our teachers
Martina Nevermann- owner
Martina has been practicing Pilates for over 20 years and teaching in Ditmas Park for over fifteen. She did her training with Ellie Herman, author of many Pilates manuals and books, including “Pilates for Dummies.”
Martina’s approach uses Pilates as a workout as much as a tool for analyzing one’s body in its strengths, weaknesses, alignments and new or reoccurring issues. She believes that anybody can practice Pilates and likes to relay to her clients the importance of bringing learned techniques and exercises into their everyday lives to address and break bad habits, or simply get stronger and more aligned. Her client’s ages range from ‘in utero’ (hallo moms to be!) to 97. Her favorite clients come with aches and pains and discover how to improve with the powerful tools of Pilates. She enjoys when clients have the ‘aha moment’ discovering muscles they did not know they had, as well as working on little and big misalignments that Pilates can correct so beautifully.
Martina continuously takes advanced workshops with experts in various fields related to the human body, such as Doris Pasteleur, Denise Small, Irene Dowd, Erik Franklin, Ellie Herman, Liz Koch.
Martina has been living and working in Ditmas Park for 20 years. She is happy to be a vital part of the community, helping neighbors and friends connect with each other through her studio and achieve healthy lifestyles.
EMILY TARRIER- Senior
Emily was first introduced to pilates while studying at Interlochen Arts Academy. She went on to pursue a degree at SUNY Purchase and received her BFA in Dance in 2015. She has traveled to Turkey and Israel numerous times to study dance techniques and to gain an international perspective on Pilates. Upon coming back to the States, she studied under Ann Toran and earned her Pilates certification through Balanced Body. Emily strives to give detail-oriented classes to challenge both her beginner and advanced clients.
Cameran Abron- senior
True to her native-New Yorker pedigree, Cameran’s teaching style is buoyant [read: cheerful, lively, expansive]. She is skilled at teaching clients with different physical abilities and is quick to discern modifications needed to accommodate each person in her class. She has experience working with clients with disc injuries, bone fractures of the ankle, risk, and hip, and osteoporosis. A cheerleader and gymnast in high school, Cameran developed skills in tumbling, which involves acrobatic movements such as rolls, twists, handsprings, and somersaults. Outside the studio Cameran loves to hike and try out new restaurants all over town.
Michelle quiba-certified
Michelle was introduced to Pilates during rehab for an ACL tear she acquired during a dance competition. After enjoying the practice of Pilates for years she decided to become an instructor herself. Michelle is currently finishing her training with Ellie Herman. Michelle's fitness background spans over a variety of formats that heal, strengthen, and balance the body and mind. She is also trained in Barre, bodyART, Qigong and Zumba and a variety of fitness dance techniques.
Her passion is to help people develop a true understanding of the capabilities of their bodies and experience freedom and confidence in the movement they create.
She currently is the lead instructor at Expressive Arts Dance Program at the ACS Nicholas Scoppetta Children's Center, facilitating trauma-informed performing arts activities for children in New York's Foster Care System. In addition she has taught Chair Yoga to chemotherapy patients at Brookdale Hospital.
Michelle is excited to work at Pilates on Cortelyou to pass her knowledge on to her neighborhood.
Sofia Thompson-certified
Sofia was born and raised in Brooklyn, where she discovered Pilates and began training with Ellie Herman at a very young age. She carried her passion for teaching to the Hudson Valley, where she attended Bard College and received a degree in Mathematics. She has always believed that a healthy body is critical for maintaining a healthy mind, and for that reason physical fitness is very important to her. While she still loves math, she has found that her analytical mind is challenged and engaged every day that she teaches Pilates, as she attempts to solve the problems of what is causing her clients’ pain and injury. Sofia embarked on this journey originally as a learning experiment, but truly fell in love when she discovered the curative powers of Pilates and the extent to which she could actually use her knowledge to help people.