Owner/ Founder
Movement has shaped my entire life. I was born in Ecuador, raised in California, and trained across gymnastics, dance, cheer, yoga, salsa, and aerial arts. I first discovered Pilates at the Backhaus Dance Intensive at Chapman University, and it quickly became the backbone of everything I pursued—the method that gave me strength, stability, and control.
After high school, I completed my BASI Mat certification under Rael Isacowitz at The Wooden Floor while also teaching for the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA). I later earned my BS in Biology at Boston University and began my classical training in the Romana lineage at Endurance Pilates under Julie Erickson, becoming a 4th-generation classical instructor in 2017. I also obtained the PMA® CPT certification and I taught at Equinox in Downtown Los Angeles and The Pilates Loft in Virginia, refining a precise, intentional teaching style.
Alongside my movement career, I earned my Master of Science in Anesthesia from CWRU and now practice as a Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant—a medical foundation that deepens my understanding of anatomy and physiology and naturally informs how I teach.
When I moved to Jupiter, FL and realized there was no fully equipped Gratz™ studio offering the complete classical system, I knew it was time to build one. That vision became Body Contrology Lab. My mission is to help students truly feel the method—developing refined posture, balanced strength, and a more elevated, conscious way of moving in the spirit of Joseph Pilates’ original intention for whole-body health.
Classical Pilates
Today, the word “Pilates” is everywhere, yet the method itself is often diluted, blended with trends, or reshaped into something far removed from Joseph Pilates’ original vision. We acknowledge that no one today can reproduce exactly what Joseph taught or how he taught it. What we can do—and what the classical community is devoted to—is preserving the structure, discipline, and intention of his work; of Contrology, as faithfully as possible. Contrology is “Pilates” original name - a highly sophisticated physical education guided by disciplined control of the body using the mind in order to improve strength, muscle development, posture, balance, and overall health through exercise.
My lineage traces primarily back to Romana Kryzanowska through my mentor, who trained under Brooke Siler, one of Romana’s most influential protégées. Romana was endorsed by Clara Pilates to carry on the studio after Joseph’s death. Jay Grimes is another highly respected elder whose perspective reflects another direct thread to Joseph Pilates. I continue to learn from teachers in both the Romana and Jay lineages and attend workshops regularly. These threads anchor my practice as I strive to embody their clarity and rigor while deepening my studies by mentoring under Carrie Russo’s Classical Pilates Lab.
Other first-generation teachers—Carola Trier, Kathy Grant, Eve Gentry, Lolita San Miguel, among others—went on to develop their own schools and lineages, each preserving a unique facet of Joseph Pilates’ work. At Body Contrology Lab, we honor these contributions while staying rooted in the two lineages we actively attempt to uphold: the Romana Kryzanowska and Jay Grimes traditions. We return consistently to the source—Joseph Pilates’ own published works, original exercise order, archival photographs and film, and the clear intention expressed in his writing: frequent, vigorous, and precise exercise guided by mental discipline and control to achieve true health. His texts remain our compass and shape how we study, practice, and teach the method today.
Authenticity begins with the apparatus. Joseph Pilates did not work with a commercial manufacturer—he built his own equipment by hand, often with the help of his brother, refining each piece through experimentation and observation. Every dimension, angle, and spring tension was intentional, designed to create specific changes in the body and to demand precision, control, and efficient movement.
After his passing, Gratz Pilates became the first company to officially manufacture his equipment, using direct measurements from Joseph’s original apparatus in his New York studio. Gratz has continued to preserve those proportions closely-aligned to original, allowing the method to function as it was designed. In contrast, several other manufacturers have introduced adaptations—extra springs, altered angles, wider frames, or changes in resistance and construction. These modifications shift the body’s positioning in space, alter the biomechanics of the exercises, and ultimately change the level of control and precision required. Even subtle adjustments affect how the powerhouse engages and how the sequence flows.
For this reason, Body Contrology Lab is equipped primarily with Gratz apparatus, complemented by select archival pieces from Pilates Designs. Other reputable manufacturers include Legacy and Contrology by Balanced Body. Our space houses a complete classical studio, including the Reformers, Cadillac, Wunda Chair, Electric Chair, Baby Chair, Ladder Barrel, Spine Corrector, Contour Mats, Guillotine, Toe Corrector, Foot Corrector, and more—allowing students to experience the work on all the equipment that honors its original engineering.
The Apparatus
The Studio
The name Body Contrology Lab pays tribute to Joseph Pilates’ original term for his method—Contrology, the art of using the mind to master the body. The word Lab reflects our philosophy that this is a lifelong study: a place for exploration, refinement, and discovery. Much like a laboratory, our studio invites students to test their limits, deepen their understanding, and uncover the intelligent connections within their bodies.
Most importantly, we aim to teach full Contrology, not just movement. Joseph Pilates emphasized precision, breath, concentration, and mental discipline as pathways to improved health. At Body Contrology Lab, we strive to uphold that intention. Every session is designed to elevate posture, strengthen the powerhouse, balance the body, and cultivate a heightened sense of physical awareness.
The work is rigorous, but profoundly rewarding—revealing new layers of resilience, ease, and vitality with each visit. Our goal is for every student to feel the method in its truest form and experience the transformative power Joseph Pilates envisioned.
“If your spine is inflexibly stiff at 30, you are old; if it is completely flexible at 60, you are young.”