Blog
Giving Thanks
This is the time of year for sharing what you’re thankful for. In this Thanksgiving season, we want to share our genuine appreciation for you. Dear Body Works Pilates Family, Ron Fletcher, my dear friend, teacher and mentor has been gone ten years now. Anyone who...
With Gratitude
It’s easy to feel grateful in years of plenty, when plans succeed, and hard work pays off. Having grown accustomed to the many blessings that surround me, gratitude comes naturally this time of year. And I’ve come to realize that the bounty…
Deb’s Pilates Principle: Centering
Now, more than ever, it’s important to be and stay centered. Centering is at the "core" of what we do, literally! For some of you who have been around the Studio for a while, you may still have your Body Works t-shirts saying, “get to your core,” with an image of a...
Staff Spotlight: Yarrow King Doumby
Straight roads do not make skillful drivers – Paulo Coelho This isn’t just your average tale of how a small-town girl changed her life with a one-way ticket to the Caribbean. It’s the story of how our very own Yarrow King followed an adventurous and winding path of...
Client Spotlight: Paul H. Friedman
Born and raised in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, Paul found his way to Tucson via Chicago (undergraduate degree,) Boston (law school,) and Washington, D.C. where he established a successful law career. He’s recently retired as managing partner of Dechert, LLP’s D.C....
Kyria’s Corner
As we approach the Summer Solstice, the new season beckons us as members of a changed world. The last few months have been frightening for some, tragic for others, confusing for many and challenging for most. Despite all the challenges, I’m choosing to consider this...
Letter from Kyria
As we enter springtime in the Northern Hemisphere, I look upon my favorite season with different eyes this year. There is much happening in our national and global community that is making headlines and hitting home. I see this season of rejuvenation as an opportunity...
February Pilates Principle: Awareness
Awareness is really at the heart of what makes Pilates different from so many other types of exercise. Developing awareness of how you move, where a movement initiates from, and the range of motion that you can control are key to an effective Pilates practice. When we...
Client Spotlight: Suzi Hileman
Suzi Hileman was shattered in more ways than one on January 8, 2011, when a gunman opened fire at a Tucson grocery plaza where she had taken her nine-year-old neighbor, Christina Taylor Green to meet U.S. Representative Gabby Giffords. Six people died, that day,...
Staff Spotlight: Martha Ramirez
Martha Ramirez has been teaching at Body Works Pilates for 17 years. She even surprised herself a little when she did the math, “I remember Deb Mendoza telling me that she’d been working with Kyria for 10 years, and I thought ‘wow! That’s a long time! Who knows where...
Kyria’s Corner: New Year
As we enter this new decade, I’m rather enjoying reflecting on the past 27 years of directing Body Works Pilates and serving the Tucson community - and beyond. It’s been an amazingly gratifying adventure with many positively changed lives and bodies. 2020 will be a...
Staff Spotlight: Claudia Casal
Shakespeare’s words, “And though she be but little, she is fierce” well describe Claudia, a 2013 graduate of the Fletcher Pilates Program of Study and instructor at Body Works Pilates. Born in Tucson and raised in Nogalas, Arizona, Claudia, the youngest of five...
Client Spotlight: Richard Oseran
Third-generation Arizonan, litigator, and Hotel Congress owner, Richard Oseran earned his salt arguing before the US Supreme court, but there was no arguing his way out of making some changes so he could live his best life – pain free. Had he been asked five years ago...
Kyria’s Corner: Every Day Pilates
The Balance of Every Day Movement During our in-studio Pilates practice, we seek symmetry and balance. We find this through practice of our standing and centering cues and conscious movement patterns. We draw all parts of the body to attention, fortified through...
Staff Spotlight: Deborah Mendoza
On January 2, 1996, Deb knocked on Kyria’s condo/studio door. Having been referred by a Canyon Ranch contact, Deb disclosed her desire to learn and teach Pilates. To this, Kyria responded, “I’m not quite sure what to do with you but come on in…” Thank goodness for...
Fletcher Pilates: In Your Bones, For Your Bones!
As we move through our lives and Pilates practice, focus is most often on our muscles as the drivers of movement. But it’s time we talk bones. We have 206 of them and they’re pretty important in keeping us upright and functional. After age 50, most people will lose 1%...
Kyria’s Corner: Pilates – on the Go!
Summer is such a wonderful season with longer days, slews of activities, travel adventures and time to reconnect with family and friends. For many, especially parents and grandparents, schedules change drastically and adjustments for balance must be made. Never mind...
Kyria’s Corner
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about balance. As one of the core Pilates Movement Principles, the concept of “balance” is central focus in my personal and teaching Pilates practice. But I’ve been thinking of balance on a broader scale - balance in life and spirit as...
Client Spotlight: Taylor S. Riall, MD, PhD, FACS
A Professor, University of Arizona, College of Medicine Chief of the Surgical Oncology Division, executive leadership coach, and former president of the Society of University Surgeons, Dr. Taylor Riall is also a competitive triathlete. While many would be completely...
Staff Spotlight: Claire Hancock
Raised by principal dancers and gifted teachers, mentored by Pilates masters and elders, Claire Hancock was never quite introduced to dance and Pilates – she was born into it. None of it is old hat. Claire doesn’t for a moment take for granted what she considers and...
Dive Into Pilates for a Faster, Safer Swim
Olympic gold medalists Natalie Coughlin, Misty Hyman, and Jenny Thompson cite their Pilates practice as a major contributor to improved and injury-free performance in the pool. However, you don’t have to train at an Olympic level to reap the benefits of a Pilates...
Kyria’s Corner
I love the multi-faceted benefit of Pilates. I love the multi-faceted benefit of Pilates. The practice progressively challenges the body and the brain. We can perform a full-body workout, in less than an hour, on the mat, the reformer, the spine corrector or any other...
Staff Spotlight: Sara Hammond
A Body Works Pilates client for five years, Sara Hammond can be found in a COREtet three days a week. She grew up just outside of Columbus, Ohio but could be granted honorary Tucson Native status. She earned a BA in Journalism from the University of Arizona and...
Staff Spotlight: Alan Gonzalez
Born in Tucson and raised in Nogales, Mexico, Alan, the oldest of four children, was drawn to artistic endeavors from an early age. While in high school, he established extracurricular art classes while performing and choreographing for the EXNO Dance group. He has...
Staff Spotlight: Daniela Diamente
Former soccer player turned avid cyclist and Pilates instructor, Daniela Diamente beautifully balances numerous roles – mom, wife, teacher, coach, mentor, activist, world traveler – to name a few. Wednesday evenings Body Works Pilates clients are fortunate to take a...
Pedaling with Pilates
We’ve got your back… and your neck, knees, hips, hamstrings, glutes and wrists Tucson is a cycling Mecca. Avid cyclists and beach cruiser pedal-pushers alike enjoy our 300+ days of sunshine and variety of terrain to train or just stay fit and enjoy the ride....
Kyria’s Corner
The 20th of this month marks the first day of Spring! I love this time of year and truly believe that spring is the ideal time to make New Year’s resolutions. It’s the time for a fresh start. It’s almost impossible to make a lifestyle change when the days are shorter...