Evolving to help other teachers grow

I think I always knew I’d end up teaching others. Every job I have ever had has centred around teaching movement to children and adults. I’ve been a mover and surrounded by movement my entire life. Teaching was a natural evolution for me. I love teaching my clients but there is something much more enriching about teaching teachers. About making sure there are pilates practitioners out there who truly help change people’s lives.

Often we talk about the moments that changed us. For me, it was my first knee surgery at age 16 that forever changed the trajectory of my life. All I wanted at that time was to dance and physical therapy could only do so much for my recovery. I pursued my Bachelor in dance at Goucher College in Maryland, USA specifically because of its intertwined Pilates department. I knew that If I wanted to keep dancing I would have to be able to take care of my body and Pilates was the magic.

I had the option to stay at Goucher to pursue a Romana Kryzanowska-based classical teacher training program, but I chose another path. Four years was enough, and I needed the challenge of something new. I also knew I only had so much dance life left in my knees. I decided to go straight to grad school at the University of Colorado (CU), Boulder once again for dance and Pilates. I completed my advanced teaching certificate in 2005 and I’ve been teaching Pilates ever since.

I began teacher training when I moved my home studio to a studio storefront. I had a very clear mission with Pilates 804 as a restorative studio and I didn't have comprehensively trained teachers alongside me. It was my husband who said, “Why don’t you just start training teachers”. He said it as a solution but as soon as the idea was sparked I got to work. Applicants were either under-certified or completely stunned by how different their training was from the traditional approach. This was around 2014 before the Pilates fitness boom but I could see it on the horizon. Then covid changed everything and I saw a way to make -classical training more accessible.

The options for teacher training and certifications are endless but not all programs are created equal. Particularly when programs are about volume versus creating confident quality educators. I have nothing against Pilates as simple fun fitness or teachers who want to teach it as such but Pilates as a methodology of movement is where I gravitate. I meet too many teachers who only have a Reformer certification but now want more; or have been piecing together a comprehensive certification and feel gaps in their learning; or started a traditional program and became overwhelmed by the amount time and money the outdated model demands. I knew when I started teacher training that I wouldn’t compromise the standards of the method but there had to be a way to make it more accommodating. I started training dancers in the area in Pilates and soon had full apprentices. All have moved on to become full-time teachers either at Pilates 804 or in their own businesses. In the beginning, I only offered an in-studio apprenticeship modelled after successful classical programs. Again, It was Covid that made me realise the potential to reach teachers around the world as a mentor and continuing education provider.

I now only accept three apprentices a year for the in-studio training. I want to be personally involved with their training along with the faculty. Completing the apprenticeship allows the graduates the freedom to teach anywhere because they are comprehensively trained in all apparatus and levels.

One of the biggest challenges of teacher training is the time commitment. I created and continue to expand the online curriculum known as Somaphyx. Somaphyx is traditional Pilates but without the rigidity that it has been so well known for. The program I created allows for more flexibility with the hourly requirements, much of the lectures are replaced with digital coursework and the advisors oversee each apprentice to help guide them on their journey. I also made it so teachers already certified could do it as well. I want teachers to fully embrace the technique of Pilates without sacrificing their movement independence.

Perhaps it’s more easily explained by one of my students…

“The Somaphyx® program merges respect for the traditional Pilates method with a mastery of movement science. Danica’s deep understanding of both is enhanced by her fluency in anatomy and kinesiology, and she’s incredibly generous in sharing all of her knowledge with her students. For anyone seeking a deeper understanding of why and how the method works, any of Danica’s programs will be of tremendous benefit. You’ll learn to trust your own creativity when your clients struggle, and you’ll make remarkable progress in your own practice too. I’m grateful that I pursued teacher training with Danica, and I plan to keep learning from her for a long time to come!" -Aisling Chapin, Graduate of the Sompahyx Practitioner's Apprenticeship

I have been evolving my teacher training offerings for almost a decade and I’ve seen so much change over that period too. I’ve often felt like the one thing that is lacking in our industry is transparency. I get so frustrated with the lack of transparency from total cost to curriculum and grading rubric. I wish there was a global industry standard when it comes to this. The National Pilates Comprehensive Program (NCPT) is doing its best but it’s pretty much an untameable beast at this point. With such an expansive variety of programs, what they choose to cover, and many different module approaches, it’s exhausting to navigate.

All I can do is continue to offer what I feel is a comprehensive program that makes the teachers I teach come with feeling empowered and confident in their teaching. I continue to train intimately in studio with the Somaphyx Practitioner's Apprenticeships and also continue to expand my programming further.

I have watched Pilates rebuild people’s lives and I have had the joy of being a part of that. The world needs Pilates teachers and quality movement educators. It’s not just about exercise. We’ve known we needed exercise since our natural instincts said run. Keeping the body integrated as one machine is another. Giving other’s that control and teaching them how to maintain it is a gift. Teaching teachers means more people move better and that makes me sleep well at night.

Danica is a Pilates practitioner and movement educator with over 20 years of experience. Her studio, Pilates 804 in Richmond, Virginia is the homebase for Somaphyx®. Danica’s unique teacher training and mentoring programs.

Currently, Danica only offers the apprenticeship from her studio in Richmond, VA, USA and at the same time offers the Pro Mentorship and Intensives which can be joined from anywhere. The online curriculum can also be licensed for any program in need of training material. Danica hopes to expand with host studios very soon.

Danica is currently accepting applications for 2024 – Pro-Mentorship enrolment will open in spring 2024. You can contact Danica from Pilates 804 here.