Our Instructors ~ Esprit de Core Pilates Studio

OUR INSTRUCTORS

Vera

Vera owns and manages Esprit de Core Pilates Studio. She discovered Pilates during her time practicing law. Vera was initially drawn to Pilates as a way to build tone and flexibility in her body after long days of sitting at a desk. After a foot injury that turned into chronic foot pain, she realized that Pilates is also a powerful and gentle healing and rehabilitation tool. Vera made the decision to leave the legal world because she wanted to find meaningful work in which she could help people to feel healthy and comfortable in their bodies. She decided to pursue Pilates as a career, and has never looked back.

Vera completed the PhysicalMind Institute's Pilates training program in 2005, and is a certified Pilates instructor. Her passion is to help clients improve postural and body awareness, and develop efficient, healthy movement patterns for everyday living.

Since completing her certification, Vera has continued to study with Lizz Roman, Sherri Betz, Elizabeth Larkam, Yamuna Zeke and others, to keep learning new skills and to continue to learn to use the Pilates Method to help clients with rehabilitation after injuries and related to aging, as well as osteoporosis and osteopenia. Vera has also studied yoga, meditation, reiki and hypnotherapy.

Amber

Amber began teaching movement while in middle school, helping new dance students learn fundamentals and technique for tap, jazz, and ballet. Breaking down movements and building awareness of body positioning through years of dance experience translated naturally to Pilates.

Amber enjoys working with people, listening and helping others gain mobility and strength. She believes everyone benefits from Pilates and can apply it to everyday living. Amber is STOTT trained in Mat, Reformer, and Cadillac/Tower apparatuses and is eager to learn, grow and teach.

When Amber is not at the Pilates studio she is busy driving around her two teenage kids, volunteering at their public schools, practicing Pilates and dancing at a local studio. She loves reading, cooking, sunshine and mountain air.

Cat

Bio coming soon!

Efrat

Efrat has a degree in physical therapy from TAU and has been practicing
for over 25 years. During this time, she worked in diverse environments
including both hospital and home care. She worked with different age groups, from children to the elderly, and treated both chronic and acute conditions using physical activity as a tool with her patients, including Pilates. She also did several courses that extended her knowledge in third age physical activity and its benefits.

Efrat believes that physical activity is important at any age and in any condition and she knows the
impact on both body and mind. She discovered Pilates as a student and used the technique with her patients. Becoming an instructor was on her wish list for many years as she found the exercises very useful for her patients.

Efrat likes to take long hikes and trains everyday whether indoors or outdoors. In her spare time she learns the art of goldsmithing. She is a mother of three and with her youngest starting college she has the time and the ability to help you improve your strength, flexibility and mobility. She looks forward to meeting you in her classes and sharing her experience and knowledge.

Karen

Karen is a certified Stott Pilates trainer with her complete certification including mat, reformer, chair, cadillac and barrels. Karen also has training and practical experience in injury and pre- and post natal exercise.

Karen's background also includes gymnastics and dance training. She grew up in Los Altos and earned her BA from UC Santa Barbara. She has been teaching Pilates since 2000.

Annie

Annie is a certified STOTT PILATES trained instructor, having completed the intensive mat teacher training program, beginning through intermediate, and the intensive reformer teacher training, beginning through advanced.

She is currently expanding her education to include the tower and chair. Annie found her love of Pilates as a student of Pilates, having regularly taken mat and reformer classes since 2017. Seeing Pilates made her feel strong and athletic while challenging the mind and body through movement, she became a passionate participant.

As a proud working mom, Annie enjoys the complex dance of schedule management required to balance home and work life successfully.
She fills the gaps in her calendar with skiing, baseball games, and learning about wine. Annie holds a masters degree from Boston University and a bachelors degree from Indiana University.

Dana

Dance, fitness and balanced good health have always been Dana’s passions, and in 2004 she realized the culmination of these things in Pilates. Dana believes Pilates meets today’s clients’ desire for a more thoughtful approach to exercise, fulfilling the client both mentally and physically. She appreciates the accessibility of this fluid form of training for all ages and fitness levels, and enjoys adapting the workout toward her clients’ specific needs.

Dana's philosophy is "Nurture yourself by achieving 'inside-out' good health, so that you may have unlimited energy for your passions." She believes that Pilates is both a proactive and reactive tool for doing this.

Faiza

Faiza is a certified Stott Pilates instructor. She initially pursued her Pilates certification out of curiosity, wanting to better understand body mechanics and how to practice Pilates effectively. Every class she took was transformative. It became a path for her to improve her own mobility, strength, and overall well-being.

Faiza wants to share her passion for Pilates and help clients build strength, restore mobility, and feel confident in their bodies—no matter what stage of life they’re in. Her goal is to create a supportive and calm environment where people through movements develop body awareness, and achieve their fitness goals in a way that feels empowering and sustainable. She wants to continue expanding her skills and knowledge in Pilates.

Beyond Pilates, Faiza sets aside time for reading to orphans via zoom. She spends time with her family.
Faiza loves journaling , calligraphy , watercolors , Karate, cooking and hiking and traveling.

Smadar

Smadar first became interested in Pilates when she started experiencing back pain. She was amazed to learn that Pilates can heal injuries and improve posture, and was happy to see how Pilates helped improve her own back pain.

In 2011, she was certified as a Pilates Mat Instructor and taught in Israel before moving to California in 2013. Smadar completed the Stott Pilates instructor training, and is a certified instructor through Stott Pilates

She is a mother of two and enjoys staying active with Pilates, hiking, and yoga. "I am very passionate about helping others enjoy the benefits of Pilates."