Trainers

OUR TRAINERS

HERE AT PILATES ISLAND STUDIO we take Pilates very seriously.
Our qualified staff members are all Certified Pilates Teachers. Sara Allegri is a Second Generation Pilates Master Instructor certified by Lolita San Miguel who was certified by Joe Pilates himself. Sara is also a Certified Personal Trainer with the Pilates Method Alliance and a graduate of Jolita Trahan’s Pilates International Network in Florence Italy. Biography of Sara Allegri

While living in Italy Sara had the unique opportunity to delve into the teachings of Jolita Trahan the founder of the Pilates Network. And after completing all course requirements of the Pilates Network Sara was entitled to take and successfully complete the PMA exam in Valencia Spain. The Pilates Network is now one of the select schools approved by the PMA / PSAP

Sara considers Pilates “the true science of wellness” and since science is always discovering something new, she too is dedicated to never stop learning about the human body. This continued to fed her curiosity to learn how connective tissues worked and their important role in executing Pilates exercises.

Now, thanks to John Sharkey, Wendy LeBlanc-Arbuckle and Elizabeth Larkam, her dream came true. They introduced Sara to Biotensegrity. This is a huge finding for anyone teaching the essentials of mind and body work through Pilates and will open doors to endless discoveries. This also explains why she continuously takes refresher courses to stay up to date with the latest developments in Pilates and related disciplines such as Biotensegrity, the Trigger Point technique, Bosu and TRX.

Sara Allegri Joe Sopala Over the past 15 years our primary Mentor Sara Allegri has been teaching this wonderful discipline around the globe, including Spectrum Clubs of Los Angeles, Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio Racquetball and Fitness, Club Motherhood's Destination Maternity and Pilates Island Studio in Aosta, Italy. We are proud to say that we are keeping the spirit of Pilates alive in Texas in our wonderful Austin / Cedar Park studio.

Since passing the PMMP exam with Lolita San Miguel in Palm Beach Florida and receiving her PMA certification in Valencia, Spain, the desire to learn more about this amazing discipline just keeps getting stronger. Sara frequented courses in Chicago and Malaga Spain with Rael Izacowitz known for founding the BASI technique.

Soon after moving to the States she had the honor of collaborating with the amazing artists and acrobats of Cirque du Soleil while on their US tour. She was also contacted by Alabama University’s Gymnastics Team and worked closely with their talented athletes who hold numerous NCAA National Championship titles.

Her insatiable curiosity to fully understand what Joe Pilates had tapped into and left behind is never-ending. Sara believes that Joe had so much more to offer than what he left in writing. What better way was there to learn about how he worked his magic than by asking those who learned from him: the Elders. Therefore, Sara continued her studies with 2nd Generation Teachers trained by Romana Kryzanowska and attends informative workshops with Sonje Mayo.

Romana Kryzanowska was probably one of Joe’s most faithful and dedicated students who later on became his leading instructor. This discovery lead Sara to numerous courses at the USPA (School based on Romana’s technique). She is also attending sessions with Jay Grimes in California who worked closely with Joe Pilates for many years. Both of these Elders were two of Joe’s beloved students and instructors who carry on his legacy to this day.

As you can imagine, we work with a wide range of people with a wide range of needs varying from those suffering from Osteoporosis to people who simply want to stay in shape. And to add a little cardio to the venue Sara is also certified with the BOSU technique.

Here at Pilates Island Studio we use all the props from modern to classic Pilates such as fit balls, rollers softballs, weight balls, elastic bands, magic circles, body circles, the Ladder Barrel, Spine Corrector, Reformer, Cadillac, Chair, and Ped-O-Pull.

Sara also published a book called "Pilates: The Art of Muscle Toning” and 4 videos: "Pilates 360", “Pilates for Beginners”, “Pilates with the Magic Circle” and “Intermediate Pilates with the Magic Circle.”

It is a great honor and personal satisfaction sharing this wonderful discipline created so many years ago by such a special person: Joseph Pilates.

Thank you, Sara and Joe