students when teaching at the Takarazuka Musical Academy.

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