It’s interesting seeing how my journey has led me to create PilatesPal and how things have evolved over the years…. I grew up dancing competitively. After graduating high school, I headed to Los Angeles to pursue a professional dancing career. It was an amazing experience. At the same time I was auditioning and working, I was taking community college courses in anatomy and physiology and found that I was LOVING the connection of the body with dance.
While I was living in Hollywood I came across Pilates. The year was 1992. Sixteen years later, at a class from Mari Winsor at the 2008 PMA conference, I would find out that she was my first Pilates instructor. During her class she was explaining this “tree house.” The “tree house” was the building where I took Pilates sessions from her. It was a small building attached high-up to the side of a tall building in Hollywood – literally it was just sticking out off to the side and had to take scaffolding steps up to the building. Too cool to find this out years later!
After about 5 years of professional dance mixed with various college courses, I realized it was time to get a college degree. I graduated from Northern Arizona University (NAU) with a BS in Exercise Science in 1997. Following graduation, I was accepted into the NAU Physical Therapy (PT) program and have been working as a Doctor of physical therapy ever since.
Shortly after graduating from PT school in 2001, I needed CEUs and found myself searching for a Pilates course for physical therapists. My research led me to Polestar Pilates and was thrilled to find out that Polestar Education referenced Carl Derosa and James Porterfield in their education. (Carl Derosa was the chair of the NAU PT program when I was there).
Over the years I have used Pilates principles in my work as a PT and as a dance medicine specialist. I opened a unique boutique studio/clinic in Glendale, Arizona (Balanced Physical Therapy, Pilates & Wellness Center) in 2007, which caters to those clients who want to receive physical therapy 1-on-1 with a Physical Therapist and high-quality Pilates privates and small group sessions. Prior to this, my mind was in conflict, seeing 2-4 patients scheduled an hour just didn’t seem right. I couldn’t watch them exercise and rarely was able to see their movement progressions. This is the main reason why I wanted to be a therapist – to get others moving correctly and have optimal function!
Although I have many passions, my main passion is working with the dance community. I love teaching dancers and dance instructors about their heath and anatomy with injury prevention and dance conditioning. I treat several dancers in the clinic with 1-1 PT sessions, group Pilates for dancers classes, and hold in-services and workshops for dancers and instructors.
Another passion of mine, is helping females with hip pathologies/pain. I have found that in utilizing manual skills as a PT and the use of Pilates principles as an assistive tool, especially with the Pilates machines as well as the imagery, have helped to eliminate hip pain.
Pilates truly is a wonderful exercise program that can change your life. It is a way of life, not just an exercise program. Pilates is a journey to strive to be in the best health that we can find possible.
With this said, I found conflict in the Pilates community around 2011 and can still feel this present intermittently with posts or at conferences. As a Pilates advocate, I feel it was needed, and still is, to have a location where all Pilates enthusiasts can come together to share and to help both Pilates students and those that have a Pilates business. Back then in 2011, I had a vivid dream and woke up the next morning with PilatesPal ready to go!
Over the years PilatesPal is growing and evolving to become the one site that is ALL Pilates for everyone! As a Pilates Pal, we want to help those find the best Pilates services or Pilates product you are looking for, as well as help ALL Pilates businesses to continue to promote and share their passion for Pilates with their services and products offered.
We hope that you discover that PilatesPal is the perfect site to find what you need. Explore our site, enjoy locating classes near you as well as finding various Pilates brand equipment, apparel, interesting articles and other Pilates products or services that you are searching for!
Hugs, Heather
Dr. Heather Chowaniec Brummett
PT, DPT, CMPT, CSCS, PMA®-CPT
President / Owner of Balanced Physical Therapy, Pilates & Wellness Center
www. BalancedAZ.com
Founder / Co-owner of Pilatespal.com
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Certified Manual Therapist
Dance Medicine Specialist https://www.instagram.com/hbdancemedicine/
Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
PMA® Certified Pilates Instructor
Polestar® Pilates Educator