INSTRUCTORS
Dallas Everleth, owner/program director
Dallas Everleth is an educator, Pilates instructor, massage therapist and huge anatomy nerd. She is the owner and program director of Center Strength in Berkeley, CA.
Her practice focuses on rehabilitation; she has helped clients use Pilates to manage a variety of conditions including spinal injuries, joint replacement, stroke, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s, chronic pain conditions, and repetitive strain injuries. Since 1999, she has worked with clients of all ages, fitness levels, and conditions to move better, feel better, learn about their bodies, and take charge of their own health and wellbeing.
Dallas comes to Pilates with a love of the body in motion and an appreciation of how important movement is to a body. This comes from years as a competitive figure skater and later as a yoga instructor and finally as a Pilates instructor.
Learning about the body and how it moves is her passion and she is grateful to be able to continue to grow as a Pilates instructor, studying, training and learning from her clients.
Dallas is also certified in the Gyrotonic Expansion System and is an ACE-certified personal trainer. She is a massage therapist certified in Applied Motor Control and the Hendrickson Method. She is excited to continue studying manual therapy and is currently completing her visceral massage training with the Barral Institute. She finds the combination of manual therapy and movement invaluable for managing pain and dysfunctional movement patterns, allowing clients to recover from injuries and get back to living their lives.
In an effort to more fully understand how the body informs the mind, Dallas studied Psychology & Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of California, Berkeley.
Dallas is a Balanced Body University faculty member and, since 2005, has presented at conferences nationally and internationally, developing anatomy and Pilates workshops of special interest to movement educators and body workers.
The World Health Organization defines health as “not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Rather health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being.” It is Dallas’ hope to further this commitment in her own small way by teaching people about how their bodies work and how to live in them, educating instructors, and being part of a community of like-minded teachers committed to the same goal.
Sandy Endo
As a runner, dancer and violinist, Sandy always had the great fortune of an active life. However years of less than optimum alignment from holding a single sided instrument and compression from athletic activities led to imbalances in her spine. After the birth of her second child, she suffered a low back injury and a friend recommended Pilates. The Pilates method was not about how hard she could push herself, but instead stressed the importance of working from the deep musculature of the body. In short, she gained a stronger body, better posture and less pain and she was hooked!
Sandy has practiced Pilates since 2002 and became an instructor in 2007. She completed her Pilates certification at Turning Point Studios with Nora St. John and Naomi Leiserson. In 2010, she completed Movement Medicine, a comprehensive pilates-based rehabilitation program training at Turning Point Studios. She loves the way this training applies the Pilates method as a rehabilitative and injury prevention tool. She has taken many hours of continuing education classes with leaders in the Pilates field and is currently very interested in a greater understanding of fascia and its role in movement.
Her ongoing Pilates practice has taught her that the human body has an exceptional ability to heal when we allow it to and her B.A. in Psychology helps her understand the delicate mind/body connection that is at the root of a Pilates practice.
When not teaching she enjoys spending time with her family and hiking, gardening, swimming and cooking.
Her greatest joy is to help clients achieve their goals; whether it is a reduction of discomfort, enhanced athletic performance or a better quality of life through awareness and posture. She firmly believes that Pilates can help anyone achieve a healthier body - one that is strong, supple and centered.
Susan Jamison
Susan Jamison is a certified Pilates instructor and A.C.E. personal trainer.
Growing up in her native Australia Sue was always an avid athlete and involved in many outdoor activities. After moving to the U.S., while working as a personal trainer, she continued to pursue running as a sport along with gym related activities. She was constantly getting injured and not finding the right way for her body to recover, rehabilitate and train
When she was introduced to the Pilates method, she immediately recognized that this mind/body form of exercise and awareness was the missing link she had been unconsciously seeking for herself and her clients.
Sue received her Pilates certification in 2004 at Turning Point Studios. She continued further training in Movement Medicine, a comprehensive Pilates based rehabilitation program with Nora St. John. She also is certified in pre/post natal, osteoporosis, older adults , and other specialty trainings.
She is ever eager to learn more about the science and mystery of the human body and the effect of psychological, physical and mental stress on the mechanics of human movement. Her teaching continues to evolve and deepen through ongoing explorations with master teachers.
She is constantly inspired and amazed by the transformations which occur when the potential of the mind and its intricate connection to the body are unlocked by the Pilates work.
Life is a journey and our bodies are works in progress breathe, listen and learn what your body is saying to you.
Karisa Kenyon
Karisa Kenyon is a certified Pilates Instructor, Cranial Sacral Therapist and Mindfulness Coach. She inspires clients to build self-awareness, look at the possibilities in their lives and get into action. She integrates Co-Active coaching, Leadership Embodiment, Pilates and Cranial Sacral Therapy in to her practice. For the past ten years she has been teaching in Berkeley and Mill Valley.
Karisa came to be a Pilates Instructor after trying various types of rehab for a chronic back injury. The combination of Pilates and Cranial Sacral Therapy were able to provide lasting relief and management. This experience inspired her to begin teaching Pilates and practicing Cranial Sacral Therapy. She is certified through Turning Point Studios, Visionary Cranial Sacral Therapy and Biodynamic Stillness. She shares her expertise teaching Cranial Sacral Therapy at the Heartwood Institute.
Her gift is to meet you where you are, see where you are going, and help you get there. To find out more about her practices check out www.klaritycoaching.com.
Natalie Rael
Natalie Rael is a classically and modern trained dancer, performer and educator. She found Pilates to compliment her dance experience in 2004. She has extensive experience using Pilates along with other movement modalities, for rehabilitation of chronic pain, injuries and body sustainability.
In 2005, she completed the Movement Medicine, a comprehensive pilates-based rehabilitation program training at Turning Point Studios.
Most recently Natalie has become excited about the idea of "embodiment" and how to integrate this philosophy into her clients movement experience. She is also currently completing the Yamuna Ball Rolling certification and is super excited about how it compliments her goals in teaching.
Natalie holds a BA in Liberal Arts from SFSU and is currently completing her Nursing degree. While she is completing her Nursing degree she is not able to accept new clients.
In her off time, Natalie is crazy about cooking, her dogs, hiking, traveling to far off lands and yoga.