Instructors

Body In Motion is a fully equipped Pilates studio in Santa Cruz County, offering group mat classes and private sessions on all of the apparatus designed by Joseph Pilates. We are staffed with highly skilled, fully certified, professional instructors, dedicated to giving you the highest level of service.

Dominique Lesperance, owner of Body In Motion, was certified as a Pilates Instructor in 1997 by the Physicalmind Institute of New York. After eleven years of teaching Pilates, she went back to study with her mentor, Master Teacher Rael Isacowitz, founder of Body Arts and Science International (BASI™) and earned her BASI™ Comprehensive Teaching Certification. A member of the Pilates Method Alliance, she is also a certified Gyrotonic® teacher by Julio Horvath (creator of Gyrotonic®).

Beginning her career in the fitness industry in 1992 as an aerobics instructor and personal trainer, Dominique’s diverse background gives her a multidisciplinary approach helping her clients achieve their maximum physical potential. Her intuitiveness, passion and enthusiasm for her work is apparent. She considers herself a lifelong student and has had the pleasure of studying with numerous first and second generation master teachers such as Ron Fletcher, Lolita San Miguel, Kathy Grant, Mary Bowen, Michelle Larsen, Elizabeth Larkham and many more.

Dominique’s mission is to provide the clients of Body In Motion® with the most advanced, effective forms of body conditioning in a supportive, peaceful environment.

Anna Lovato, Senior Staff Instructor, has been teaching movement since 1995. She studied dance in college, graduated in 1997 and by then injuries in her own body led her to Pilates. By 1998 she had decided that Pilates would be an integral part of her life’s work. She now holds four different Pilates certifications, her most current from Body Arts and Science International, the organization she hopes to one day be faculty for.

While teaching Pilates in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Anna discovered a need for hands on techniques and chose to study Traditional Thai Massage. Her instruction includes over 300 combined hours from the New Mexico Academy of Healing Arts and Master Teacher Pichet Boonthume of Hang Dong, Thailand.

Anna brings her diverse background in rehabilitation, bodywork, and personal fitness to her Pilates practice. Today she works with a wide variety of clientele to improve posture, mobility, flexibility, and strength. She strives to empower her clients, by providing them with the tools to take control of their physical selves and improve the quality of their own lives.

Taryn Buell is a graduate of San Francisco State University where she earned her Bachelors Degree of Arts in Anthropology. She grew up in an athletic environment as a competitive dancer, swimmer and water polo player. During her four years at Santa Cruz High School she swam on the varsity swim team and during her senior year decided to play on the varsity boy’s water polo team. Taryn swam for the SFSU gators and also became very involved in Shao Lin a form of martial arts.

Soon after graduating from college she found herself looking for another means of staying fit and healthy. When introduced to Pilates she discovered an entirely new way of challenging herself both physically and mentally. This led Taryn into becoming a certified Pilates Trainer through Body Arts and Science International (BASI).

Taryn enjoys bringing a positive environment to all her clients. She takes into account each individual’s posture, fitness level, age and goals to create a fun and challenging workout. She is an active wife and mother of two and is extremely happy to be a part of the Body in Motion Family.

Renée Menard is a certified Pilates instructor. She received her training through Pacific Movement Center in Santa Cruz and Monterey, Ca. in 2004. In 2009 she earned her Body Arts and Science International, (BASI) Comprehensive Teaching Certification.

She has been involved in movement, sports and fitness since the age of four. For over 15 years she has studied Hatha Yoga and dance. She has studied Ballet, Modern and various ethnic dances, focusing on Afro-Brazilian dance and Samba. in 2007 she became a Certified Zumba instructor. Renée has taught community dance workshops for all ages and been performing professionally throughout the United States since 1999.

Renée believes the Pilates method can be applied to any movement or everyday activity, helping to re-program patterns of chronic pain and stress in the body. She brings an integrative approach to her teaching style using the fundamentals of Pilates, Yoga, fitness and dance.

Maria Gibeault is a certified Pilates instructor through Body Arts and Science International (BASI).

She loves the fact that Pilates is not only a workout but also a way of life. As a mother of young child she knows how important it is to take care of one’s body especially when taking care of others. She is inspired to help people be truly good to themselves.

Throughout her life Maria has been interested in the amazing ability our bodies have to heal and change for the better with the right guidance and education. Her goal is to help people live their lives feeling healthy, strong and balanced.

Monika Meyeris a certified Pilates instructor through (BASI) Body Arts and Sciences International. Having spent the better part of the last 15 years as an informal student of physical dynamics through dance, yoga, weight training and cycling, obtaining the BASI credentials was a natural progression.

Monika’s warm teaching style and knowledgeable approach will test your physical abilities, ensuring you have the best training experience possible.

Jenny Paxson was born and raised in Germany and came to California in Sept. 2009 to explore her own American roots and study Pilates. She soon fell in love with this area and feels very fortunate to now live and work here as a Pilates professional.

In addition to her training and work in the field of fitness and rehabilitation in Germany the qualifications she attained in the US include the comprehensive Polestar Pilates teacher training program, the PMA (Pilates Method Alliance) certification and the ACSM (American College Of Sports Medicine) Personal Trainer certification.

Jenny believes that a precise approach to Pilates exercises and increased body awareness hold the key for better core strength, improved movement quality and physical/mental well being.

Jenny also teaches Xtend barre classes and is enthusiastic about mixing dance moves and toning exercises with Pilates.

Sierrah Dietz was born in Santa Cruz and grew up in Nevada City, CA. She began dancing at the age of three and graduated in 2010 with a BA in dance from San Francisco State University.

Currently Sierrah is dancing with Santa Cruz based company FLEX.

She was introduced to Pilates in college as a dancer-friendly form of body conditioning and fell in love with it. She is currently working towards becoming BASI certified to teach Pilates.

When Sierrah found Xtend Barre it was the perfect marriage of her two favorite fitness activities (dance and Pilates).

Sierrah is excited to be teaching at Body in Motion and looks forward to developing relationships with all her Xtend and Pilates clients.

Sarah Artha Negara was first introduced to the Pilates Method in 1998 while pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance at Long Beach State University. After less than a year of studying Pilates with Kinesiology Instructor, Karen Clippinger, Sarah was freed of chronic pain caused by scoliosis.

Upon graduating from LBSU in 2001, Sarah chose to pursue a career in Pilates and Fitness as well as dance. Sarah obtained her Personal Training Certification through the American Council on Exercise in 2001 and completed her Pilates Instructor Training Program with Nora St.John and Naomi Leiserson at Turning Point Studios in 2002.

Sarah continued to gain knowledge in the Pilates Method from Turning Point senior staff members while working as a student teacher at the studio for almost two years. During this time period, Sarah also taught Pilates at Center Strength, Oakwood Athletic Club, Linda Evans Fitness Centers, and the San Ramon Valley Dance Academy.

In order to acquire more performance opportunities, Sarah moved to San Francisco in 2003. While dancing for a variety of local modern dance companies, Sarah pursued a career as a multi-site Pilates Director for Club One Fitness Centers (Union Square, Nob Hill, and Citigroup). At Club One she was often recruited to teach the casts of local shows passing through town such as The Black Rider, Dame Edna, Mambo Kings, White Christmas, and Wicked.

Sarah continued to attend workshops and conferences to expand her knowledge in Pilates, dance, and fitness, but her love for education drew her back to academia.

Sarah received her Masters Degree in Dance from Mills College in 2008 and is now an Adjunct Professor at College of San Mateo teaching Dance, Pilates, Yoga, and Fitness classes.

Sarah is a Balanced Body Faculty Member and the Founder/Director of the Pilates Instructor Certificate Program at College of San Mateo established in 2011.

Sarah has recently moved back to her home town of Santa Cruz and is honored to be teaching at Body-in-Motion Pilates studio.

Brett Wilbur fell in love with Pilates 10 years ago, while working full time as a magazine editor and writer. She found that Pilates eased stress, cured her carpal tunnel syndrome, eliminated her chronic neck pain, and even increased her height by half an inch!

Brett was inspired to become an instructor and now holds a comprehensive certification from BASI Pilates. She enjoys working with clients of all levels and helping them achieve flexibility, balance, and strength from the inside out. She is certified to teach Xtend Barre, a full-body workout she finds extremely fun and rewarding.

A mother of two, Brett is also trained to work with pre- and post-natal women, and believes that Pilates can help improve posture, fitness, and quality of life for everybody. Brett holds a Masters degree in Counseling from the University of San Francisco and is excited to share the mind and body benefits of Pilates with Body in Motion clients.

Aubrie Pollock graduated from Santa Clara University with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and a minor in Urban Education.

During her senior year in college, Aubrie’s interest in Pilates blossomed. She began taking classes and doing private sessions as often as she possibly could. Combining her interest in teaching and her passion for Pilates, Aubrie decided to enroll in a teacher training program. She completed the Body Arts and Science International Comprehensive Teacher Training Program here at Body in Motion and loves being a part of the Body in Motion family!

For Aubrie, Pilates has helped her to feel more comfortable in her body and to better understand how to move safely and efficiently. She finds that practicing Pilates provides her with a new discovery every day, and her practice never fails to challenge both her mind and body. She believes that a Pilates session should be about you and your body, and taking the time to take care of yourself.

Aubrie loves what Pilates has done for her life and is very excited about sharing her passion with others!

Aubrie is also a certified Xtend Barre Instructor, and enjoys watching the transformations that people experience from this fun and energizing class.