Instructor Trainer bios

Melissa's passion for movement in its many forms began at an early age with gymnastics, swimming, diving, and dance lessons. She trained in classical ballet and modern dance and has performed professionally in Minneapolis, MN and the Bay area. Melissa began studying Pilates in 2000 and found it to be a powerful supplement to her dance training. She began her STOTT PILATES^® training in 2007 and completed her full certification in 2012. In 2013, she became an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® specializing in STOTT PILATES. Melissa is trained in Injuries and Special Populations and loves working with people of diverse movement backgrounds and fitness levels. She believes that movement has the potential to heal the body and mind; her goal as a movement facilitator and teacher is to guide people toward greater freedom and joy in movement and to healthier lives.

Melissa is the owner of mind.art.core PILATES PERFORMANCE, rated the Chicago Reader’s “Best Of” Pilates Studio 2014, 2016 and 2017. Having received her training at the Merrithew^® Corporate Training Center in Toronto, she began teaching as an Instructor Trainer in Toronto, and is now a Lead Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® at her host site in Chicago. Melissa has taught throughout the US, in New Zealand and in South Korea. Melissa is proud to be an IT not only for STOTT PILATES^® Matwork & Reformer, Cadillac, Chairs & Barrels and ISP, but in Merrithew's other branded programs, Total Barre^® and ZEN•GA^® Mat. She has trained extensively in injuries and special populations, Pre and Post-natal, is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and the creator of m.a.c. Pilates for Kids! She has been highlighted in Wellness Magazine for her Pilates for kids program, on CTV’s Breakfast Television and is currently publishing a book. Melissa earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre at York University in Toronto, and in 2010, received her Masters Degree in Contemporary Performance from the Buddhist-inspired Naropa University, specializing in Body Mind Centering Techniques and experiential anatomy. Her creativity is witnessed through her classes, which are innovative and challenge the boundaries of Pilates and functional fitness. From the novice to advanced, post-rehab to the elite athlete, Melissa is able to weave her knowledge of biomechanics with her creativity and energy, creating fun, efficient and transforming sessions. Melissa is active as a Movement Director for various theatre companies in Chicago and has written and produced a comedic web series about a Pilates studio, called, "The Studio." You can find Seasons 1 and 2 here: www.thestudiowebseries.com

Melissa Noble is a movement specialist focused on both the performing and the healing arts. In addition to her work as an Instructor, dancer and choreographer, Melissa is a Certified Instructor and Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® specializing in STOTT PILATES^®. She is also a Licensed Massage Therapist, who has been assisting clients with injuries using therapeutic massage and Pilates since 1996. Currently on Faculty at the University of Houston School of Theatre and Dance, she opened Bodycenter Studios in Washington in 1999, which became the first Merrithew Licensed Training Center in Seattle. After moving to Bloomington in 2007, Melissa opened Bodycenter Bloomington and started one of the first STOTT PILATES Certification courses in a University setting at Indiana University in the Dance Department.

Melissa first encountered STOTT PILATES^® rehabilitating an injury she incurred as a young professional dancer. Once retired from dance, she pursued a career in massage therapy specializing in brain/spinal cord trauma and athletics. She has worked with many national sports teams and both Olympic and professional athletes.

When her massage therapy career was coming to an end, she began training as a Pilates Instructor at Calgary Pilates in 2006. In 2007, she proceeded to open re:focus PILATES in Canmore, Alberta, Canada. Her post-rehabilitation and athletic skills attracted the attention of the national biathlon and Nordic ski teams, and she proceeded to work as a strength and functional movement coach.

A move to Calgary enabled Melissa to finally pursue her goal of becoming an Instructor Trainer in 2016, and she's now Certified in Matwork & Reformer, CCB and Total Barre^®.

Melissa Wong is the co-founder and Education Director of Pilatique Pilates Studio, set up in 2005 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Pilatique in Singapore in 2011. She has always been a fitness and dance enthusiast and started her career in the fitness arena in 2000 working with Nike, Les Mills, Fitness First and others, giving her the opportunity to travel and present in dance and Pilates. Melissa first became an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® in 2008 and brought Pilatique Malaysia and Singapore to become a Licensed Training Centers in 2008 and 2016 respectively.

Melissa is a bilingual instructor in English and Chinese. She has presented Merrithew workshops at the Asia Fitness Convention 2010 and 2011 in Thailand, assisted during the 2013 Merrithew Mindful Movement World Tour at Shanghai and presented in ChinaFit 2016 in Beijing, Tianjin and Shenzhen in the same year.

Melissa enjoys learning and sharing her knowledge and coaching her students and Pilatique's team of physiotherapists and strives also to be a good mother and wife. Melissa is a grounded and ambitious little dot.