Michele Marietta
I originally trained as a dancer in southern California at the Pacific School of Ballet under the guidance of Rosemary Molak-McCarter and Alan McCarter, followed by training in classical ballet, jazz, tap, and Kneeland Therapeutic Barre Technique under Derva Snider at the Dance Arts Theatre. I also studied at the Laguna Dance Theatre with Shery Gilbert. I have performed in various ballets in California and Oxford, including The Nutcracker, Coppelia, and The Sleeping Beauty.
I currently still take ballet classes.
I became a Pilates student in 1996, and have practised at studios in New York, Los Angeles, Oxford, and Witney. These different locations have allowed me to experience classes and tuition from the Stott, Polestar, and Balanced Body methods, as well as from Viktor Uygan, Gary Carter and Eric Franklin.
I am currently a Polestar Pilates-trained mat instructor and have completed my Polestar Gateway reformer qualification. I have also trained in the BarreConcept method and the Mbodies/Pilates Union Intensive Pilates Reformer Repertoire.
I love anatomy and physiology, and my current passion is for foot health! It makes me happy to help people feel stronger and move better. Additionally, I hold an MA with Distinction in Medieval Literature.
Katie Medic
Before Pilates and massage, chronic and severe back pain affected all aspects of my daily life.
At a fairly early age, I began to believe there were 'just some things I couldn't do anymore' because of pain. That might sound familiar!
However, an amazing osteopath and massage therapist helped me on the road to recovery from a childhood injury, difficult first birth, a car accident, and life generally! From that, I wanted to learn and share my experience with others to hopefully help people in a similar way, and so I trained as a massage therapist.
In 2002, I 'discovered' Pilates through a taster session, after which I was hooked! My back pain lessened, and I felt stronger, more confident, and generally more aware of my posture (which definitely needed some work)!
Pilates and massage complement each other very well, and I found my Pilates training crossed over into my work with my massage clients.
I am an ITEC-trained massage therapist and I have also explored and trained in the Polestar and Stott Pilates methods, as well as the Franklin Method and with Gary Carter. My training allows me to work with a diverse range of clients.
I also run Studio 45, a Pilates training space where I work with everyone from specialist populations to ultra marathon runners.
Currently my passion is for getting people moving! I love cooking, and I'm also a pianist, a mother, and a keen hiker.