I’m excited. The weather’s hot, classes have been sweaty and the summer term is drawing to a close.

I’m also about to turn 40.

Last month I attended the Valencia Classical Pilates Conference, a chance for those of us passionate about Joseph Pilates legacy to be taught entirely by teachers dedicated to keeping the integrity of his work alive.  In an age where a phone can be out of fashion before it has had time to be in fashion, the constant need for re–invention is exhausting and reminiscent of my dog chasing its tail; sure, it can be fun at the time but it doesn’t actually get you anywhere.  Why is it not enough to let great work stand alone?  Particularly, when it has already proven its worth.  With the help of Brooke Siler, Peter Fiasca and Kathi Ross-Nash instructing the delegates, we all  had a chance to question, explore, learn and work out, hard!.  We rolled, jumped, criss crossed, high kicked and even cartwheeled through the three days, each day left us exhausted yet energised, curious and passionate.  I literally could not get enough, sometimes there are just times when you realise you are finally where you are supposed to be.  Pilates is about moving and finally I felt I’d been given permission to move.  An opinion that more often than not, sees me ostracised by many in my industry. I’m simply a Pilates teacher, living and learning, I teach movement to help people better connect with their bodies, they in turn get stronger, more supple and more confident.  It’s what Pilates does.

And so, as I said I’m excited, I’m headed to NYC for my birthday. This city is my very own Emerald City, where the weird, the wonderful and many of the Pilates gifted are to be found, whilst there I will be taught by Deborah lesson, Carey Regan and hopefully take some classes with my mum.  I have already been lucky enough to experience workshops taught by Deborah, and Carey’s energetic reputation goes before her, these are women who’s knowledge, experience and expertise shows no sign of diminishing or slowing down just yet, and all the teachers so far mentioned are definitely over 21!  My point here is that Pilates should be about possibility, energy, heritage and fun.  It is not defined by age appropriateness, health and safety and suitable risk assessment.  With the legacy left as a result of one passionate man’s vision we should be able to see endless potential whatever shape we are in.  I’m not suggesting that Cartwheels should appear in every Pilates class but why should we make assumptions on what’s possible based on stereo types and fear?  So if your teachers not a ‘Pilates Geek’ as I heard it delightfully described the other day, then find yourself another teacher, we might be few and far between in the age of political correctness and appropriateness but keep following the yellow brick road and you might just be lucky enough to find one…as for me I’m on the same road learning to cartwheel into 40, because if the teachers I’m inspired by are anything to go by you just get better with experience and age and the shoe’s just get more sparkly!