Find out more about NEW pilates teacher Mariana Camiloti with our Q&A!
We hope you will join her for her regular Beginners Pilates classes on Saturday mornings at 11.45am.
When did you decide to become a Pilates instructor?
About 10 years ago, when recovering from a knee injury I was told to start practicing Pilates for rehabilitation and to enhance my dance technique. I immediately felt the benefits of the practice in my body and had thoughts of why not combining my work as a professional dancer with teaching Pilates?.
What do you eat for breakfast usually?
most of the days I have muesli with yogurt and fruits or porridge with seeds, nuts and banana or blueberry with a small cup of black Italian coffee. I also love poached eggs on sourdough bread with avocado!
What is your favourite exercise?
The Bridge (spine curls) and all the variations! - great exercise to mobilise each vertebra sequentially and to find space and length throughout the whole spine.
What is the most surprising thing about being a Pilates teacher?
You are constantly learning and challenging yourself. Going to other teachers classes and self-practicing is fundamental. I also learn by keep an attentive eye on my clients' unique bodies and the way they move naturally. How they absorb instructions, how they 'translate’ my cues into movement. When I see them fully aware and deeply engaged in their bodies when performing a exercise I find it very satisfying.
What advise can you give to beginner student?
Be patient, be open to different approaches and teachers, be a good listener. Sometimes working slower and gentler to begin with can be more effective and have long lasting results. Don’t forget to breath!
What time do you go to bed?
Around 22:30! I’m an early bird.
What is your favourite music to do Pilates to? Or do you prefer silence?
Silence! always, being focused is important - listening to your body and to the teacher instructions is already a big task!
How does your experience with dance effect the way you teach Pilates?
Being a dancer teaches you a lot about discipline, openness, focus, awareness, precision and flow of movement. I’ve developed an accurate eye for details and proprioception (awareness of my moving body in relation to the space around me or to other people). I believe all of these aspects can be learned and improved when practicing Pilates - I try to incorporate them in my teaching as much as I can.
Join Mariana for Beginners Pilates
every Saturday at 11.45am
About Mariana
Mariana is a level 3 Body Control Pilates instructor and member of the BCP association who felt inspired to help others experience the benefits of Pilates. Her classes focus on aiding each person to develop a safe and effective workout from inside out. Mariana’s passion for movement, dance and somatic techniques is highly incorporated in her lessons; targeting the deep postural muscles, body structural imbalances and improving client's alignment, functional movement patterns, breathing and awareness. Her generous and calm approach inspire clients of all walks of life to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. She takes pride in helping individuals to relax, be confident and have fun whilst introducing more challenging exercises progressively.
Besides teaching Pilates, Mariana is an experienced professional dancer born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil. She trained at London Contemporary Dance School and first experienced Pilates during a ACL knee injury rehabilitation in 2008. She worked not only to recover from surgery but also to enhance her dance technique and performance skills. Since then, Pilates became a regular practice that has enabled a 11 years of professional contemporary dance career.
