Pilates Chicago Community

Hey Friends,
I’m dropping out for a bit for a social media detox.

It has been so healing to be on here connecting with all of you while our family is coping with everything we’ve been going through here, but it’s time for me to reel in the screen time and put my energy in my present time and space💗

Please reach out to me the old fashioned way and let’s spend some irl time together!

I’m back to teaching my Sat morning Mat and Equipment Circuit classes, too, so maybe I’ll get to see you there in-person or on Zoom ✨💪

With deep gratitude,
Jen 💕

Energize Your Heart and Awaken Your Whole Body! |QIGONG| |CORE| |PILATES| This full body exercise series fuses elements of qigong to energize the heart while stretching and strengthening. Adding Qi-focused intention and meridian s...

Help Jennifer Golden Fight Stage IV Cancer!!, organized by Gianine DeFrancesco Our dear friend Jennifer Golden is entering into another fight again… Gianine DeFrancesco needs your support for Help Jennifer Golden Fight Stage IV Cancer!!

[Today] Wedneday Back Care Class: Unfurl The Upper Spine - http://eepurl.com/h3WxKz

What is your favorite exercise! Sat 10:30, I’m taking requests! Join me in person or on Zoom for a Whole Body Dynamic Mat Class. Wed Back Care class this week will focus on: HIPS!

It Happens To The Best Of Us… - http://eepurl.com/h3fQMH

What is your favorite exercise! Sat 10:30, I’m taking requests! Join me in person or on Zoom for a Whole Body Dynamic Mat Class. Wed Back Care class this week will focus on: HIPS!

Reminder: The Breath Opens The Spine- ZOOM Tomorrow At Noon! - http://eepurl.com/h2QWgT

What Is Your Fave Pilates Exercise! Sat 10:30, I’m Taking Your Requests! - http://eepurl.com/h2BCK1

What is your favorite exercise! Sat 10:30, I’m taking requests! Join me in person or on Zoom for a Whole Body Dynamic Mat Class. Wed Back Care class this week will focus on: HIPS!

Reminder: No Class Today! Missed Wednesday Hip Class? Get The Recording - http://eepurl.com/h15czf

What is your favorite exercise! Sat 10:30, I’m taking requests! Join me in person or on Zoom for a Whole Body Dynamic Mat Class. Wed Back Care class this week will focus on: HIPS!

What Is Your Fave Pilates Exercise! Sat 10:30, I’m Taking Your Requests! - https://mailchi.mp/4335ddbaf251/pilates-in-the-park-5825367

What is your favorite exercise! Sat 10:30, I’m taking requests! Join me in person or on Zoom for a Whole Body Dynamic Mat Class. Wed Back Care class this week will focus on: HIPS!

Wednesday Back Care Class At Noon! This week? POSTURE HACKS! - https://mailchi.mp/1fc694c5a53f/pilates-in-the-park-5822051

Wednesday Back Care Class! This Week? Posture Hacks! Join me for a virtual class on Wednesdays at noon featuring different topics each week! Can’t make it? Order the recording!

Pilates Chicago Community updated their address.

Pilates in the Park THIS SATURDAY 10:30AM
We will meet at Warren Park (along the path adjacent to the golf course). See the map below and/or email me if you aren’t sure where it is.


Sat 10:30 AM IN THE PARK!!!! YAY!!!
*Venmo or Zelle (5 for $75 or $17 drop in)

Sun 10:00 AM: Virtual Open-Level Mat- abdominal focus

Mon: 10:30 AM: Virtual Classical-inspired with Advanced Variations

Wed 12:00 Virtual Back Care- Upper Back focus


I’m happy to record any classes on request and send the videos. Email me if you have any questions! [email protected]

Sunday 2-4 CST!

To our dear Pilates Family,

I am writing this post with the heaviest of hearts. This is not a decision I ever imagined myself making, but I can no longer deny that this pandemic has made the decision for me. We have determined that, sadly, we cannot keep the studio open.

When this pandemic began, no one knew how long it would go on. We received a Payroll Protection Loan which helped with 2.5 months of overhead and we hoped that summer would bring a restart to the economy. As we all know, there is no end in sight and no one can foresee when businesses may be up and running again. I’ve taken every step I can think of to scrape through the months of studio overhead, forgoing my own income, liquidating assets, and requesting relief from our landlord in the effort to get to a re-opening. I’ve kept thinking,”if we can make it through one more month…” I have to face the hard truth; we can’t.

Pilates Chicago has been my life’s work. It is a reflection of my heart and soul, my sweat and tears. My babies (and many others) have crawled and toddled around the floors. The community nurtured in its walls have been my inspiration for 20 years and my studio family brought me support, solace, and joy through my cancer battle. Losing the studio is a tremendous loss for me, as I know it is for many of you.

But I know the business is just a business.

It is not the unbelievably gifted and skilled instructors who leave me always in awe. Truly, I cannot tell you how often I thank the higher powers that be that I get to work amongst these amazing people.

It is not the rich community of clients who have been our students and teachers. If I had nickel for all the fascinating stories and hearty laughs we’ve had with clients we would be open indefinitely!

It’s just a business that is closing. It’s a facility, and an empty one at that. I have to remind myself that the facility isn’t what we built together.

The image I chose to accompany this post is a Tibetan Sand Mandala. The monks spend hours in meditative creation to construct a beautiful mandala. When it is complete, they perform a dismantling ritual, as a symbol of impermanence and the transitory nature of life. This is my mantra right now. The mandala is no less beautiful and the crafting is no less significant once it is gone.

Our community of instructors and staff hold immense gratitude for what we get to do and with whom we get to share it. We are speculating on how we can reconvene once circumstances allow for it. Don’t worry, we won’t be gone long!

For the next month or so, we will still be doing virtual sessions and a limited amount of in-studio sessions. I am aware that many of you have remaining sessions on packages that we may not be able to honor. I promise you I do not take that lightly. It is what keeps me up at night and what has made me push and scrape to keep the studio open as long as I possibly could. My heart has been twisted in knots over it. I am fully committed to doing what I can to respect your support of the studio. However, I know it is so far beyond my control. No one can project how long and damaging this virus will be, how many businesses and lives will be cut short. For now, we all just have to stay healthy and safe, and care for those around us.

With sadness and gratitude,
Jen

I WILL keep doing Virtual Group Classes and Pop Up Pilates in the Park
and I know that many of the instructors are going to continue Virtual Private sessions. So please touch base with them if you’d like to continue.

Pop Up Pilates in the Park
This week we’ll meet on
Sat 10:30 AM
at Farwell and the Lakefront (near the tennis courts)

Register here:

https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/classic/mainclass?studioid=4128&tg=&vt=6&lvl=&stype=-7&view=day&trn=0&page=&catid=&prodid=&date=07%2f25%2f20&classid=0&prodGroupId=&sSU=&optForwardingLink=&qParam=&justloggedin=&nLgIn=&pMode=0&loc=1

www.facebook.com

We can't wait to see you in person!

facebook.com

PILATES PEEPS!
As a movement specialist/instructor if you are wondering where to start check out this webinar from .jpop
If you can’t make the day and time there is a replay
“I admitted to someone today that I’m happy to see so much enlightenment, but I’m slightly nervous that numbers will dwindle once the “hype” dies down and people realize that being ally is a daily choice not just one moment of realization.⁣
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As I’ve stated before antiracism work takes a lot of unlearning, learning, messing up, and learning some more. Then once you start to get the hang of it you’ll start to see how racism has seeped it’s way into everything, including your workspace. Being ally also includes being an ally in your profession. .⁣
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Naturally, the helper in me jumped out. So I decided to create a webinar to help professionals in the rehab and movement space get started on their journey.⁣
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Here’s what I will cover:⁣
•A brief history of white supremacy’s effect on the healthcare system and healthcare education⁣
•What it means to be culturally competent in the workplace⁣
•The stages of allyship and the steps you can take in each stage pertaining to your profession⁣
•How to use your privilege in your workplace and for your client base⁣
•Resources to further your antiracism work personally and professionally⁣
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People have also asked where to donate, and one option is to support black businesses and entities. So a portion of what you pay for this webinar will be going to the National Association of Black Physical Therapists . If you’ve never heard of them you should check out the amazing work they’re doing to increase diversity in the profession.⁣
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Remember, allyship is a long term commitment. I want you to have tools that make you effective. Link to sign up is in my bio ✊🏽
Thanks for the share!

We in the Pilates community are proud and honored to amplify Kathy Grants voice. Big thanks to and for sharing so much of it with us.
Posted • Kathy Grant (seated) with Jill Williams, Wendy Amos and..... This was the Pilates studio at Henri Bendels. Saw a post the other day from about being biracial and a ballerina. I heard the same kind of story from Kathy Grant. Kathy Grant first learned ballet as the first Black student at The Boston Conservatory. At that time, she wasn’t even allowed to hold onto the barre. Read that last sentence again.
Kathy endured SO many injustices being born Black in Boston in the 1920’s.
Here we are 100 years later. 💔🖤🤎

Instructor spotlight: Eileen is offering virtual classes Thursday and Saturday this week! Here she is on our visit to in 2018 to accompany filming
•Eileen finds inspiration in her own ongoing practice of movement study influenced by countless teachers of Pilates, yoga, martial arts, Feldenkrais, and the Gyrotonic method. She also loves sailing, hiking and....chips (see second pic)! @ Pilates Chicago

Get your juices flowing with Jessie! Virtual Props Class, featuring the Foam roller. Tomorrow (Tues) 10:30AM CST https://tinyurl.com/racmlfj

Don’t worry, you’ve still got it!
HAPPY PILATES DAY from all of us at Pilates Chicago. ✨

Got a ball? will lead you through
Pilates props Tues 10:30am CST feat. soft gym ball...
E-see you there! https://get.mndbdy.ly/97QgHKCbw5.

Here are a few clients enjoying their home workouts after the “PROP DROP” last week. Get in touch if you’d like to work with any of our instructors via Zoom!

Saturday morning Wake Up LIVE workout with Eileen! 8:30AM CST https://tinyurl.com/racmlfj

TOMORROW! LIVE class
Pilates for Back Health 👌🏼
Wednesday at Noon CST

“If you don’t use your feet they start to grow”
Just a friendly reminder we have plenty of virtual classes to partake in when the mood strikes. Just click on the link in bio 👣

The power of relationships

| Yesterday my 82-year-old neighbor, Barbara, asked me to help set up a Zoom call on her iPad for her pilates class. She has been taking these classes with the same instructor for over three decades, and this was the first time Barbara had to participate remotely from her Manhattan apartment. Needing weights, she improvised with cans of beans.

Across the world, people are staying home—and that includes National Geographic photographers. We asked several to share their thoughts on the worlds they see inside—and just outside—their windows.

Photos by

The power of relationship:
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Got a ball? TODAY🟡 (Wed)
goes LIVE at Noon!Link in bio

Does your morning look like this now?....take a desk break at 9:30 with us
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Eileen is giving a class designed for a break from your desk! Sign up here
https://get.mndbdy.ly/IpT9ns34U4

Who feels like this? ⚡️ Watch my FREE FRIDAY tutorial: Out of the Chair! https://tinyurl.com/uak2mvb.
•REPOST from