Instructors

Her 10-year battle with chronic pain led her to pilates and convinced her to change careers to bring the benefits of pilates to others.

Danielle was training for a half marathon at age 25 when she hurt her hamstring. That led to a series of chronic pain issues in her back, knee and shoulder that escalated over the course of a decade. She saw many of the best physical therapists and sports medicine doctors in the Twin Cities. They gradually cut her off of exercise, aside from walking. This was devastating. She had been an athlete her whole life. At the time of the injury, she was working out six days a week and had aspirations of being a personal trainer. Becoming a couch potato was not an option.

Her physical therapists said she needed to improve her core strength and wake up muscles in her legs that weren't firing properly. Danielle followed their exercise protocols religiously because she wanted to get better and be active again. But nothing worked. She was in pain all day, every day. She was a shell of her outgoing, athletic self.

After nearly 10 years of suffering and frustration, she approached a personal trainer at her gym and asked what she could do to build strength and be active again without causing more pain and injury. The trainer recommended pilates. It was exactly what Danielle needed to help her build core strength and wake up her muscles. It worked because it incorporated the mind-body connection that helped her really tune into and strengthen the muscles that the physical therapists had been targeting.

It took time and baby steps, but after a year of pilates lessons Danielle was able to start working out again without fear. She was strong enough to get back on the Spin bike. She was able to go for a jog. She could go on a long car ride without pain. She could wear high heels again after years of wearing orthotic shoes.

That suffering led Danielle to make decisions that ultimately changed her life for the better. She wanted to teach others about the benefits of pilates for chronic pain and help them avoid the endless merry-go-round of doctors and physical therapists that she experienced. So, she changed careers 10 years ago to teach pilates and it was the best decision she ever made. Danielle has helped numerous clients defeat their chronic pain thanks to the power of pilates.

Today, Danielle is completely pain free. At age 47, she’s in the best shape of her life. She can bike, run, lift weights and salsa dance for hours with no issues. Pilates was the key to helping her get her life back and make positive changes to help others.

She treated her pain weekly with the help of a chiropractor and a massage therapist before she discovered pilates. She found that the exercises and movements were similar to dance, and she enjoyed how one exercise flowed into the next. ‍ Pilates was the only thing that gave her long-term relief from her pain. After just one month of pilates, Kathryn decided to get her certification and became an instructor in 2018. Kathryn discovered even more benefits of pilates during her first pregnancy. She was able to continue her pilates practice and adapt exercises throughout all four trimesters. Her personal experience allowed her to develop many techniques that she uses to help clients with early pregnancy, labor and postpartum. Kathryn also has unique experience in using her pilates skillset to address breech babies. She believes building a strong foundation based on the pilates principles helped her bounce back immediately postpartum and is devoted to helping others do the same. She is dedicated to improving clients’ daily quality of life by focusing on core fundamentals, mobility, and the importance of self-care, while promoting corrective exercise through pilates.

of high school. She started taking pilates classes as a student while she worked there. Two years later, she decided to pursue her instructor certification. Coming from a gymnastics background, Malia was most intrigued by the mind-body connection aspect that both gymnastics and Pilates share. This comforting similarity created a spark that motivated her to become an instructor and to pursue Sports Psychology within her scholastics. Through pilates, she discovered a somewhat similar sort of training to what she had done in gymnastics that gave her a hopeful nostalgia. Malia has worked hard to expand her knowledge on the subject so that she can help her clients find the mind-body connection, as well. She enjoys being part of each client’s journey and understands that everyone’s path looks different. Malia appreciates a challenge and, of course, loves to have fun with her work. She values the relationships she builds with her clients and celebrates their accomplishments with joy as if they were her own. In her free time, Malia enjoys strength training/exercise and pursuing her passions.

She started out working in gyms where she assisted people with their workouts. She also worked with city employees in Lakewood, Colorado, as part of implementing their wellness programs and helped coordinate their community outreach programs. She also led hiking programs for the elderly, competitive programs for adults and sports programs for youth.

While she was raising her own children, she taught Stretch-n-Grow classes for preschoolers that encouraged them to have “happy, healthy bodies.” She used props and music to teach them the importance of exercising and healthy eating habits.

Once her children were grown, she decided that working with adults was going to be the focus of her new chapter in life. She started at Lifetime Fitness at the tennis desk, which was across the hall from the pilates studio. One of her coworkers encouraged her to take a pilates class. She took one class and was hooked! She immediately signed up to get her pilates certification.

For more than seven years, she was able to combine her two passions: cycling and pilates. She taught pilates classes and worked at a local bike shop for several years. The next chapter in Marnie’s career took her away from the fitness industry for a few years. But she recently decided she needed to return to her happy place: the pilates studio!

She loves to help pilates students achieve their goals. She knows that everyone comes to the pilates studio with a unique story - and sometimes they have some obstacles or challenges. She enjoys using her expertise to help them be successful no matter what. She also likes helping pilates students understand the benefits of the mind-body connection.

She believes that “Change happens through movement, and movement heals.” Marnie can attest to that with her own personal challenges, including two knee replacements, a back fusion and foot surgery. She did pilates to help facilitate her recovery from those surgeries and bounced back faster as a result.

She’s excited to be back in the pilates studio and working at Purposeful Pilates!

She trained at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School in the Professional Division until the age of 18, and she’s currently a ballet instructor. She holds a B.S. in Neuroscience from the University of Winnipeg and is working toward her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree at the University of Minnesota. She has her comprehensive pilates certification through Balanced Body.

Sydney was first introduced to pilates by her mother who owned a pilates studio. She played on the equipment as a child. During her teenage years, pilates became a crucial part of her workout and recovery routine as she focused on her ballet practice. She credits pilates with helping her body stay balanced and strong during her rigorous ballet career. When Sydney injured her ankle and wasn’t able to dance, she turned to pilates as a way to continue to build strength and prevent herself from becoming deconditioned while she recovered. She was able to get back onstage faster when her ankle was fully healed because of her pilates practice.

Sydney continued doing pilates after her ballet career ended because she wanted to maintain her strength and flexibility. She enjoys the method and choreography of the workout that also reminds her of dancing. There’s an artistic component to pilates that resonates with her.

Her love of science, anatomy and movement led her to pursue her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree, in addition to her pilates certification. Sydney is motivated to help everyone from athletes to aging adults get back to the activities that they’re passionate about.

provided. Pilates has been a key part of her rehabilitation regimen throughout her professional dance career as she battled several dance-related injuries. Gill loved how pilates helped her and also discovered her passion for teaching pilates and ballet. From mat to reformer and barrels to Cadillac, Gill enjoys helping people find healing through movement. She loves to learn and has expanded her knowledge through her certifications with Balanced Body, the Pilates Education Institute and the National Pilates Certification Program. Gill is also a company dancer with Continental Ballet for the 2026/2027 season. She’s excited to continue her pilates teaching journey and inspiring others with life-long movement!