Welcome James

James is a new addition to the Pilates East team. Some of you may have met him already, but for those who haven’t, we sat down with James recently to talk all things Pilates…

Tell us about how you got into Pilates?

I initially started Mat Pilates in 2003 as part of a dance degree at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds in my early 20’s. Skip forward to 2008 when I did my first mat training with Michael king and another with Stott Pilates shortly after. By 2011 I had a teaching gig at the same dance school that I trained at. Its been quite a journey. I started my reformer and studio training around that same time with Polestar Pilates which was founded by Physiotherspist Brent Anderson and Feldenkrais practitioner Elizabeth Larkam and I also went on to qualify as a Feldenkrais practitioner in 2023. (Feldenkrais is a form of somatic movement education)

How would you describe your teaching style?

Predominantly Mindful and Somatic (I.e the sensing and feeling of the body from the inside) Fun with a sprinkling of really bad Dad jokes. I’m a firm believer that we learn better when we are relaxed and at ease.

What do you love most about Pilates?

That feeling at the end of class. Feeling 10ft tall, calmer, stronger and more focused. Its such a unique connection of the whole self, with amazing, quite strange, arrangements of the body which are so valuable to my physical & mental health. For me a regular practise is self care.

Three favourite exercises?

Only 3? Snake and Twist, The Gymnast, Semi-Circle. They hit all the planes of movement in really full body integrations!!

If you could only use one piece of Apparatus, what would it be?

The Reformer – it’s definitely the most versatile.

One interesting fact we might not know about you?
I once worked on a music video with Corinne Bailey-Rae. Such a wonderful student and very generous. It was great fun.

What motivates you?
My insanely nerdy curiosity about the moving body and neuroplasticity.

And lastly, why should everyone do Pilates?
Ask any regular Pilates goer – it genuinely enhances people’s lives. People are enjoying their bodies and they’re active lives so much more and for for so much longer … and when things go wrong it’s there to help you back on track.