instructors

Gizel came to Chicago from Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1995 to attend the University of Chicago and earned her BA in Economics. She fell in love with Pilates the moment she attended her first mat class in 1999 and in 2004 decided to teach it full time. In 2006 she and her partner Alex opened up Spring Wellness Center on Southport and Waveland in a renovated apartment flat. However, she truly believes that a balanced workout routine can truly keep the body young, healthy and fit so a few years later in 2009, a great opportunity came up for her to be able to open up a more spacious and beautiful space down the streets, just 50 steps from the Brown Line stop on Southport and Newport. The new studio allowed her to incorporate yoga, different styles of Pilates, Kettlebells, TRX, Core Ballet and various Fusion classes. You can automatically tell her enthusiasm and love for Pilates in every mat class and private lesson she teaches. She loves how athletic a Pilates practice can be and is incredibly grateful to share the power and strength her clients are capable of achieving in each of their sessions. Gizel is certified through BASI Pilates and is also a Level 1 certified Kettlebells instructor. In her spare time, she is very devoted to her daily yoga practice but most importantly, loves to hang out with her husband Craig and son River.

Emily graduated from DePaul University in 2002 and received her BA in Art History. After graduating from college she moved to Los Angeles to work in the fashion industry and it was there that she fell in love with Pilates. Emily received her first pilates mat certification in LA through the Physical Mind Institute. After moving back to Chicago she decided to continue her pilates education and completed the comprehensive training program through Body Arts and Science International. In her spare time Emily enjoys spending time with her husband and Himalayan cat Titan.

Having always been enthusiastic about fitness, health and well-being, Angie began pursuing another form of exercise to supplement her daily running. Having been asked to be a case study for a friend's Pilates certification, she found something that would become her passion. She fell in love with Pilates immediately because of the way it made her feel, look, and act. Once the case study was complete, Angie decided to pursue Classical Training to be a Pilates Instructor. She knew she wanted to teach others Pilates to help change their lives the way hers had been. Once she was certified, Angie continued to follow her passion for Pilates, leaving her full time job at Leo Burnett, one of the leading advertising agencies in the country, and teaching Pilates full time. When asked what motivates her, she says 'my clients, their spirit, and their commitment. I love to see the amazing changes they undergo, both on the outside and on the inside.' You can catch Angie in her spare time with her 2 cats and huge Doberman Ty, as well as running, spending time with family and friends, and delving into the city's vintage shops to find the best steals.

Marie Doherty comes from Chicago IL. She began her dance training at the Chicago Academy for the Arts. She holds a BFA in dance from SUNY Purchase College Conservatory of Dance. While at Purchase College, Marie studied dance abroad in Taipei Taiwan, and Burgos Spain. After college Marie danced in Montreal, Los Angeles and New York City. She has had the opportunity to work with many choreographers: Asun Noels of Spain, Peggy Baker, Danielle Desnoyers of Canada, Kate Hutter of LA Contemporary Dance Company, Gregory Dolbashian, Sarah Oppenheim, Yung-li Chen, Indah Boyle, Judy Moss, and Merce Cunningham of New York. While living in New York, Marie found Contemporary Pilates through a Brooklyn based studio, The Fitness Guru, founded by NBC's Fitness Blogger, Michael Feigin, and his partner Lawson Harris. After suffering from a back injury, Marie found Pilates as a means to rebalance and regain strength and flexibility in order to continue her dance career and healthy life style. Inspired by the benefits of Pilates, Marie underwent a 750 hour Pilates certification program. The rigorous program required hours of class time, observing, continuing education, and teaching as an apprentice for one year. Marie is inspired daily by her clients who choose Pilates as a means to discover movement to help create a sound, healthy body and mind. She is thrilled to share her knowledge of Dance and Pilates with clients and inspire them to discover the love of movement, strength and flexibility. Marie has a constant practice of Yoga, Pilates and Dance daily, she is always exploring and learning new information to share with her clients.

Dorienne Lewin graduated from Point Park University in Pittsburgh with a BA in Modern Dance in 2003. She took the next year to live on an island off the coast of Maine where she worked and enjoyed the simple life before moving to Chicago in 2005. Having a strong understanding of movement and body awareness, she continued her education becoming a nationally certified Personal Trainer, Pilates and Yoga instructor. She received her certifications through the National Academy of Sports Medicine, Temple of Kriya Yoga and The Pilates Method/Physical Mind Institute. Dorienne combines clear and gentle instruction with an anatomical and breath awareness to bring students deeper into their bodies. She also enjoys spending time with her husband and growing family!

Jessie has always loved exercising and enjoyed living a healthy lifestyle. A native of Chicago, she has had many jobs in health clubs and became a personal trainer, She realized that her true passion in life was helping others feel their best. After sustaining an injury to her calf, and while in Physical Therapy, she was introduced to Pilates, and instantly fell in love, and attributes it in a making a full recovery. In 2011 she decided to get certified in Classic Pilates, and in 2012 found a home at Spring Pilates. She enjoys challenging her clients and heping them achieve things that they didn't think their bodies were capable bringing her Pilates and Personal training together.. In her spare time she enjoys swimming and enjoying Chicago and all it has to offer.

Nicole was first introduced to Pilates 14 years ago to help her rehabilitate from dance-related injuries, and she instantly fell in love with the method. The physical and mental strength it brought to her helped her to continue dancing professionally much longer than she thought her body could handle. In addition to extensive Pilates training, Nicole has had over 20 years of dance training and performing experience. She taught jazz dance in Southern California for a decade and always knew that teaching movement and pushing people to strive for their best was passion of hers. She received her comprehensive Pilates certification through Core Pilates in 2009 in New York City where she lived for 8 years teaching, performing and working in the corporate world. She recently became a licensed instructor of the Gyrotonic® method of exercise which is expanding her knowledge of the body and is excited to add this into her Pilates world. In 2012, Nicole eagerly quit her corporate job to focus solely on teaching and dancing, and shortly thereafter moved to Chicago. She loves to inspire, motivate and offer encouragement and confidence to her clients, and to kick their butts and challenge them in the process!