Karen has owned The Movement Studio Pilates and Gyrotonic in Vancouver, BC for the past 12 years. She began her career in movement with training in classical and modern dance, and a semi-professional equestrian career.  She began practicing Pilates at the age of 13 and has been teaching for more than 18 years. Her background leant itself to teaching conditioning for dance programs for various ballet companies in Canada and Europe, and training elite level athletes.
She learned to instruct the Pilates method from Pilates elders Romana Kryzanowska, Marie Jose Blom-Lawrence, Ron Fletcher, Kathy Grant, Alan Herdman, and The Pilates Center at Boulder. Karen holds an Honours BAA (Ryerson) in fine arts/dance, and an interdisciplinary MA in Movement Education, and Fine Arts/Dance (Simon Fraser University).  She has taught at both facilities and at the University of Arizona, Tucson. She currently heads up The Movement Studio's Instructor Training program which began in 2008. 
Her interest in biomechanics led to further study in understanding human movement, what it expresses, and how to find authentic expression through body-based knowledge. Workshops with Tom Myers on anatomy, Diane Lee (Physio) on lumbo-pelvic stability, and Linda Joy Lee (Physio) on the role of the thorax in movement, have greatly influenced her approach to rehabilitative and functional movement training. She remains dedicated to ongoing, continuing education, as do all the Studio's instructors.
Having sustained injuries in numerous motor vehicle accidents, she became very interested in the relationships between pain, rehabilitation, and movement re-patterning. She is grateful for the work she is doing in concert with Dr. Larry Chan (D.C., N.D. R.Ac), a foundering member of Integrative Healing Arts here in Vancouver, centering on the role of movement re-education in the recovery process as folks address chronic pain, cancer, and injury.
Karen is excited to be part of the Envision Physiotherapy team and the integrative approach the clinic offers. Her love for Pilates, and deep respect for the wisdom of the body, encourages her to continually evolve her teaching practice, and to discover ways to best assist clients in realizing their full movement potential.

Karen is available Mon-Fri, by appointment at the Studio & Envision Physio locations

Cinzia discovered the joy of movement in her adult life. Through Pilates she discovered how concentration and imagination could help her connect with deeper structures in her body to find fluidity, balance, and release. Becoming passionate about Pilates, she trained and started teaching in 2002. In 2005 she transitioned into Pilates full-time and began to experience the many rewards of teaching.

Teaching keeps her imagination fueled as it travels through the many avenues connecting mind and body. Through her practice she developed a keen interest in helping clients dealing with pain, managing and progressing through their rehabilitation. She pursued further training in rehabilitation of the hips, knees, shoulders, spinal conditions.

During her sessions, Cinzia observes, recognizes and supports what works well in the client’s movement patterns, and she offers movement options that help the client optimizing his/her movement efficiency and expressive palette. She brings sensitive hands-on skills, careful, stimulating and inspiring language, and movement options that help recognize and resolve movement tension patterns. 

Cinzia brings focused, constant, keen attention to her sessions with clients affected by spinal conditions, (arthritis, scoliosis, slipped and herniated disks, osteoporosis), and hip, knee, or shoulder injury. Additionally, she enjoys working with pre and post-partum women, helping them find center and balance. Cinzia is an avid runner and loves hiking. Her passion for these things has translated into leading classes specifically geared towards runners and athletes seeking to improve their performance.

We are pleased to announce that Cinzia has recently been certified by Dr Martha Eddy to teach Movement for Life, an exercise program tailored for people with breast cancer and we offer supportive programming for folks post-surgery or currently undergoing chemotherapy.

Cinzia works full time from Monday through Saturday. She offers both Pilates and Movement Therapy as a a certified DESM Therapist.

Stephanie's love of movement began early in life with dance. It was in her contemporary dance training at Les Ateliers de Danse Moderne de Montreal that she was first exposed to the Pilates' method. Through her personal Pilates practice she realized the profound benefits of the work as her own body transitioned out of chronic pain. From there, Pilates became an integral part of her personal well being. As a teacher, Stephanie seeks to be a guide in helping her clients find a new awareness of the body through alignment, and a deepened understanding of their own physicality both in and out of the studio. Stephanie is continually looking for new inspiration as an instructor. She enjoys a rich practice of her own in Pilates, dance, yoga, and workshops in various movement modalities to further her along in her journey as an instructor.

Stephanie is fully trained in all apparatus, including mat, reformer, cadillac, chair, and barrel work.

Stephanie is available Monday thru Friday

 

Tiffany has been in constant motion since the day she was born.
She danced throughout her childhood, going on to dance professionally with Ballet Kelowna and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Through her years of dance training, she discovered Pilates and found that it was an excellent way to cross train and also an extremely important foundation for injury prevention. Weeks spent on tour sitting in a vehicle or endless hours in the studio and on stage on varying surfaces, pounding away in pointe shoes can easily make a body go from balanced to a chain reaction of breakdown. Pilates was the one thing she could bring wherever she went to maintain her strength and alignment. It also was integral to her recovery from older injuries that would start resurface with fatigue and overwork.
Comparing one season without Pilates to the next season, being consistent with a Pilates' practice, was like comparing night and day. She also realized that she could let her body take a rest from dancing during a break period, just do Pilates, and come back stronger than before. Through this personal journey, she decided to train to become a Pilates Instructor so she could pass on to the next generation of young dancers and athletes the importance of balance in the body to prevent injury and to better rehabilitate injuries. Her passion for movement is continually fueled as she teaches ballet and maintains her own personal dance and Pilates practice. She is also currently beginning her journey to become a physiotherapist. Tiffany did her Pilates training in Kelowna and is the newest member of the Movement Studio Team!

Tiffany is available Monday-Saturday at both the Studio Clinic locations

Cicely Nelson's teaching of Pilates and Yoga is informed by her dance background, pre-medical studies at Columbia University, and several training specialities including working with muscular imbalances, scoliosis, pre/postnatal, and the SI joint. She has taught Pilates for ten years: at Yogaworks and Erika Bloom Pilates Plus in New York City, and at the Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle. Cicely is experienced at rehabilitating injuries, teaching those coping with cancer and neurological disorders (Parkinsons and Multiple Sclerosis). Cicely firmly believes that mindful Pilates, is a vital part of a healthy wellness regime.

Cicely is available throughout the week at both the Studio Clinic locations

Brent is the founder and co-owner of Envision Physiotherapy. Currently he splits his clinical time between the two Envision offices. He has university degrees in both Human Kinetics and Physiotherapy as well as extensive post graduate training. Brent’s primary methods of treatment are IMS, movement training and manual therapy.  He spends time teaching people about their bodies so they understand the root cause of their problem and what they need to do to prevent a recurrence.  Clients are able to review Brent’s advice and exercises at home on his interactive video based website WhyThingsHurt.com.Brent treats people of all ages and abilities at Envision Physiotherapy, but has extensive experience working with golfers and tennis players.  He spent two years working almost exclusively with golfers including specialized training with Body Balance for Performance in the States.  He then moved on to work with world respected physiotherapist Diane Lee for two years where he gained invaluable experience treating resistant pain problems, and pelvic/low back issues.  Brent has had the chance to be the physio for the Cirque De Soleil, top tennis and golf pros, as well as teach workshops for Pilates instructors and UBC medical students.

He has been a lifelong athlete in soccer, rugby, water skiing, wakeboarding and any other sport that was available to him at the time.  His current sport of choice is being a dad to three young kids.

Visit Brent at our Envision Physio Clinic Location

Trish joined the Envision Physiotherapy team in November 2008. She has experience working with people of all ages and fitness abilities, but has a special interest in treating running injuries, whether it be weekend warriors or high-level athletes, as well as new moms and moms-to-be.

Trish graduated from SFU with a Bachelors Degree in Kinesiology, and from McMaster University with a Master Degree in Rehabilitation Sciences (Physiotherapy). She is pursuing her Advanced Diploma of Manual and Manipulative therapy, and has taken post-graduate courses in manual therapy, acupuncture, pre- and post-natal care, pelvic and perineal re-education, and running injuries.

In her spare time Trish enjoys running, biking, playing volleyball, taking a yoga class or snowboarding on the local mountains. Trish has completed numerous half and full marathons, and has also laced up her hiking boots to walk the Inca Trail in Peru and climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

Visit Trish at our Envision Physio Clinic Location & for workshops at our main Studio

Jacqueline hails from the greater Seattle, WA area where she was born and raised. Currently attending UBC, she is working towards her BA in BioPsychology. In addition to her work here at The Movement Studio, she is also involved in a great research lab where she investigates individual differences in impulsive action, choice and interaction. Her future plans include deeping her Pilates practice, while attending grad school. She wants to earn a PhD in Behavioural Neuroscience and is dedicated to further exploring the mysteries about the brain. Jacquie is deeply fascinated with mind-body interactions, how they interface with their environments, and how those interactions can work to create a stronger, more enduring person. Her favourite parts of Vancouver are the nice folks, gorg views, and amazing food!