Club Pilates

"Get ready for the Teresa Experience!" A former gym rat with many years of hanging out with the guys lifting weights and also an avid runner with the DMV as my own personal playground. Over time, my body started to let me know that all that pounding of my joints wasn't going to sustain me for a lifetime and then there was "the fall"... walking over a water meter cover that wasn't secured to the ground changed everything. Excessive doctor appointments, chronic pain and hearing "you will never wear heels again" put me on a journey to repairing all the years of damage to my body as well as to my foot after my fall. Answering a random phone call, agreeing to try the free Intro class, and being introduced to the REFORMER was all it took to make me a believer. Not only did it help repair my entire body, but in addition, I also feel 20 years younger. Come hang out with me on the Reformer and I (along with the reformer) will assist you to restore your body back to optimal health. (CP Comprehensive Certification, Leslie Bender FSM Certified, BYM Yoga Teacher Training Candidate (200h), and CAPilates Mat Teacher Training Candidate (200h))

A native of Poland, Joanna Gilmer began her journey with Pilates in 2011 in a fitness studio in Warsaw. She remembers her first day of class, when the teacher made an impression upon her with this quote by Joseph Pilates: "In ten sessions you’ll feel the difference; in twenty you’ll see the difference; and in thirty you’ll have a new body”. Originally a skeptic, Joanna experienced the truth of these words. She became a committed practitioner of Pilates, and is Comprehensively Certified by Balanced Body in Mat, Reformer, Tower and Chair classes. Through Pilates, she inspires and helps others to achieve suppleness of body, alignment, grace of movement, strength, and energy. Additionally Joanna completed her training in CoreAlignIn, these exercises are designed to improve posture, balance and functional movement in the upright posture, and RAD Mobility that teaches the self-Myofascial release techniques. Joanna holds a Masters degree in Geography from Wroclaw University in Poland. In her spare time, Joanna also enjoys running, biking, cooking, reading, traveling with her husband, and spending time with family and friends.

A workout enthusiast and Georgia native, Devon Ray, enjoys helping students understand the mind body connection that Pilates offers and helping students push themselves to uncover new limits. Previous hobbies included running track, kick boxing, boxing, ranger challenge with ROTC, rock climbing, football, weight lifting and volleyball. However, that all changed when she tore her achilles one day while playing football. Her active lifestyle was brought to a screeching halt. She had no idea that this one injury would lead to multiple surgeries, other injuries and being confined to crutches and a wheelchair for over 4 years. While unfortunate, this hardship is what led her to pilates. Pilates is the only practice that enabled her to workout and strength train without putting excess weight on her leg. Moreover, pilates enabled her to walk when nothing more could be done in physical therapy. As a result, Devon brings a unique perspective on gauging ability especially when related to clients who are recovering from sports injuries. She integrates her athletic background into class as her programs are heavily influenced by a variety of sports and activities. Devon’s passion for overall wellness is vast as she is currently pursuing certification as a Nutrition coach.

Kim strongly believes “if you don’t use it you lose it.” She has been an exercise enthusiast for more than three decades. One of her ultimate achievements was training for and finishing a 26.5-mile marathon in Honolulu, Hawaii, the fourth largest marathon in the U.S. As Kim entered her fabulous forties, she found that she couldn’t do as much running and high impact exercising as she used to and started looking for something she could get great results from without the high impact on her joints and bones. Something that would keep her strong, fit and flexible well into her 50’s, 60’s 70’s and beyond. Pilates was the answer and that began her Pilates practice some 20 years ago. Her enthusiasm for helping others and sustained commitment to her Pilates practice inspired her to become a Pilates instructor. Kim’s goal as a Pilates instructor is to help her clients create a practice that is sustainable, fulfilling and results oriented. She is very passionate about motivating people of all ages and body types to achieve a fit, strong and well-balanced lifestyle inspiring them to be happy, healthy, and confident throughout their lives and fitness journeys. She loves empowering others to see what their bodies are capable of in ways that are modifiable and adaptable yet effective— meeting them where they are and helping them get to where they want to be. When Kim is not teaching Pilates, she enjoys reading, listening to music, cooking, creating artwork and planning gatherings for her family and friends.

Debbie Cristi is a distinguished Pilates Teacher Trainer and a top-ranked instructor with over 18 years of experience. As a former Teacher Trainer for Equinox, she was recognized as one of the top Pilates Instructors company-wide in 2017 and 2018. She was also the recipient of the 2024 Club Pilates Visionary Award for her success in developing and guiding new instructors. Known for her ability to build and motivate teams, Debbie has developed and mentored a new generation of Pilates Instructors for Club Pilates franchisees in Maryland. Her passion for the Pilates method and her unique teaching style continue to inspire both her students and fellow teachers. As she says, "When I'm teaching, I'm learning, and when I'm learning, I'm teaching."