The Team
Lena Gatchalian, Pilates Teacher
Lena Gatchalian has been teaching Pilates since 2000. She is certified through The Studio for Body Contrology. Lena’s dance background also informs her teaching practice. She is an ABT ® Certified Teacher (Level 3) of the ABT National Training Curriculum. For dancers and non-dancers alike, she strives to emphasize beautiful line and carriage in functional posture and alignment. Her professional dance career began in Manila, Philippines then continued in New York City and San Francisco. Lena is the Rehearsal Director for Dance Brigade, with whom she has been performing since 1994. She stays current in her practice through various workshops, seminars and research.
Patti Reed, Pilates Teacher
Patti has been teaching Classical Pilates since 2012. Patti gravitated to Pilates from a dance background (specifically classical ballet). When she stopped dancing , a friend suggested that she teach cardio fitness classes. Patti did that for many years, but after some time she wanted to switch her exercise regime to something more gentle on her joints. In 2006 Patti started at a classical studio in San Francisco. and she was completely hooked on this Method. She began taking classes as often as possible. After a few more years, her teacher suggested that she should be a Pilates Instructor. Patti graduated from the Power Pilates 700 hour teacher training program in 2012. She has been teaching small group classes and private sessions ever since. Patti credits Pilates for keeping her mentally strong along with keeping her physically healthy.
Karen Goldstein, Pilates Teacher
Karen has been a certified Pilates instructor since 2004. She was first introduced to Pilates at the age of 18 years old, after developing knee problems while studying ballet in NYC. She was sent to the original Pilates studio run by Romana Kryzanowska, a direct disciple of Joseph Pilates. After returning home to the Bay Area, she continued her ballet training with, as her teacher noticed, “much better alignment”. When Karen continued to have alignment and pain issues from dancing, she resumed her Pilates training under the guidance of Jennifer Stacey in San Francisco. She completed her Teacher Training Certification under Ellie Herman in 2004, and has studied extensively with Lizz Roman to learn how to use Pilates for rehabilitation of injuries and chronic pain issues. She has also studied with Karena Teck Lineback who specializes in Pilates for scoliosis and osteoporosis.
Karen likes to teach Pilates with an emphasis on form and how it applies to functional life movement. She likes to educate her students to have more freedom in movement, strength, and to learn ways to help themselves when their body/pain issues arise so that they can get along with more ease.
Aura Fischbeck, Independent Pilates Teacher
Aura Fischbeck-Wise has been teaching the Pilates Method since 2003. Her interest in Pilates as an exercise, rehabilitation, and mind/body integration technique evolved out of her background as a dancer. She was first introduced to the Pilates Method in 1998 in a dance class in college, taught by Cara Reeser. She then went on to receive her initial training at the Pilates Center of Boulder in 2003, and has done extensive continuing education in a variety of specialized topics around functional anatomy, and injury prevention and recovery. In 2014 she completed the Heritage Training with Cara Reeser, which focuses on the legacy of Kathy Grant, Pilates elder and master teacher. She has worked as an advisor and mentor to teachers in training through The Pilates Workshop and the Pilates Center Teacher Training program, completed the Pilates Center Masters Program in 2015, and is a nationally certified teacher through the NPTC since 2016. If you would like to book a class with Aura please contact her at: aurafischbeck@gmail.com