Personal Story

 

How I came to Pilates is like each individual body, unique. As a child I was very active in dance, gymnastics and cheerleading. I pursued all of these activities vigorously throughout both high school and college. I attended Indiana University as a dance major and after completing my studies began dancing professionally. My career as a professional dancer lasted more than 20 years both in the realm of performer, choreographer, teacher and director.  

Dance like many top sports requires not only dedication but also a lifetime of training and perfection of one's instrument, the human body. During the years that I performed, the 80's and 90's modern dance was an extremely physical art-form thus maintaining one's health was a 24 hour a day 7 days a week job. As a performer and teacher I studied many different styles of dance not only in order to be more skilled in various choreographic techniques but also as a method of cross training. In addition to my regular dance training I also participated in weight training and cardiovascular activities that gave me the added strength and endurance necessary for dancing. In my later years as a dancer in Europe I discovered Iyengar Yoga. I came to this as a result of several injuries and the desire to learn something new about my body and it's specific needs. I completed the 3-year intensive teacher-training program of the Iyengar School and immediately began teaching yoga not only to other dancers but for the general public as well. I found the pace and ability to work slowly with various student needs was well suited to my own personal interest and was positively received from my students. Feeling the need to know more in-depth knowledge about the anatomy of the human body led me to the pursuit of a Master of Science degree in Kinesiology. I returned to school at the age of 40 and received my degree at Indiana University in Bloomington.

So now what does all this have to do with PILATES?? For me it is very important to see the logic and progression that led to my decision to become a full-time promoter, participator and teacher of Power Pilates.

After I stopped dancing in 2001 the subsequent years became a constant voyage from one doctor to another, accompanied with weekly guidance and support from a physical therapist. My symptoms were the usual arthritis type known to many dancers, lower back, hip and knee. However in my case it started to grossly manifest in my whole spine, thus meaning at times making it almost impossible to do just normal daily activities. The doctors tested me for, bone and joint disorders, rheumatism, cancer, food allergies; you name it I was tested for it. The conclusion from all of these investigations was that areas of the hips, knees and spine were severely deteriorated (one doctor said like a 65 year old person, at the time I was 40!) and for me to continue moving meant a lifetime of painkillers.  

During these two years a friend of mine had suggested I try a Pilates class. As a dancer I had experienced several sessions but never for a consistent period of time. After several months of regular mat classes I started to notice significant improvement in the so- called damaged areas of my body, hips, knees, and spine. Also what was even more remarkable to me was that my energy and stamina levels started to increase along with a renewed sense of efficiency in movement. One could say I was hooked by the shear simplicity and effectiveness of the Pilates technique.

Thus, my own personal belief, hands on experience and desire to learn more led directly to the Power Pilates program. As a Kinesiologist, I am concerned about the application of anatomical principles and their relationship with movement as well as injury prevention. All of these elements are part of the strong foundation of the Power Pilates teacher-training program. After taking a beginning mat certification course I became committed to their philosophy, technique and teaching tools, which I believe offer a clear approach to the Joseph Pilates' system. I also believe in their underlying message that "movement heals" and by simply following Power Pilates training systems each individual can achieve maximum results in a minimal amount of time provided in a safe and inspiring environment.

Therefore I feel proud to be a promoter of the Power Pilates technique and look forward to sharing my knowledge of this technique with you and continuing to explore the possibilities that a healthy body brings to life. Hope to see you in class!

Krisna Lee Hanks