South Tampa Pilates Instructors

Meet Co-Owner, Kelly Griffin, a PhysicalMind Certified Pilates instructor and a member of the Pilates Method Alliance. Her B.A. in Social Sciences from SUNY Buffalo led her to develop the South Tampa Pilates community where students get solid results.

She followed her passion for health and wellness and completed extensive formal training, earning mat and apparatus certifications through the PhysicalMind Institute. Griffin’s commitment to continuing education has allowed her to participate in advanced workshops, training directly under Shelly Power and Brent Anderson of Polestar Pilates.

Co-Owner Natalie Mandeville is a Certified Polestar Pilates instructor trained under the direction of Shelly Power and Brent Anderson. She is the Director of our Xtend Barre program, as well as our lead Xtend instructor. Natalie is a member of PMA and IDEA Health and Fitness Association. She incurred a back injury at a crucial time in her life and with several years of Pilates training under her belt, she decided to help others heal themselves as she did with this powerful exercise. Movement and fitness are Natalie’s passion. She has a Bachelors Degree in Exercise Science from the University of Montreal, Canada, and studied at the College of Osteopathy in Montreal. Adding 15 years of ballet studies and performance, she incorporates her expertise towards clientele and continues to dance today through Swing dancing and Lindy Hop.

Samantha Datz, a Tampa native and Peak Pilates Certified Instructor, graduated from The University of Tampa in 2006 with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Exercise Science and Sports Studies. A lifelong fitness enthusiast, she works with dedication and commitment to encourage clients to perform at their best. Her well rounded approach to exercise and health provides progressive and innovative training that’s accessible to everyone. Samantha’s experience spans from being a fitness program coordinator, health and wellness educator, and personal trainer. Her areas of expertise include: MVe Fitness Chair training, postural assessment and movement screening, fitness assessment and exercise testing in accordance with the American College of Sports Medicine protocols, LapBand patient exercise consultation and prescription, and fitness marketing.

Teresa Williams is a member of Pilates Method Alliance and is a Power Pilates Certified instructor. Power Pilates is a classical system of training which stays true to Joseph Pilates original teachings. She trained under the direction of Tess Whelan, a student of Romana in NYC. She is an avid sports fan whose background includes 6 years as a personal trainer at the YMCA as well as running several of their athletic programs.  She also launched the YMCA's first  self-defense classes for women and children.  Her passion for the mind-body connection started with martial arts, where she was a national karate champion and a member of the US team.  Her 6 year study of karate led her to an instructor position where she taught the physical as well as philosophical teachings of the style.  Pilates, much like karate, is a discipline that takes years to perfect.  Your pilates workout constantly evolves as your core becomes stronger.  Teresa enjoys helping others live a healthier and happier lifestyle through a strong body and mind.  

Deanna Companion recently moved to Tampa from Brooklyn, NY. She is a certified Pilates Instructor and a graduate of Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting and Performing Arts. She is also certified in Thai Yoga Massage and Suspended Body Weight Training. After a car accident in college, Deanna started practicing Pilates to strengthen her core and back and fell in love! Since then, she has always practiced Pilates as a way of keeping in shape, toning and elongating muscles, relieving tension, and rehabilitating and re-balancing her body. Deanna had found Pilates to be invaluable to her well-being and decided to become an instructor to help others become the best they can be physically and mentally. She caters each session to every individual's needs and strengths, combining Pilates exercises with hands-on stretching and massage. Her mantra: Tough Love ;)

Colette Cannova is Pilates certified through Balanced Body, yoga 200RYT trained, Keiser Indoor Cycling, Les Mills Body Flow, Group Fitness Instructor through American Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA), and also a graduate of Park University with a BS in Communication Theory.   She also works with YogaFit as a facilitator in training new yoga teachers.  Colette discovered Pilates after researching different methods of exercise.  She gravitated towards the mind/body connection of Pilates after experiencing the benefits of balance, flexibility, and strength.  Colette believes the benefits of Pilates can transfer over into our daily lives by promoting inward mental focus and discipline along with the outward benefits of long lean muscles, improved posture, and flexibility.  She believes the beauty of practicing Pilates is that every session is unique and different depending how our bodies are feeling at that moment.   Her passion is helping you to achieve not only a healthy body but also a healthy mind. 

Evelyn Rasp is a PMA member and Balanced Body certified instructor. She studied under 2nd generation Master Pilates Teacher Trainer Katrina Foe and Master Teacher Trainer Kellee Stooks in Scottsdale, AZ. She has a Masters in Higher Education Administration from Eastern Michigan University and Studied French and Spanish as an undergraduate student. Evelyn loves teaching Pilates because she believes Pilates is not just a series of exercises but a whole body approach that simultaneously stretches, strengthens and realigns the body. Besides the obvious physical results of beautiful posture and muscle tone, she thinks the most important benefit of doing Pilates is gaining a better awareness of your body and applying what you learn in the studio to your everyday life.

Nicole Sturtze will be offering hard-core TRX sessions on Saturdays, with additional limited availability upon request. Her personal mantra to herself and her clients is: Believe the Impossible is Possible. She carries this mantra with her through her daily life and as a Personal Trainer, TRX and Boot Camp Instructor. She is also an Apex Nutrition Coach, Advisory Board member of Fitlife Foods, NPC Figure Competitor, Madd Dog Spin and Cardio Boxing Instructor. Her passion about fitness, athletics, a healthy lifestyle and having fun while doing it is evident at work and in her personal life. Her background in Nursing, complemented with her certifications, Nicole gets the best of both worlds as she watches her clients achieve their optimal health. Their goals become her goals and there nothing greater than to watch them do what once they thought was impossible. "It is amazing seeing them transform before my eyes, not just physically but mentally; their confidence and their renewed love of life and themselves is what drives me to coach and support them to their fullest potential that I know is there, and they just need a little help seeing it too!"

Nicole has been an athlete her whole life, whether it's playing sports or keeping fit in the gym, and you can usually find her doing Crossfit, Boxing, Boot camp, Spin, and Yoga. In 2008, she re-discovered her Love for running, constantly challenging herself to better her race time while taking on new challenges like finishing the Chicago Marathon in 2009 and 2010. Her next goal is to run the New York City Marathon this year along with becoming a National qualified Figure Competitor.

 

 

 

 

 

Now that we’ve revealed our top instructors, it’s time to reveal your best self.