Our Teachers

Samantha feels she relates to Pilates through her background in jazz and ballet dance.  Specifically, she is interested in Pilates not only to help people tone and shape their bodies, but also to help people understand and become aware of their body mechanics and how Pilates can effect their overall well being. Samantha’s other hobbies include dance, writing, painting/drawing, playing bass guitar, piano, and singing.  Samantha holds certifications through Balanced Body University.

Yael began her study of Pilates at Body Control Studio (in Israel, 1988) as a means of improving her dance technique. Yael’s approach integrates the fundamental principles of pilates with her background as a dance teacher, and her studies of anatomy and kinesiology. The goal of her teaching is to help her students build overall strength and to better understand their individual structures. By doing so, the students are given the tools with which to understand, maintain, and care for their body and spirits. Yael holds certifications from the Kane School of Core Integration.

Masako is originally from Osaka, Japan, where after finishing her BA in English,  she worked for a major insurance company.  Bored,  she decided to move to Southern California to further her studies in anthropology and other social sciences. Suffering a mysterious paralysis that left her weakened for years to come, she turned to the intense classical ballet training of her youth. This discipline rekindled her passion for dance and led to a professional modern and contemporary dance career in New York City.  It was in New York that she discovered Pilates, eventually getting her comprehensive Pilates certifications (mat and apparatus) from the Kane School of Core Integration and the Physicalmind Institute. She continues to further her education having taken workshops from almost all of the master Pilates teachers around the world. She now teaches certification programs, workshops and master classes internationally.

Karen is a long time Pilates enthusiast.  Her passion for tennis is what inspired her to pursue a certification in Pilates.  She received her mat certification from Kane School.  As both enthusiast and educator, she is committed to teaching people how to move more efficiently to improve their quality of life.  Recently, Karen has taught pilates at Annie Black Physical Therapy.  She is excited to join Spencer Pilates Arts and to share her experiences with others.

Elisabeth has been a student of Pilates for almost ten years and is pursuing her instructor certification with Balanced Body. To compliment her Pilates workouts, she began taking barre classes and loved the unconventional mix of classical ballet and an exuberant 1980s-group fitness aesthetic. She then went on to complete Tracey Mallet’s Booty Barre instructor-training program. Now she looks forward to encouraging elegant form while jamming out to loud chart-topping hits in all her classes.

Elisabeth holds an MA in Performance Studies from New York University and an MA in Sociology from The New School for Social Research. She is currently working on her PhD in Theatre and Performance Studies from the University of Maryland.

Angie Lu is a dancer and currently studying in the MFA Program at NYU/Tisch School of the Arts. As a dancer, Angie has experienced her fair share of injuries. In the process of healing her injuries she discovered her love of Pilates. She is currently pursuing her certification under Lesley Powell and Joy Karley from Balanced Body. Through her teaching, she wants to convey that Pilates is not only a hard work out but an opportunity to learn about your body.

Doria Rosa has over 20 years in the health and fitness industry, as a fitness, yoga and Pilates teacher. She is originally from Rhode Island and has worked for 15 years in South Florida. Her interests include Yoga and Pilates for Rehabilitation, as well as Pilates for Osteoporosis. Doria teaches in a holistic way, believing strongly in the importance of strength, balance, and flexibility of the body and mind. Her heart-based teaching style draws on all her background and experiences.

Karen is an enthusiastic believer in a holistic approach to wellness and loves to help others work toward their healthiest, happiest lives through mindful movement. She has been practicing and studying Pilates for 13 years as a cornerstone of the lifestyle and dietary modifications she has made to overcome lifelong, complex health challenges. Having relied on a walker frequently in her 20s and being told she needed a hip replacement at 32, she began honing her root cause approach to tackling disease and dis-ease, overcoming her mobility challenges without surgical intervention.

Karen has been a nutrition and wellness coach since 2019 and is particularly interested in the intersection of Pilates and conditions such as hypermobility and autoimmune disorders. She has enjoyed officially adding Pilates as the latest modality to her wellness practice and is currently completing her comprehensive Pilates certification at the Kane School in NYC.

Karen is also proud to introduce Spanish language classes at Spencer Pilates Arts, ensuring that more people have the opportunity to experience the benefits of movement in a welcoming and inclusive space.

(Note: Karen’s classes are perfume & fragrance-free.)