Our Instructors

In the early days of Pilates, most instructors were from the dance world. Today, at Balance Within, we have staff and trainees from a wide variety of backgrounds. We encourage clients to experience all of our teachers’ unique potential to add to your Pilates experience.

Gail holds a BA in Education and has drawn on her education, movement and bodywork background to create Balance Within Pilates Studio. She founded and directed Body Evolution in Minneapolis, MN, providing instruction in aerobics and conditioning as early as 1981. She began her work in Pilates in the early nineties under the mentorship of Elizabeth Larkam of St. Francis Hospital in San Francisco. She studied a more traditional Pilates with Cary Regan and formalized her certification through The Pilates Center of Boulder, CO. Balance Within was founded in 1995 and in-house teacher training and certification began in 1997. The training now draws in serious Pilates students from across the state. Gail continues to study and absorb the work of all the master Pilates teachers and prominent figures in movement she can find, and pursues ongoing studies in bodywork to bring as much knowledge as she can to her clients and students. Gail is a licensed massage therapist and studies at the URSA Foundation, where she completed the highly respected Silver Series. She is a Gold Certified member of the Pilates Method Alliance. The more she practices and teaches, the more Gail recognizes the essential connection between intelligent bodywork and functional Pilates. She firmly believes Pilates work is not an event, but a process – a lifelong process.

Kathy, of Asheville Bodyworks in Asheville, NC, began analyzing movement in 1985 through her work as a dance teacher. Kathy trained with Romana Kryzanowski and certified with The Pilates Studio in 1995. Pilates functioned as a natural transition between dance and physical therapy. Kathy gained her Masters of Physical Therapy and North Carolina Physical Therapist license in 2000. She continues to expand her knowledge through continuing education in movement and manual therapy techniques. Kathy began lecturing in Pilates training programs and seminars in 2000 and commutes from Asheville during a portion of each Balance Within teacher training to assist in teaching the Anatomy and Pathology portions of the program.

Mike discovered Pilates by accident after his wife’s Physical Therapist recommended Pilates as a way to strengthen her back after an injury. After a series of duet lessons with his wife, Mike recognized Pilates as the best method for improving his strength, flexibility, posture and balance. Mike felt so strongly about the benefits of Pilates, he left behind twenty-five years in the corporate world and dedicated himself to teaching Pilates and sharing it with others. As a graduate of Balance Within’s Teacher Training program, Mike enjoys how strenuous, yet energizing, the workouts can be and has a special message for men—“C’mon guys! Real men do Pilates!” Mike is originally from New York and now lives in Bellevue with his wife Trich and son Chris. He enjoys photography, a good laugh and listening to music, and looks forward to maintaining his fitness through Pilates for the rest of his life.

A former Human Resources manager and consultant for over twenty years, Val found Pilates at Balance Within after a prolonged illness. She used Pilates to help her literally get back on her feet. After recovery, and feeling strongly about the work, she was delighted to be accepted into the training program. She has devoted the last few years to acquiring and expanding her teaching skills and is now a staff member at Balance Within.

Barbara came to Balance Within nine years ago as a client and has been passionate about Pilates ever since. In 2008 she decided to cut back her volunteer activities to study Pilates through the Teacher Training Program. As a certified instructor, she enjoys working with clients to find the joy of movement and strength available through this work. Barbara is happily married with two wonderful boys and two mostly wonderful cats. She has a BA in English from the University of Minnesota and formerly had a career in marketing and research. She takes pleasure in weekends on Whidbey Island, great food, reading and keeping fit..

Kate first began studying Pilates to find relief from chronic low back pain. She saw almost immediate results and knew it was something she would continue to pursue for her own well-being. Her positive experience led her to a career in sharing and teaching the work. She was classically trained through Power Pilates and has come to Balance Within to deepen and expand her knowledge of Pilates, movement, and bodies. A resident of Redmond since 2000, Kate holds a BA in History from Stetson University and an MA in Museology from the University of Washington. She enjoys hiking, bicycling, and is a hula dancer. Kate lives in Redmond with her husband, dog, and baby.

Nancy became a Pilates devotee in 1992 when she discovered that Pilates could help her add stretching and strengthening to her running program. Although she maintains her full-time day job, she has been teaching for over ten years, and received her certifications through both the Pilates Center of Boulder and Balance Within. Teaching a few hours a week helps her to balance her daily work stresses with a love of people and movement.

Katie, a long-time equestrienne, started as a client at Balance Within to polish her riding skills and was inspired to learn more about Pilates and share that knowledge with others. She joined the Balance Within training program for teachers and has flourished at the studio ever since. A few years after completing her Pilates certification she graduated from massage school, which has enriched what she can bring to clients as a teacher. Katie is the senior teacher at Balance Within and assists in the training program and mentors new trainees. She is also available for bodywork sessions and continues her training in that field with the URSA Foundation and the Upledger Institute.

Ann Marie Snowden has a life time of physical activity and a health conscious outlook. She has a broad background of interests and skills, including fashion design, professional cooking, mountaineering, and image consulting. After a personal transition in 1999 she tried a Pilates mat class and discovered her future. She recognizes the ability of Pilates to build inner strength and radiate it outwards, while lengthening and strengthening the body, and how the work can be fully customized to the individual. She began teaching in 2003, after receiving her certification from both traditional and Power Pilates. She felt the need to expand her knowledge to better serve her clients, and discovered the “graduate work level” of Balance Within teachers. She plunged into the training at Balance Within, and is now an integral member of the staff.

Debra tried Pilates and was instantly hooked by her amazing gains in strength, energy, and stamina. Her passions for the work and her desire to help other people attain their goals led her to complete a teacher training program through Power Pilates. She discovered Balance Within with some of her colleagues and joined them in seeking expanded knowledge of the body and depth in the work that she could offer to clients. Recently, she completed her second certification through Balance Within. She brings an energetic love of Pilates to her learning and teaching and still finds time to enjoy the active lifestyle she has always pursued: she still runs whenever possible and loves moving in general! Deb lives in Redmond with her husband, three children, and two dachshunds.