Instructor Trainers

Jo-Anne discovered Pilates while completing her MA at New York University. She went on to become a Merrithew^® Lead Instructor Trainer and has extended her passion for movement into completing a Diploma for Osteopathic Manual Therapy. Jo-Anne incorporates her osteopathy knowledge into her work with clients, boosting their awareness and perception of movement. She is also the mother of busy twin girls whom she says often remind her to live mindfully and fully.

Jolanda has a passion for movement and for the last 12 years, specifically in the Pilates method. After years of study, she became a physical education teacher at a high school, specializing in a number of different sports and especially in dance. During that time, she developed remedial after-school teaching programs as well as studying massage therapy. She has a great interest in anatomy and is fascinated by fascia and how it can be integrated in a Pilates program. As an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® specializing in STOTT PILATES^® and Total Barre^®, Jolanda has a passion for sharing her knowledge with students and teachers. She is the owner of K'dans, currently the only Licensed Training Center in The Netherlands where she teaches a variety of fitness modalities, with STOTT PILATES as the base for all movement.

Josefin has been working full time with Pilates and movement for nearly ten years. She was born in Sweden where she actively trained in gymnastics until her mid-teens. While living in London in her early 20's she began suffering from back pain. It was then that she discovered Pilates and its amazing power to heal and strengthen the body. In 2005 she moved to the US and became a certified STOTT PILATES^® Instructor. Two years later, she became an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® specializing in STOTT PILATES. In 2009 she opened her own studio in Malmö, Sweden: Movement Studio Malmö. Her studio is flourishing, and she enjoys training clients at all levels as well as running STOTT PILATES Instructor Trainer courses.

Judy began her active lifestyle as a competitive ballroom dancer in Zimbabwe, and also as a member of the Zimbabwe National Aerobics team. She became a STOTT PILATES^® Certified Instructor in 2001 and an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® specializing in STOTT PILATES in 2008. Judy draws on her degree in applied nutrition, as well as her experience with personal training, therapeutic massage and injury rehabilitation when working with her Pilates clients. She particularly enjoys working with students as they prepare for their examinations, and considers Postural Analysis and correction to be her passion.

Stella started practicing Pilates in 2011 using the STOTT PILATES^® method to ease back pain stemming from her pregnancy. Her back pain disappeared within a few months, and she was intrigued by the effectiveness of Pilates and wanted to learn more. In 2014, she took her first STOTT PILATES training program and became a STOTT PILATES Certified Instructor in 2015.

Since then, she has continued to learn and explore the STOTT PILATES method as well as other forms of human movement science, such as the Kinetic Control, Franklin Method^® and Feldenkrais Method.

In 2020, she became a Merrithew^® Instructor Trainer specializing in STOTT PILATES. She believes that the power and knowledge of movement can help everyone achieve his/her best quality of life.

Julie was introduced to the STOTT PILATES^® method in 2007 during rehab for an ACL injury. She became a Certified Instructor in 2008 and in 2013, became an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® specializing in STOTT PILATES. Julie is passionate for dance and education and is dedicated to help people by spreading the STOTT PILATES method throughout Korea. Since suffering from an injury while training as a dancer, she has become aware that many dance students are not exposed to proper rehab or training for movement. It is her intent therefore, to bring the STOTT PILATES method to local students and clients. In 2021, she became a Merrithew Lead IT.

Julie's love of body movement began at the age of four with classical ballet. Ballet has always given Julie the discipline, focus, and passion to explore many different avenues in the physical fitness industry which finally lead her to Pilates. Julie began her career as a Fully Certified STOTT PILATES^® Pilates instructor in June 2010. Immediately following her certification, she was employed at the Merrithew^® Corporate Training Center and Head Office in Toronto, Canada. Continuously being inspired by her peers, her clients, and her passion for Pilates have all driven Julie to take her education to the next level; becoming an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew specializing in STOTT PILATES Matwork and Reformer. Julie currently teaches in both French and English in the French Riviera.

Julie became an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® specializing in STOTT PILATES^® Rehab in 2009. Coming from an athletic background, Julie learned first-hand how injuries can affect one’s quality of life, and now works as a physical therapist, athletic trainer and STOTT PILATES Instructor in a variety of settings. She has combined these diverse fields into a unique way of re-educating the body and neuromuscular system. Julie has worked with a wide variety of clients, including college and high school athletes, hospital acute care patients and orthopedic outpatients. She has recently developed a lecture / lab series that will help enhance equestrians performance by integrating STOTT PILATES into a daily exercise regime.

Jungyi’s introduction to STOTT PILATES^® began during her recovery from a back injury. Having been a swimmer for 15 years, she discovered a remarkable synergy between swimming and STOTT PILATES, which proved highly effective in aiding her recovery and helping to surpass her performance goals. Eager to share these benefits with her swimming teammates, she pursued a STOTT PILATES Certification in 2019.

Since earning her certification, Jungyi has dedicated time to delve deeper into Pilates by creating personalized programs for athletes and other clients. She also leads Pilates classes and delivers anatomy lectures to students aspiring to become STOTT PILATES Instructors, following the teaching methods established by Merrithew^®.

Jungyi is dedicated to fostering excellence in education at Breathe Pilates & Fitness, empowering students to achieve a STOTT PILATES Certification. Furthermore, she actively promotes the benefits of the STOTT PILATES Method among Certified Instructors, encouraging their ongoing growth and fostering a rewarding sense of achievement.

Kanako has been involved in physical training for most of her life and was trained in ballet, jazz dance, and modern dance since early childhood. She turned to Pilates after a lower back injury as a means of conditioning and improving her strength. She immediately fell in love with it and since then, her passion hasn't changed. She trained in the STOTT PILATES^® method in Canada, Tokyo and Hong Kong and in 2006 she received her Certification as an Instructor. She went on to become a Lead Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® specializing in STOTT PILATES. In 2013, Kanako assisted with the World Tour stop in Japan and has taught Instructors in Singapore and Malaysia. A Certified Gyrotonic^® Trainer, she enjoys working with Instructors and clients helping them achieve their goals.