Johanna Meyer has been a Pilates instructor since 1997 and joined The Swan team earlier in 2014. She has a calming presence with a hint of mischief, and an obvious love of people, which fits right in with our Swan family! We could talk for days about all the reasons we are thrilled to offer her as an instructor, but perhaps we should let Johanna speak for herself.
You can check out her bio and sign up for a session! Johanna lends her teaching expertise to the studio on Mondays and Wednesdays! She also teaches our Mat Class for Dancers at Movement Research, every Tuesday at 2pm!
Can you tell us a bit about your philosophy of teaching, what interests you about the body and any influences that have shaped your practice and your teaching?
I am really interested in how the whole body works together. I am greatly influenced by Alexander Technique and worked for many years with Sigal Bergman and Rebeca Nettl-Fiol at UIUC and others. In addition, I love Bartenieff Fundamentals and it's relationship to movement; Body Mind Centering and the development of human movement and how these patterns integrate the body. I studied Classical Pilates for the last three years. It was so hard but really good. I like to work micro to macro with clients. I have taught Pilates to dancers, people recovering from herniated discs, ACL tears and sprained ankles. I have worked with pre and post natal women.
What is your favorite Pilates exercise?
I like any exercise that connects my limbs into my trunk. I also love footwork and springboard.
Least favorite exercise?
100s and the horseback on the barrel
What is your favorite muscle or bone and why?
I love all muscles. i am in perpetual curiosity about the body. I believe all muscles are good and look for ways to balance strength, flexibility, and coordination. Sometime I think Pilates is magic!
Elephant of Whale?
I love them both.
What are you reading right now?
Love and Rockets by The Hernandez Brothers
Any dance happenings this fall that you are involved in or excited about?
I am really stoked to be working on material with a friend that we will take to Bogota, Colombia in addition to performing somewhere in NYC. I am very excited that David Zambrano is coming to town and love taking ballet with Janet Panetta. I have a general excitement for the fall about upcoming shows. A shout out to Dancspace Project. A lot of interesting choreographers this fall. As for myself, I will be working to find spaces to get my work up.