Samantha
Samantha began training as a professional ballet dancer at age 12. That same year, she discovered Pilates. She integrated Pilates into her dance training to prevent injuries and to maintain a balanced body. Two years later she moved to Florida to attend the Harid Conservatory for music and dance on a full ballet and academic scholarship. One year later she moved across the country to continue her ballet training with the prestigious Pacific Northwest Ballet where she studied for 3 years on full scholarship. While in Seattle she continued with her Pilates training and began to love the unique work. When she turned 18 she received a full scholarship to the University of Utah but she decided to take a chance and joined the Fort Worth Dallas Ballet where she had been hired as a corp de ballet dancer. During her dance career she performed leading roles such as Sugar plum Fairy, Myrta and Snow Queen as well as many Balanchine ballets. Until her retirement from professional dance in 2004, Samantha danced with Claremont's Inland Pacific Ballet as a principal dancer.
In 1998 Samantha received a Pilates certification from the renowned Long beach Dance Conditioning Pilates program under Marie Jose Blom. This Pilates training program is one of the most rigorous, thorough and respected programs in the country. Pilates became a passion for Samantha during her student teaching. She spent many years teaching Pilates at Pacific Pilates and Yoga in Palm Desert and she also taught Pilates at Rehab Technology Works rehabilitating injured patients. Samantha continues her Pilates education through various workshops attended regularly. One of her areas of interest and special training is with Multiple Sclerosis. Having a grandfather who died of this disease, she has a personal interest in helping others with MS. In 2001 Samantha opened State Street Pilates. She was excited to share the wonderful work of the genius Joseph Pilates with her community. Samantha loves working with her clients and seeing their individual improvements in posture, strength, flexibility, coordination and well-being.
Sammy Acknowledgements
I have enjoyed my journey in dance and can't imagine my life without the opportunities I have had. Pilates has been a huge part of who I am and I am so grateful that my dance background brought me to this wonderful movement of life. I thank my parents who have always been supportive of my choices, my sisters who are my best friends, my brother who I love, my children for bringing me joy, my wonderful husband who is my amazing soul mate, to Rebecca and Jessica for everything they do. To all our clients who make teaching Pilates fun and to Joseph Pilates for completing my life with his inspiring work.
Jessica
Jessica Newman-Skrentny has worked with the human body for many years, both as an MFA trained figurative sculptor and as a fitness professional. Her 14 years of experience teaching art at California State University Long Beach has given her a unique background and approach to the human form. Ultimately, this led her to become certified as an aerobics instructor and personal trainer. Further interest in movement resulted in her Pilates instructor certification by the renowned Rael Isacowitz at BASI (Body Arts and Science International) in 2007. Using a combination of traditional and non-traditional movements, Jessica allows for all skill levels to experience innovative ways to strengthen and improve posture, balance, all around good health and well-being.
Aside from her Pilates instruction, Jessica continues to be an exhibiting contemporary artist in the Los Angeles and Southern California areas.
Rebecca
Rebecca was born and raised in Redlands and received her Bachelor's degree from the University of Redlands in Communicative Disorders. Physical fitness has been a lifelong interest for Rebecca and her experience with Pilates first began in 2002. She loved taking Pilates classes but as it turns out, her real calling was to teach. In 2005 Rebecca became certified as a Pilates instructor through Body Arts and Science with an emphasis in dance repertoire. She began teaching at State Street Pilates that same year and continues to learn via workshops, reading, and teacher observation. Some specialized areas of continuing education she has learned are shoulder rehabilitation, flexibility, knee/hip injury and scoliosis. Currently, she continues her practice in both Pilates and Yoga and brings new exercises and techniques into her classes. Her passion and drive for Pilates are an inspiration for her clients.
