Embodied Pilates Studio: Celebrating a successful first year in business

"We have loved the first year here and we would like to thank all of our amazing clients."

Those were the sentiments of a delighted Louise Carey and Laurie Schneider, speaking to Derry Now as their business, Embodied Pilates Studio, prepared to celebrate its First Birthday.

Louise and Laurie, both of whose families hail from Derry, previously worked together in a Pilates studio in Dublin. “Between us we have taught Pilates for 30 years,” smiled Laurie. 

Happy First Birthday Embodied Pilates Studio.

Explaining their move back to the city, Laurie said: “It was coming out of lock-down and there were lots of big changes happening. I had decided I was going to move back to Derry and start teaching Pilates. I asked Louise for some advice and she said, ‘That’s funny because I have made up a business plan. I was thinking of moving back too’.

“I said, ‘Why don’t you?’ and two days later, Louise sent me a message saying, ‘Let’s do it’, so we started making plans and the rest, as they say, is history,” said Laurie.

Louise and Laurie teach Mat, Ballet Barre and Slings (Strength & Mobility) classes as well as   studio sessions and private sessions (on and off the large Pilates apparatus).

“We work on all of the bigger pieces of apparatus which wouldn’t have been in Derry until we opened Embodied Pilates Studio,” said Louise.

Laurie added: “When we teach Pilates, it is not associated with anything else such as physiotherapy. It is very definitely from the movement aspect from Joseph Pilates style of teaching.

Laurie and Louise celebrating their first year in business.

“People don’t really know what Pilates is. I think TikTok has given people the impression Pilates is a series of exercises, done by people wearing skimpy gym gear, and I think that has maybe put some people off.

“Our message here at Embodied Pilates Studio is very definitely, it doesn’t matter what age you are. It doesn’t matter how you look or how you are.

“If you are in pain, come and do Pilates’.

“I would love to get the message across to people, if you have been thinking about Pilates and you’re not sure, come along and try one class or an Explore Session and see if you enjoy it and feel the benefits,” said Louise.

An Explore Session at Embodied Pilates Studio is a one-to-one class.

“During an Explore Session, we will figure out what level the person is at," said Laurie.

“Because, if you have a lot going on with your body, going into a class scenario is not ideal.

“We keep our classes small, no more than eight people and we are pretty good at being able to keep an eye on everybody, but even at that, if someone has a lot going on with their body a class scenario isn’t the best place to go.

“That is why we would recommend a few one-to-ones for a client before they go into a class.

“During the Explore Session we can assess all that and talk to the person about what their goals are and what they want to achieve from Pilates. Is it that they want to get out of pain or is it they just want a bit of socialising or that they want to move? And then, we’ll  take it from there,” said Laurie reassuringly.

Louise described Embodied Pilates Studio’s first year as a “roller-coaster”.

She added: “But, we have found, when people feel the benefits of Pilates,  they want to invest money in feeling better.

“When you are feeling better, life is a little bit easier and it actually shines as out as how you present to the world. If someone is in pain and is not feeling strong, it is obvious. We want our clients to be confident and flexible and able to move, as a result of their experience in the Studio.”

Embodied Pilates Studio also has online classes, reaching clients in Donegal and Dublin. This is an area which Louise and Laurie are planning to expand upon in September.

Laurie said: “Our aim is to have classes for which people can pay a membership so they can do the classes at home, in their own time, if they can’t come into the Studio.

“We might have a 20 minute class for hips or a 15 minute class for shoulders, which can be accessed online to complement the live classes. These will help to keep our clients moving outside of the in studio classes.

“We will also have a summer timetable, which is available on all of our social media outlets. In addition, we are running two workshops on Saturday, May 27. The morning workshop is for people who haven’t come to the studio before. It will be an Introduction to Pilates.

“Then, in the afternoon, we are going to have a Strength and Mobility workshop, which will cater for runners, athletes. It will definitely be a stronger class, a little bit more of a challenge, so it might be for clients that have come to Pilates before, or are park runners who might be a little bit tight, or people who play team sports,” said Laurie.

Louise said she and Laurie had met many “amazing clients” since moving back to Derry.

She added: “There is a fantastic community here and Derry and all of the businesses are so supportive of each other.

“We have gotten to know a lot of the other Pilates instructors and yoga instructors.

A selection of the equipment available at Embodied Pilates Studio!

“There is a fantastic movement community here. We are so happy we moved, there are no regrets. It’s onwards and upwards next year, hopefully.”

Embodied Pilates Studio offers: Pilates, Ballet Barre and Strength and Mobility classes. The Strength and Mobility classes are a cross between Pilates, yoga and myofascial release techniques.

“We teach Level 1 and Level 2 classes,” said Laurie, “and we will be teaching Level 3 classes as our clients reach that level.

“We have morning, lunchtime and evening classes too. We want to be completely accessible for our clients, who can buy passes and attend any classes appropriate to their level at a time that suits them, for example if they do shift work.”
Find out more information on their website: www.embodiedpilatesstudio.com.