The Pilates Method Alliance

By the late 30s, New York City had become a mecca for dancers. During this era, Pilates developed a reputation for his ability to “fix” dancers’ injuries. Many dancers, including luminaries such as George Balanchine, Martha Graham, and Hanya Holm, studied with “Uncle Joe” and referred injured colleagues to him.

Among those who came to the Pilates Studio were two famed modern dancers, Ruth St. Dennis and Ted Shawn. Shawn invited Pilates to develop an exercise program for his dance camp in the Berkshire Mountains, Jacob’s Pillow, where Pilates taught between 1942 and 1947. Pilates’ signature mat exercises developed during this period.

Pilates first published his ideas in his book Your Health,1 in 1934. His second book, Return To Life Through Contrology,2 published in 1945, better defined his credo for total well-being. He passionately believed that if his methods were universally adopted and taught in America’s educational institutions, every facet of life – from the individual to the societal – would be improved. His vision was that a systematic, disciplined approach to physical and mental mastery would raise the individual to a place of higher personal awareness, and would positively impact the world by eliminating human suffering and reducing the need for hospitals, sanitariums, mental institutions, and even prisons.

“Contrology” became a core element of many dancers’ training and rehabilitation. A number of such dancers became “first generation” Pilates teachers (teachers trained by Pilates himself). Among them were Carola Trier, Eve Gentry, Ron Fletcher, Kathleen Stanford Grant, Bruce King, and Lolita San Miguel. Many aspiring Pilates teachers worked in the gym in exchange for exercise sessions. Other first generation teachers included Hannah Sakmirda, Jerome Andrews, Bob Seed, Naja Cory, and Mary Bowen. Other clients of Pilates later became teachers, such as Robert Fitzgerald and Jay Grimes. The Pilates’ closest students and assistants were their nieces, Mary Pilates and Irene Zeuner Zelonka. Romana Kryzanowska, a young dancer referred by George Balanchine, studied under Joseph and Clara from 1941 to 1944, when she married and moved to Peru. Upon her return from Peru in 1959, Kryzanowska became a teaching assistant at the studio.

Pilates continued to design exercise equipment, adding a line of corrective chairs and beds, though he owned very few patents for his inventions. In addition to his most famous invention, the Universal Reformer, his other innovations included the Trapeze Table, Wunda Chair, Magic Circle, Foot Corrector, Ped-O-Pull, Head Harness, Toe and Finger Correctors, Spine Corrector, Ladder Barrel, Guillotine, Catapult, and a variety of devices that he used to correct and improve posture and breath control. Artists, celebrities, and socialites became ardent followers of Pilates, who held to his belief that healthy living and sport activity required a strong foundation of physical development.

Pilates worked assiduously, teaching his ideas about the body, health, and well-being. He was profiled in magazines, newspapers and on television throughout his career, yet his work remained confined to an elite group of loyal followers.

One strong advocate was his good friend, Dr. Henry Jordan, Chief of Orthopedics at Lenox Hill Hospital. Dr. Jordan referred many patients to Pilates, including Carola Trier, who Pilates took under his wing. Some of Dr. Jordan’s students became prominent orthopedists as well, and they continued referring patients to Pilates, to Carola, and to some of the younger teachers.

In the 1950s, Pilates increased his efforts to see his work embraced by the medical and educational systems, a goal that was largely unsuccessful. Pilates was embittered by what he saw as the medical community’s passive definition of normal health, narrow vision for preventive medicine and poor standards for proper physical conditioning. After 1959, the condition of the studio building deteriorated, the neighborhood became more dangerous, and the studio’s business declined.By the late 30s, New York City had become a mecca for dancers. During this era, Pilates developed a reputation for his ability to “fix” dancers’ injuries. Many dancers, including luminaries such as George Balanchine, Martha Graham, and Hanya Holm, studied with “Uncle Joe” and referred injured colleagues to him.

Among those who came to the Pilates Studio were two famed modern dancers, Ruth St. Dennis and Ted Shawn. Shawn invited Pilates to develop an exercise program for his dance camp in the Berkshire Mountains, Jacob’s Pillow, where Pilates taught between 1942 and 1947. Pilates’ signature mat exercises developed during this period.

Pilates first published his ideas in his book Your Health,1 in 1934. His second book, Return To Life Through Contrology,2 published in 1945, better defined his credo for total well-being. He passionately believed that if his methods were universally adopted and taught in America’s educational institutions, every facet of life – from the individual to the societal – would be improved. His vision was that a systematic, disciplined approach to physical and mental mastery would raise the individual to a place of higher personal awareness, and would positively impact the world by eliminating human suffering and reducing the need for hospitals, sanitariums, mental institutions, and even prisons.

“Contrology” became a core element of many dancers’ training and rehabilitation. A number of such dancers became “first generation” Pilates teachers (teachers trained by Pilates himself). Among them were Carola Trier, Eve Gentry, Ron Fletcher, Kathleen Stanford Grant, Bruce King, and Lolita San Miguel. Many aspiring Pilates teachers worked in the gym in exchange for exercise sessions. Other first generation teachers included Hannah Sakmirda, Jerome Andrews, Bob Seed, Naja Cory, and Mary Bowen. Other clients of Pilates later became teachers, such as Robert Fitzgerald and Jay Grimes. The Pilates’ closest students and assistants were their nieces, Mary Pilates and Irene Zeuner Zelonka. Romana Kryzanowska, a young dancer referred by George Balanchine, studied under Joseph and Clara from 1941 to 1944, when she married and moved to Peru. Upon her return from Peru in 1959, Kryzanowska became a teaching assistant at the studio.

Pilates continued to design exercise equipment, adding a line of corrective chairs and beds, though he owned very few patents for his inventions. In addition to his most famous invention, the Universal Reformer, his other innovations included the Trapeze Table, Wunda Chair, Magic Circle, Foot Corrector, Ped-O-Pull, Head Harness, Toe and Finger Correctors, Spine Corrector, Ladder Barrel, Guillotine, Catapult, and a variety of devices that he used to correct and improve posture and breath control. Artists, celebrities, and socialites became ardent followers of Pilates, who held to his belief that healthy living and sport activity required a strong foundation of physical development.

Pilates worked assiduously, teaching his ideas about the body, health, and well-being. He was profiled in magazines, newspapers and on television throughout his career, yet his work remained confined to an elite group of loyal followers.

One strong advocate was his good friend, Dr. Henry Jordan, Chief of Orthopedics at Lenox Hill Hospital. Dr. Jordan referred many patients to Pilates, including Carola Trier, who Pilates took under his wing. Some of Dr. Jordan’s students became prominent orthopedists as well, and they continued referring patients to Pilates, to Carola, and to some of the younger teachers.

In the 1950s, Pilates increased his efforts to see his work embraced by the medical and educational systems, a goal that was largely unsuccessful. Pilates was embittered by what he saw as the medical community’s passive definition of normal health, narrow vision for preventive medicine and poor standards for proper physical conditioning. After 1959, the condition of the studio building deteriorated, the neighborhood became more dangerous, and the studio’s business declined.