Our Pilates Instructors

Ian Cuplan: Ian is both a Pilates and Fitness trainer. He completed his Core Foundation and Optimal Mobility Pilates course in 2012 at Studio Pilates in South Africa. His training emcompasses many different methods of Pilates including STOTT, Power, and the New York discipline, where his knowledge and experience in each of these can facilitate his individualised approach when programming for clients. In fitness, Ian is grounded in TRX suspension training & functional fitness and incorporates elements of these disciplines into his classes. He loves the mechanics of our anatomy makeup and feels privileged to help others reach beyond their training goals whether it be post injury returning to wellness or athletic conditioning.

Originally from Brazil, Luana graduated Bachelor of Physical Education in 2010. With her experience in P.T working at a few gyms as fitness instructor, she decided to upgrade her skills doing a MAT PILATES course in 2013 to improve her P.T techniques like stretching and core exercises. With that approach, she just fell in love with the pilates principles and method.
In New Zealand since 2011 she has become a mum and officially started to call NZ home.

Recently, she added a REFORM pilates training to her qualifications and is really enjoying all the diversity that this reformer machine can provide for her clients. In her classes, she loves dynamic exercises combining good stretching, static movements, postural and core primordial working the body as a whole. For her, discipline and focus are the keys to reach goals and live your life at it’s best!

Having recently relocated to Mt Maunganui, Shelley brings with her 10 years of Mat Pilates and Yoga teaching experience. Shelley completed her Pilates training with STOTT and her Yoga training with the Ashram Yoga 200hr Teaching Program. Since then she has specialised in pregnancy and post-natal clients and classes, and has more recently added STOTT Barre Training to her qualifications. Shelley’s classes are light and fun with lots of variety as she likes to add in the best of both Pilates and Yoga (and a bit of Barre too!) to keep her clients on their toes. She is passionate about working with her clients to help them achieve their goals, whether it be to help with injuries or limitations, or to increase strength and flexibility

BPhty, MPNZ, Certified Polestar Pilates rehabilitation practitioner.

 

Laura graduated from the University of Otago with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy in 2012, and the New Zealand School of Dance Wellington in 2007 having majored in classical ballet. Whilst completing her degree Laura instructed Pilates in rehabilitation gyms and upon graduating has gone on to become a fully certified rehabilitation practitioner through Polestar Pilates NZ.

As an undergraduate she was able to combine her passion for physiotherapy and dance by working with the physiotherapist for the dancers of the Royal NZ Ballet. She has a rich appreciation of the benefits of combining her physiotherapy and Pilates knowledge to help anyone regain and maintain their best physical and mental health.

Laura has also trained in dry needling to give her patients more treatment options to improve their functional ability whatever that may be. She keeps herself fit by utilising her home gym and Pilates workouts, and ocean swimming in the warmer months.

BPhty, APPI CPP, MPNZ, ConnectTherapy™ Series Graduate

 

Laura completed her Physiotherapy training at Otago University in 2007. She went on to work in Wellington, before deciding to travel the world. Not quite ready to head back to NZ Laura worked for several years in Sydney where she completed her Clinical Pilates certification and found love for both treating running injuries and running herself.

Since arriving in the beautiful Mount Maunganui Laura has returned to Australia several times for professional development. She believes in treating holistically and integrates the full body in her sessions using her “ConnectTherapy” training by L J Lee. Laura loves seeing results with her patients by working hard to understand the driver of the problem and not just treating the pain.

Trudi Calder:

Trudi has a huge love for sports, health, wellness & all movement modalities. She represented her high school, city & region in Hockey, Volleyball & Beach Volleyball while also enjoying Touch Rugby, Water skiing & Snow boarding & has also achieved personal triumphs such as completing 3 half marathons. Trudi travelled the world intensively & landed in Melbourne, Australia for four years where she began her full time Pilates career in 2010 & completed the Diploma in Professional Pilates with Polestar Pilates Australia ~ this included Mat, Reformer & Studio certifications. She had the pleasure of doing an apprenticeship with a Polestar Pilates Australia Senior Educator, while also working in two other top studios in Melbourne before returning to New Zealand. Trudi has put a lot of time & energy into mentoring colleagues & clients going through the Polestar training programmes & is excited to guide many more teachers through while being a Polestar Mentor.

Ian Cuplan:

Ian is both a Pilates and Fitness trainer. He completed his Core Foundation and Optimal Mobility Pilates course in 2012 at Studio Pilates in South Africa. His training emcompasses many different methods of Pilates including STOTT, Power, and the New York discipline, where his knowledge and experience in each of these can facilitate his individualised approach when programming for clients. In fitness, Ian is grounded in TRX suspension training & functional fitness and incorporates elements of these disciplines into his classes. He loves the mechanics of our anatomy makeup and feels privileged to help others reach beyond their training goals whether it be post injury returning to wellness or athletic conditioning.

Fanny Peters:
Originally from France, Fanny worked in Western Australia for 7 years as a Research Scientist in Infectious Diseases, before recently relocating to New Zealand with her family.
Fanny started practicing Pilates in 2012 and was amazed how quickly her posture improved. The back pain and headaches she suffered for years disappeared within months and was moving more easily and gracefully. In 2016, Fanny completed her certificate IV in Pilates through Breathe Education in Melbourne. She teaches Evidence-based Pilates which is a science based method that aims to help people improve their movement with a focus on them rather than the exercises.
Passionate about movement and improving health and wellbeing, Fanny loves challenging her clients and introducing new exercises to her classes.

BPhty, MPNZ, Certified Polestar Pilates rehabilitation practitioner.

 

Laura graduated from the University of Otago with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy in 2012, and the New Zealand School of Dance Wellington in 2007 having majored in classical ballet. Whilst completing her degree Laura instructed Pilates in rehabilitation gyms and upon graduating has gone on to become a fully certified rehabilitation practitioner through Polestar Pilates NZ.

As an undergraduate she was able to combine her passion for physiotherapy and dance by working with the physiotherapist for the dancers of the Royal NZ Ballet. She has a rich appreciation of the benefits of combining her physiotherapy and Pilates knowledge to help anyone regain and maintain their best physical and mental health.

Laura has also trained in dry needling to give her patients more treatment options to improve their functional ability whatever that may be. She keeps herself fit by utilising her home gym and Pilates workouts, and ocean swimming in the warmer months.

Ian Cuplan:

Ian is both a Pilates and Fitness trainer. He completed his Core Foundation and Optimal Mobility Pilates course in 2012 at Studio Pilates in South Africa. His training emcompasses many different methods of Pilates including STOTT, Power, and the New York discipline, where his knowledge and experience in each of these can facilitate his individualised approach when programming for clients. In fitness, Ian is grounded in TRX suspension training & functional fitness and incorporates elements of these disciplines into his classes. He loves the mechanics of our anatomy makeup and feels privileged to help others reach beyond their training goals whether it be post injury returning to wellness or athletic conditioning.

Fanny Peters:
Originally from France, Fanny worked in Western Australia for 7 years as a Research Scientist in Infectious Diseases, before recently relocating to New Zealand with her family.
Fanny started practicing Pilates in 2012 and was amazed how quickly her posture improved. The back pain and headaches she suffered for years disappeared within months and was moving more easily and gracefully. In 2016, Fanny completed her certificate IV in Pilates through Breathe Education in Melbourne. She teaches Evidence-based Pilates which is a science based method that aims to help people improve their movement with a focus on them rather than the exercises.
Passionate about movement and improving health and wellbeing, Fanny loves challenging her clients and introducing new exercises to her classes.

Susan has a background in Organisational Psychology (Victoria and Massey Universities, NZ) and worked for 25 years in various Human Resource roles throughout NZ before leaving the Corporate world to focus on a family business. 

Susan is a keen (but not necessarily fast!) runner and has completed a number of International and NZ Marathons and half-marathons.  To balance her running and help with the inevitable injuries, Susan began practicing Reformer Pilates in 2014 to improve core stability and running technique.  Susan has now completed STOTT Reformer Pilates training so she can actively engage and encourage others to develop and achieve through Pilates.

Susan is passionate about Pilates, particularly on adapting exercises to provide challenge and strength for everyone irrespective of individual levels of fitness and condition.  In her experience the benefits of regular movement and muscular strength extend into an overall sense of wellbeing which continues to grow with focus and practice.

Originally from Brazil, Luana graduated Bachelor of Physical Education in 2010. With her experience in P.T working at a few gyms as fitness instructor, she decided to upgrade her skills doing a MAT PILATES course in 2013 to improve her P.T techniques like stretching and core exercises. With that approach, she just fell in love with the pilates principles and method.
In New Zealand since 2011 she has become a mum and officially started to call NZ home.

Recently, she added a REFORM pilates training to her qualifications and is really enjoying all the diversity that this reformer machine can provide for her clients. In her classes, she loves dynamic exercises combining good stretching, static movements, postural and core primordial working the body as a whole. For her, discipline and focus are the keys to reach goals and live your life at it’s best!