"When you run a fully operational storefront, people are not shy about letting you know their complaints, so once the new Gratz equipment was in place, we immediately set up a suggestion box, created a survey and hoped for the best. Everyone LOVED the change. The teachers were jazzed by the look and feel and more importantly so were the clients!"

Jennifer DeLuca, Owner/Director
BodyTonic Pilates Gymnasium

STUDIO

BodyTonic specializes in private, semi-private, and group class training on the Pilates equipment. These versatile pieces of equipment – the reformer, cadillac, chairs and barrels – use spring resistance to simultaneously lengthen, strengthen and tone your muscles. With a repertoire of over 500 exercises, the Pilates equipment will challenge and invigorate both your mind and body.

Summer Strong June 23 from BodyTonic Pilates Gymnasium on Vimeo.

PEOPLE

Jennifer DeLuca(Master Trainer) - Jennifer DeLuca is the Founder/Director of BodyTonic and author of Pilates for Wimps: Total Fitness for the Partially Motivated. She was certified through Romana Kryzanowska. Additonally she has training in dance, yoga, floore barre, kinesthetic anatomy with Irene Dowd and further Pilates Training with Leslie Powell, Bob Liekens, and Roxanne Murata.

Emily Gayeski(Senior Trainer) - Emily received her first Pilates training from Kelly Kane and began teaching in 2000. She has continued to learn from Jennifer DeLuca since becoming a staff member at BodyTonic in 2002. She has continued her studies in myofascial anatomy with Tom Myers and in pregraduate studies within the CUNY system in addition to volunteer work at Methodist Hospital. Emily is also a member of the Dušan Tynek Dance Theater. She is grateful for the years of commitment and opportunity for growth that the BodyTonic community has given her.

Hristoula Harakas(Senior Trainer) - Hristoula was certified through BodyTonic Pilates Gymnasium, under Jennifer DeLuca and Caitlin Cook, and has had the pleasure of being part of the BT staff since 2005. Hristoula continues her career as an independent contemporary dance professional. As such, she has received a 2006 “Bessie” performance award and scholarships from the A. Onassis and Merce Cunningham Foundations. She was a regular faculty member of the M. Cunningham Studio (2002-12) and a current Movement Research Faculty. Over the years she has had the pleasure of working with such inspiring artists as: Maria Hassabi (currently touring around the world), Donna Uchizono Co, Jodi Melnick, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Judith Sanchez, Chamecki/ Lerner, Levi Gonzalez, Amanda Loulaki, Jeremy Nelson and Luis Lara Malvacias among others.

Peggy Gallagher(Senior Trainer) - As a dance and movement educator for 25 years, Peggy brings an extensive understanding of the body to her Pilates practice. She received her certification at Body-tonic in 2003 under the direction of Jennifer DeLuca and Caitlin Cook, after completing 500+ practice hours during her apprenticeship. She has since logged hundreds of professional development hours exploring functional anatomy, kinesiology and muscle balancing with Irene Dowd, Eric Franklin, PMA and others, as well as completing the renowned FAMI workshop at Mount Sinai. As a teacher she is committed to providing a well-balanced exploration of all movements, while remaining true to her classical roots. Her goal is to assist each client in discovering and progressively building the organic connections between mind and body.
She is also on staff at The International Preschools since 1996, where she teaches Creative Movement to young children. As a graduate of the Dance Education Laboratory (DEL) at the 92st Y Harkness Dance Center she has developed extensive training in Laban Movement Analysis. In 2010 she was elevated to Senior instructor at BodyTonic.

Brian Eshleman(Senior Trainer) - Brian received his Pilates certification from The Pilates Studio, having studied with Roman Kryzanowska and Bob Liekens. Prior to Pilates he earned his BS in Exercise Physiology/Sports Science from Ohio University. Brian is also a graduate of Tri-State College of Acupuncture and is a NY Licensed and Nationally Board Certified acupuncturist..

Candice Thompson(Certified Trainer) - Candice Thompson received her Pilates training at BodyTonic under Jennifer DeLuca and at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with Kathleen Stanford Grant. After dancing for the Milwaukee Ballet Company and ad hoc Ballet, she is now pursuing an MFA in literary nonfiction and writes about about health and fitness for Dance magazine.

Benjamin Stuber(Certified Trainer) - Benjamin Stuber has been involved with the Pilates community for five years. After over fifteen years of fascinated study of numerous bodymind integration methods (The Six Viewpoints, Body Mind Centering™, Shamatha meditation), Pilates has become the central focus of his teaching. Benjamin believes that good movement is inherently healing for the total self, and continues to pursue a contemporary understanding of the original teachings Pilates brought to the world. He holds a Pilates certification from The Art of Fitness in NYC, a BA in Theatre from Oberlin College, an MFA in Theatre – Contemporary Performance from Naropa University, and is currently participating in the Kathy Grant Heritage Training® taught by Cara Reeser. He writes about Pilates and various mindbody topics at New Contrology Pilates (newcontrology.com).

Eva Lucks(Certified Trainer) - Eva is Power Pilates certified under the tutelage of Bob Liekens and Enja Schenck. Her dedication to a healthy lifestyle began at an early age, participating in gymnastics and competitive track. She has a true passion for Contrology and seeks to instill the same excitement in each of her students. Eva’s classes delve deep into the classical Pilates system, creating a challenging flow and movement experience. In addition to teaching Pilates and exploring all that the world of fitness has to offer, she speaks Japanese and French and is the Director of Process Development at a global translation company. She is also certified in Thai Yoga Massage through the Lotus Palm Institute. Eva is a firm believer in the importance of continued education and regularly takes classes and workshops to enhance her understanding of Anatomy and Physiology in not only the Pilates method but other forms of fitness training as well.

Jenny Kim(Certified Trainer) - Jenny received her Pilates certification training at BodyTonic with Jennifer DeLuca and Candice Thompson.

Megan Krauszer(Certified Trainer) - Megan Krauszer was first introduced to Pilates in high school as a part of her dance training. After receiving her BFA in Dance from The Boston Conservatory, she moved to NYC and began dancing professionally. Pilates has kept Megan moving and performing through various dance-related injuries. She decided to share these benefits with others, and began teaching in 2008.
Megan completed her classical certification through Power Pilates, under Susan Moran and Bob Liekens, and continues to train in continuing education workshops and with Peter Roël, Jan Phillips, and others. She recently completed a TRX Group Suspension Training Course in 2014, and has added TRX to her movement vocabulary. Megan continues to dance professionally and draws on her lifelong movement experience to enrich her classes and sessions.
She has been teaching at Body Tonic since 2010 and loving every minute of it!

Merav Cohen(Certified Trainer) - Merav studied classical mat at Vingate in Isreal and after teaching mat for a year she decided to deepen her knowledge of mind-body work and completed the Basi certification, taught by Richard Orbach. After teaching out of her home studio, as well as in various places in Jerusalem, Merav moved to New York to continue her study and development in the field.

Tammi Shamblin(Certified Trainer) - Originally from California, Tammi Shamblin begin her Pilates training while receiving her BFA in Ballet from the University of Utah. She teaches ballet at Ballet Tech, a public school for dance, and caught the Pilates bug again when Candice suggested she consider the teacher training. She loves incorporating a theme into her group classes and engaging with the amazing clients at BodyTonic. In her free time she can be found baking and taking long walks throughout New York–exploring new neighborhoods and taking photographs.

Laura Petraglia(Certified Trainer) - Prior to becoming a Pilates instructor, Laura worked in the advertising world. After taking years of Pilates classes, she realized Pilates was her passion and decided to redirect the path of her career. Laura completed the teacher training certification program at Body Tonic under the direction of Master Trainer Jennifer DeLuca and Deputy Director Candice Thompson. When not doing Pilates (and the occasional freelance advertising project), Laura enjoys cooking, traveling, exploring different neighborhoods, and hanging out with her amazing wonder pup, Bella.

EQUIPMENT

After Romana's passing in August, 2013 it hit me like a brick in the head. I thought, "I have to go back to my roots." Over the 14 years that BodyTonic Pilates Gymnasium had already been in business, I had acquired pieces from Gratz here and there, and after reconnecting with my peers and getting that big bear hug from Drago, it was undeniable; I had to sell my old equipment from another manufacturer and go visit Gratz Industries. I drove out to the old factory in Long Island City, New York with Candice Thompson BT's Deputy Director and we decided to dive in with 7 Towers, and 3 combo Reformer/Cadillac pieces. With a high-traffic studio made up of hundreds of BodyTonic devotees and 12 instructors, I was not certain how it would go over, but deep down I knew the change was right.

When you run a fully operational storefront, people are not shy about letting you know their complaints, so once the new Gratz equipment was in place, we immediately set up a suggestion box, created a survey and hoped for the best. Everyone LOVED the change. The teachers were jazzed by the look and feel and more importantly so were the clients! I can honestly say in all the years in business that I have never made a change that was so universally well-received. In the past, I've changed layouts or paint colors, or made schedule changes and normally, I get an earful of disparate responses, and here I just kept getting great feedback over and over and over again, from the cushioning, to the glide, to the better feedback from the springs and even the color. Now people come to BodyTonic from all over the world because they know us to be a Gratz studio. We even name our Gratz equipment in our marketing materials. Personally, it feels like home and I couldn't be happier when I am in the studio watching everyone work those Gratz machines.

LOCATION

BODYTONIC PILATES GYMNASIUM
150 Fifth Avenue
Brooklyn, New York

Phone: (718) 622-6222
Website: www.body-tonic.com

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