Studio Elle Pilates Instructors

We are picky at Studio Elle. We only hire one instructor for every half dozen we interview. We look for three key ingredients: the ability to keep clients focusing on form; the ability to motivate clients to reach for the next level; and the personality to fit in well with our relaxed, no attitude environment. Every instructor joins Studio Elle with extensive knowledge of Pilates, but is required to continually expand their repertoire of exercises and refine their skills in cueing and motivation. Our instructors never stop learning, either through several training sessions held each year at the Studio, or through continuing education classes elsewhere. Our current instructors are Lisa, Daria, Christine, Joanna.

Lisa Johnson

Master Instructor Lisa Johnson is the founder and owner of Studio Elle Pilates. She has been a personal trainer since 1997, and became a certified Pilates instructor in 1998. She is always expanding her knowledge base and has trained in Toronto, London, Sydney, Chicago, Phoenix, and extensively in California. Lisa is the first Pilates instructor to be accepted as an educational affiliate of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists, and is a member of the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. She is currently writing "The Nine Month Workout: Pilates," the first of a new series of books focused on pregnancy fitness. Lisa is also perfecting her own unique blend of cardio and Pilates via QuadSpin Pilatesª classes, which burn over 500 calories per hour and combine both an effective Pilates routine and a heart-thumping cardio workout in just under an hour. Back to top.

Daria Wright

Daria Wright comes to us with a history of gymnastics from her native Russia, she continued her fitness training upon arriving in the US in the 1990s. Her interest in movement led her to immerse herself in the fitness industry. Daria has taught Step, Indoor Cycling, Boxing, Muscle Conditioning, and Cardio Kickboxing, but finally found her calling in 2002. It is that study of Pilates that allowed her to gain a true appreciation of the human body and its complexity and finesse, and prompted her to dive passionately into the discipline. While she still considers herself a student of Pilates, Daria is now a certified STOTT Pilates¨ instructor and holds a BA in Humanities from Harvard University. She finds that her understanding and appreciation of Pilates helps her invaluably with all the other aspects of functional fitness training, in both her own practice and that of her clients. Daria's clients' needs range from athletic performance to post-surgery rehabilitation, and her methods and training philosophy allow her to address each client's individual demands. Back to top.

Christine Streeter

Christine Streeter has a degree from SUNY in Recreation & Leisure Studies and has been in and around the fitness industry for 14 years. She has developed a successful personal training business over the past 3 years and has added Pilates to her repertoire over the past year. She is passionate about Pilates and is meticulous about form. Christine is known for safely pushing her clients just a bit further than they would go on their own greatly increasing their progress towards their goals. Back to top.

Joanna Mantell

Joanna Mantell is a Pilates instructor with a runner's mind. With a degree in education, and a stint as a high school English teacher, Joanna found as much passion in coaching as in teaching. She has coached field hockey, cross country running, skiing and lacrosse. Joanna has been a fitness instructor since 1999; she added Pilates to her own personal repertoire to help her recover from the birth of her son and loved it so much she quickly became an advanced client. Joanna has since switched reins to become an instructor herself and her clients have taken to her quickly. In addition to her teaching, Joanna just completed her third Marathon - the 110th Boston Marathon - and her first triathlon. Joanna specializes in working with distance athletes and teens over 16. Back to top.