Realignment Specialist | Somatic Practitioner | Movement Consultant

Marcia’s story…in her own words

1999. My fascination with bodies traces back to 1999, when I first discovered Pilates as a means for building strength to hold correct alignment effortlessly. Eight months after my first class as a student, I was in a serious car accident and my physical therapist used Pilates to rehabilitate my back and neck. I was better, but still had chronic pain. 

2002. Two marketing jobs and two cities later, I walked into Pendleton Pilates in Cincinnati, Ohio. After six months of intense training, I no longer had back pain. As my practice deepened, I realized I wanted to apply for advanced training. The next year, I began Pendleton’s rigorous four-month teacher training program. My goal at that time was simple: to become a better Pilates student. 

The result was finding my calling in life: a study of bodies and a teaching practice focused on understanding how a client can repetitively use their body for their profession without creating chronic pain.  

2004. I decided to leave my 14-year marketing and communications career. I launched “polaspilates” and became a full-time Pilates Teacher. My private practice very quickly evolved to a study of bodies.

2006. I discovered my specialty: occupation-specific work. This originated within the business world, but expanded to bartenders, chefs, hair stylists, musicians, artists, dancers, and actors. My focus was on awareness, alignment, and functional training as it relates to individual client needs - what I call “Occupational Pilates.” The work continued to grow with the development of occupation-specific videos, fascial pattern training, and movement re-education, while spreading the concept that it shouldn’t hurt to do a job you love. I entered kitchens to watch chefs, studios to watch dancers, and once, a cockpit to study pilots. I continuously honed my skills at discovering how bodies function at work and how to train and reverse train those bodies. 

2011. My practice evolved from strictly teaching Pilates with the addition of myofascial-release and to reverse existing and prevent future repetitive damage patterns. My primary focus continues to be teaching clients how to care for and use their bodies, giving them the tools to be their own wellness practitioner. 

2013. My work with performing artists continued to evolve, partnering with the artist(s) to allow them access to their entire instrument. This included myofascial-release (MFR) work and self-MFR training, instrument awareness, structural realignment, tension release, physical training to create good tension, breathing techniques, vocal integration, reverse training of character posture and choreography, and structural integrity within character. You might have found me poking at artists, lecturing, and sometimes teaching a good old fashioned Pilates class in places like the University of Denver Department of Theatre, Lamont School of Music, Powerhouse Apprentice program, and the stage of Folger Theatre’s Richard III.

2014. I created a workshop series “a body at work—the bartender series.” My growing knowledge of myofascial-release (MFR) techniques allowed me to get hands-on to release repetitive motion patterns gone wrong and begin to apply Pilates principles to retrain on the job movement. My hospitality industry experience includes workshops, MFR training, and on-the-job evaluation and re-education. To date I’ve been invited to present in the US and internationally at cocktail conferences, and am often contracted by brands who chose to address wellness and career longevity for bartenders.

2015. I relocated to NYC, while continuing to travel for workshops. I could be found racing in and out of Broadway stage doors, in rehearsal studios, on film or television sets, restaurants, bars, yoga studios, hair salons, and more for group workshops - and even a tour bus or two to work with individual clients! I also added yet another subset to my practice: remedying bunions without surgery. 

2020. On March 9, 2020 I decided I could not guarantee a client's safety and protection from COVID-19 and moved my practice to virtual teaching; it wasn't long until New York's #StayHome order followed. Fortunately, because many clients have careers that take them all over the world, I have over a decade of teaching and treating virtually. There are still many unknowns in our world right now, but one thing I still know to be true: you don’t need to live with the new (or old) aches and pains that are bothering you, and it is my life’s work to help you find ease and effortlessness in your body.

Ongoing. I continue to train with master teachers in Pilates and other disciplines, to take workshops whenever possible, and to study bodies at work – always looking for the next piece of the puzzle that will reveal how we can make them stronger, more flexible and healthier – mind, body and spirit. This has begun to include a strong focus on Cranial Sacral therapy – both the practice for my clients and training them to develop a self practice. I continue to explore the magic of Cranial Sacral therapy and am committed to growing that practice.

Realignment Specialist | Somatic Practitioner | Movement Consultant

Marcia’s story…in her own words

1999. My fascination with bodies traces back to 1999, when I first discovered Pilates as a means for building strength to hold correct alignment effortlessly. Eight months after my first class as a student, I was in a serious car accident and my physical therapist used Pilates to rehabilitate my back and neck. I was better, but still had chronic pain. 

2002. Two marketing jobs and two cities later, I walked into Pendleton Pilates in Cincinnati, Ohio. After six months of intense training, I no longer had back pain. As my practice deepened, I realized I wanted to apply for advanced training. The next year, I began Pendleton’s rigorous four-month teacher training program. My goal at that time was simple: to become a better Pilates student. 

The result was finding my calling in life: a study of bodies and a teaching practice focused on understanding how a client can repetitively use their body for their profession without creating chronic pain.  

2004. I decided to leave my 14-year marketing and communications career. I launched “polaspilates” and became a full-time Pilates Teacher. My private practice very quickly evolved to a study of bodies.

2006. I discovered my specialty: occupation-specific work. This originated within the business world, but expanded to bartenders, chefs, hair stylists, musicians, artists, dancers, and actors. My focus was on awareness, alignment, and functional training as it relates to individual client needs - what I call “Occupational Pilates.” The work continued to grow with the development of occupation-specific videos, fascial pattern training, and movement re-education, while spreading the concept that it shouldn’t hurt to do a job you love. I entered kitchens to watch chefs, studios to watch dancers, and once, a cockpit to study pilots. I continuously honed my skills at discovering how bodies function at work and how to train and reverse train those bodies. 

2011. My practice evolved from strictly teaching Pilates with the addition of myofascial-release and to reverse existing and prevent future repetitive damage patterns. My primary focus continues to be teaching clients how to care for and use their bodies, giving them the tools to be their own wellness practitioner. 

2013. My work with performing artists continued to evolve, partnering with the artist(s) to allow them access to their entire instrument. This included myofascial-release (MFR) work and self-MFR training, instrument awareness, structural realignment, tension release, physical training to create good tension, breathing techniques, vocal integration, reverse training of character posture and choreography, and structural integrity within character. You might have found me poking at artists, lecturing, and sometimes teaching a good old fashioned Pilates class in places like the University of Denver Department of Theatre, Lamont School of Music, Powerhouse Apprentice program, and the stage of Folger Theatre’s Richard III.

2014. I created a workshop series “a body at work—the bartender series.” My growing knowledge of myofascial-release (MFR) techniques allowed me to get hands-on to release repetitive motion patterns gone wrong and begin to apply Pilates principles to retrain on the job movement. My hospitality industry experience includes workshops, MFR training, and on-the-job evaluation and re-education. To date I’ve been invited to present in the US and internationally at cocktail conferences, and am often contracted by brands who chose to address wellness and career longevity for bartenders.

2015. I relocated to NYC, while continuing to travel for workshops. I could be found racing in and out of Broadway stage doors, in rehearsal studios, on film or television sets, restaurants, bars, yoga studios, hair salons, and more for group workshops - and even a tour bus or two to work with individual clients! I also added yet another subset to my practice: remedying bunions without surgery. 

2020. On March 9, 2020 I decided I could not guarantee a client's safety and protection from COVID-19 and moved my practice to virtual teaching; it wasn't long until New York's #StayHome order followed. Fortunately, because many clients have careers that take them all over the world, I have over a decade of teaching and treating virtually. There are still many unknowns in our world right now, but one thing I still know to be true: you don’t need to live with the new (or old) aches and pains that are bothering you, and it is my life’s work to help you find ease and effortlessness in your body.

Ongoing. I continue to train with master teachers in Pilates and other disciplines, to take workshops whenever possible, and to study bodies at work – always looking for the next piece of the puzzle that will reveal how we can make them stronger, more flexible and healthier – mind, body and spirit. This has begun to include a strong focus on Cranial Sacral therapy – both the practice for my clients and training them to develop a self practice. I continue to explore the magic of Cranial Sacral therapy and am committed to growing that practice.