Mentor Before the Moment
There’s a tendency in the Pilates industry to look at educators as if they arrived fully formed - confident, articulate, and certain in their voice. But for Chaz Knight, named Mentor of the Year at the 2025 Pilates Journal Awards, the path has been anything but immediate.
“My journey wasn’t overnight,” he says. And it’s in that statement that the real story begins.
The unexpected starting point
“I originally sought out Pilates because my feet were very stiff and weak,” Chaz shares. What began as a practical solution quickly became something more. “I remember my ankles and feet burning from all of the focused footwork, but the improvement in my ballet technique was almost instant, so I was sold.”
That early experience, the direct relationship between focused work and tangible change, would shape everything that followed. “I realized early on that I loved the structured approach to building a body,” he says. “I was able to apply the same logic to my dance training.”
Within two years, that discipline translated into rapid progression: “I went from ballet with six-year-olds to the best schools in NYC on full scholarships.”
Even then, the seeds of education were there - just not fully defined. “At the time, I knew I would eventually teach movement, but I had no idea which path that might take.”
Seeing what others don’t
For some, the transition into education is gradual. For Chaz, it was immediate - and perhaps, premature.
“Shortly after completing my first certification… I realized I saw bodies and understood movement in a way that the other teachers did not,” he says.
That awareness didn’t go unnoticed. “The owner of the school saw this and offered me the position as lead educator of the mat portion of the program.”
Looking back, he’s clear-eyed about it: “This should have been a red flag. I had only been certified for a few months!”
But instead of stepping back, he leaned in. “There was more money and a chance to really step into a role that I knew would make me grow. So I accepted, and devoured every book or video on Pilates mat work I could get my hands on.”
It’s a defining trait of educators who last: not certainty, but responsibility.
“The weight of the responsibility never felt like a burden; it gave me a reason to keep exploring the work.”
The invisible work
From the outside, growth can look like momentum. Behind the scenes, it often looks like resistance.
“At first I found it very difficult to put myself out there,” Chaz admits. “I didn't like how my voice sounded on camera, I hated all the videos I filmed and would delete almost everything.”
What changed wasn’t just consistency - it was support.
“It was my partner Sam who turned everything around…he would film with me sometimes for six hours. His help and support changed everything and helped me believe in myself.”
And perhaps most telling:
“I never would have kept going if it hadn’t been for him.”
The mentors who reshape you
Every educator is, first, a student - and the depth of that studenthood defines the quality of their teaching.
For Chaz, that lineage is clear.
“The work of Kathi Ross-Nash had an invaluable impact on my early teaching… the logic and clear processes had a huge impact on how I approached the method.”
Then came the humbling recalibration.
“I went into Trish Garland’s studio thinking I had everything figured out, she had learned from Romana Kryzanowska and… quickly realized I had barely scratched the surface.”
And finally, the shift that changed everything:
“Discovering the work of Inelia Garcia (chosen by Romana to bring the Pilates method to Brazil and Latin America) was a seismic shift for me…it changed my entire approach and my life.”
This is the through-line: education isn’t built on knowledge alone, it’s built on being undone and rebuilt, again and again.
Evolving the voice
The mark of a true educator isn’t just what they teach, but how they evolve.
“I had to shed the intensity of the dance world and my early training,” Chaz reflects. “I'm striving to be much more patient and to foster a sense of well-being and calm in my lessons now.”
It’s a shift many never make - from performance to presence.
“By creating a relaxing environment, people can be fully present…and really learn new ways of moving.”
He describes it simply:
“It’s been the most profound change in my teaching.”
The mindset that sustains it
If there’s a single thread that defines Chaz’s approach, it’s this: the refusal to rush.
“You have to love the climb, because there is no top to this mountain.”
In an industry where visibility and growth often move quickly, it’s a grounding perspective.
“I’m an eternal student…it’s the one thing in my crazy life that allows me to slow down and remember why I’m doing all that I’m doing.”
The truth about becoming an educator
There’s a misconception that readiness arrives before responsibility. Chaz dismantles that idea completely.
“People think they will feel ready one day. You will never feel ready - you just have to go for it.”
But this isn’t an argument for shortcuts - it’s an argument for commitment.
“Teach, study and practice - never stop. When opportunities present themselves, if you’ve done your work you will be ready.”
Looking back - and forward
When asked what he would say to his younger self, the answer is both simple and telling:
“Slow down and trust yourself. Stay curious, and never stop looking for answers.”
It’s advice that underpins those who build longevity in their work.
Because becoming an educator isn’t about arriving.
It’s about staying in it long enough - and deeply enough - to keep evolving.
Chaz Knight began his Pilates journey in 2006 at the Fletcher Pilates School in Tucson, Arizona, before continuing his training with Whole Body Method, Romana’s Pilates, Fletcher Pilates and Authentic Pilates. A sought-after educator and mentor, he leads weekly mentorship sessions in Beverly Hills, advises studios on hiring and class design, and is a featured instructor on Pilatesology. Chaz also teaches at conferences around the world, sharing his passion for both classical and contemporary Pilates.