Ever wish that you could turn back the clock and be in a specific place and time to actually experience what it must have been like to be at a place and time. Well we all know that we have iPads but no such machine has been invented for good reasons I think. The best we can do is gather history clips and formulate our own picture of what it must have been like. I have wondered what it must have been like to be once of those people that Joseph taught and then the process they went through to be instructors and studio owners come mentors. Here is a brief outline of those first Pilates people under the work of the inventor Joseph Pilates, Many people now trace back their lineage to these instructors. 
There was Clara Pilates the wife of Joseph Pilates. She obviously worked so closely with Joseph and continued the work when he had passed on. A close student of Joe was Romana Kryzanowska who became the director at the studio when he passed away. She is one of the most well known keepers of the classical Pilates tradition. Mary Bowen took a different career path but still continues to tach Pilates. Robert Fitzgerald opened his own studio in New York City Ron Fletcher was a dancer with the Martha Graham dance company. He opened a studio in Los Angeles and developed his own style of Pilates called Fletcher Work which he continues to teach. Eve Gentry was a dancer who, like Ron Fletcher, brought her dance training into her work as a Pilates teacher thereby expanding the Pilates teachings. In 1991 she was one of the founders of the Institute for the Pilates Method. Kathy Grant was one of only two students who was actually certified to teach Pilates by Joseph Pilates himself, Kathy Grant taught Pilates at the Tisch School of the Arts in New York City, holding a faculty position there since 1988. She passed away May, 27, 2010. Jay Grimes was another dancer, he studied extensively with Joseph Pilates and with Clara Pilates after Joe's death. He also studied with Romana Kryzanowska and eventually taught with her. He continues to teach Pilates. Bruce King was a member of the Merce Cunningham dance company. He opened a Pilates studio in New York City. Lolita San Miguel was certified to teach Pilates by Joseph Pilates and taught for many years. She founded Pilates Y Mas Inc. She continues to teach Pilates. Carola Trier was the first person to open her own Pilates studio with Joseph Pilates personal blessing. Now you can have fun going down the internet rabbit hole with all these pilates history makers, enjoy!
