To the Core, Taos Pilates |
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I am reminded of traction form the days of nursing school, as I approach the wide, cushioned table. Carrie Field
informs me that this is a "Trapeze Table." She slips different handles into my hands and guides me through
various movements with a melodic voice. She instructs me to breathe fully into the chest, while pulling the belly
into the spine, bringing me consciously to my pelvis, the core of my body.Many of the movements are familiar to
me from yoga or dance. However, these movements are transferred to an apparatus which offers support: the traction. I breathe, I scoop, I extend. Key words include "spine articulation," which means moving around my internal serpent to work as a whole, limber and fluid-like. Taos Pilates Studio is a welcome addition to the community. For years, many of us who help people move their bodies have heard of Pilates, read about it, and imagined it. It's a simple and integrated way of moving. What makes it so popular is its "non-impact approach," which improves flexibility and posture while toning the muscles and allowing anyone, at any level of fitness, to exercise. But don't be fooled. Though gentle, I felt it immediately and for a couple of days. I don't mean the lactic-acid build up in the muscles, but I felt a way of understanding how all my parts related to one another as well as to my spine. Carrie Field has been teaching for ten years and received her certification to teach from the Physicalmind Institute in 1995. Formerly a professional dancer, she has an extensive background in physical rehabilitation. Joseph Pilates invented this method more than 80 years ago. As a child he suffered from asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever. He determined to overcome those ailments and began to study both eastern and western forms of exercise. He took them one step further by combining engineering skills with his knowledge of exercise and anatomy. Then he designed an apparatus geared specifically for his philosophy. Pilates came to the United States in the early twenties. His studio in New York City caught the attention of the dance community, and Pilates became an integral part of dance training. Today, many athletes (even Football players) incorporate Pilates into their training. We move to another apparatus known as the "universal reformer."This resembles a wood frame single bed with a sliding carriage that uses an adjustable spring and pulley system for upper and lower body resistance. I close my eyes and let Carrie's voice guide me. I feel I have always known how to move like this. Not only does the Taos Pilates Studio offer sessions on the equipment engineered by Joseph Pilates, but it also offers mat classes that move one through similar movements and guide the breathing that supports that movement. The studio is conveniently located in the Martinez Plaza near the South Bean, 1033 Paseo Del Pueblo Sur #D. The phone is 758-7604. Carrie's voice is worth hearing. Debra Villalobos Horse Fly, Volume 4 #8 August 15, 2002, Taos, New Mexico |
