The Pilates Place Studios boasts a staff of comprehensively trained pilates teachers from a variety of education backgrounds.
All of our pilates teachers have completed a minimum of 450 hours of education in the classroom and studio, and each is certified to teach on ALL of the Pilates equipment, i.e. pilates reformer, tower, chair, jumpboard, etc.
Our teachers are trained and certified as Pilates teachers, as opposed to a fitness professional who has taken a few pilates classes/workshops.
Our strong education and experience background means we can work with a variety of bodies, modifying the pilates exercises as needed, not just easier, but more challenging too!!!
Jackie Weiner, MS, NCPT
Owner & Principal Teacher
Jackie Weiner, Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher (NCPT), has been practicing Pilates since 1995 and is a partner in The Pilates Place Studios that currently has two locations in Florida, one in Miami and the other in the heart of South Beach, Miami Beach. She fell in love with the Pilates style of movement while working at the University of Hartford in Connecticut. She began her Pilates’ journey teaching mat Pilates classes for the summer in the exclusive resort area of the Hamptons. Following that summer she completed her Pilates certification from Michele Larsson’s Core Dynamics Pilates Program.
In 2006, Jackie partnered with friend and fellow Core Dynamics graduate Louis Gonzales to bring The Pilates Place to South Beach. Jackie is a Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher (NCPT) and has continued to expand her knowledge with ongoing education, including Pilates for scoliosis, pre & post-natal Pilates, and Pilates for athletes. Did you know that many professional sports have Pilates trainers on staff?
Jackie utilizes her expertise and enthusiasm to customize each client’s routine. She is meticulous about getting a detailed history from each client to be sure to address any special needs. Jackie takes her clients through custom programs to reach their goals built on the integrity of the Pilates method. Jackie keeps her students moving with the proper form to maximize the benefits from each session. The studio also offers classes in that incorporate the equipment for all levels. Jackie is always available to offer advice on what are the best classes for a student’s individual needs.
Jackie is a Breast Cancer Exercise Specialist having completed the Pink Ribbon Program.
Louis Gonzales, BS, NCPT
Owner & Principal Teacher
Louis Gonzales, Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher (NCPT), discovered his passion for Pilates at an unusual location; his boxing gym. Louis has been practicing since 2005. He received his Pilates teacher certification from Kevin Bowen of Core Dynamics. He has taught at the Sports Club LA, Pilates Miami, and Riviera Country Club.
He took his passion for the practice to the next level when he opened The Pilates Place Studios South Beach with Jackie Weiner who he met during his certification. Louis has a unique understanding of athletes and has developed a strong reputation among athletes for increasing their mobility that has resulted in enhancing their game. He has a knack for creating mobility programs that also incorporate his Skanda Yoga training. In addition he has created routines for all levels of clients; teens to baby boomers. Louis emphasizes easy practices that can translate into office and day to day routines for better posture. You will leave the studio with a program tailored to your lifestyle beyond your private sessions.
He is also exuberant in his classes that will take you from beginner to intermediate utilizing equipment. Louis is always updating his practice and is a valuable resource for all his students on the recent trends in the Pilates world. He is always available for a consultation.
Adriana Lorenzo
Pilates Teacher
Born and raised in Brazil, Adriana studied Physical Education at the Universidade de Franca before moving to the United States. Her passion for Pilates began in 2003 while attending University. Upon moving to the United States, Adriana continued to pursue her passion for physical fitness by at first obtaining a Personal Training Certification from ISSA, the International Sport Science Association. Adriana’s move to Miami Beach led her to The Pilates Place Studios, where she trained with Jackie Weiner and Louis Gonzalez and went through their Beyond The Basics comprehensive Pilates teacher certificate program. The benefits of Pilates are many, with programs to increase the user’s core strength, posture, balance, coordination, concentration, flexibility and prevention and treatment of back pain. She teaches Pilates from beginner to advanced levels, in both group and private sessions.
Adriana LOVES being a Pilates teacher because this enables her to not only connect with people, but motivate individuals of all ages to find or regain their strength, vigor and their physical and emotional health. She looks forward to helping YOU be in the best physical condition you can be!
Bettina Osterwind, NCPT
Pilates Teacher
A fan of being active and adventure, Bettina Osterwind, Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher (NCPT), attended her first Pilates class out of curiosity in 2005. She immediately fell in love with how Pilates changed her body, posture, and overall well-being by lengthening, strengthening, stretching, and toning the entire body. For a long time, she was content just reaping the physical benefits of taking Pilates classes, but eventually became interested in getting a deeper understanding of how Pilates can benefit anyone with any body type, fitness level, and/or injuries. Bettina wanted to be able to help others recognize the same benefits for fitness as well as rehabilitation, so she decided to become a Pilates teacher. She earned her comprehensive Pilates teacher certification in 2013 through the Beyond the Basic Pilates teacher certification program and has been taking continuing education workshops ever since to expand her knowledge, including Pre- and Post-Natal Pilates, Pilates for Neurological Conditions, Pilates for Scoliosis, and Pilates for Joint Replacement. Bettina is a staunch advocate for the physical and mental benefits of a regular movement practice and enjoys guiding her students through a strong and steady flow that focuses on fluid transitions, powerful stamina, proper alignment, and injury prevention/rehabilitation.
Christine Hoogenbergen
Pilates Teacher
Christine Hoogenbergen, a Miami native, was always a Pilates enthusiast but really fell in love after seeing how Pilates helped her rehab her body after suffering a debilitating knee injury which required surgery.
As an avid runner and outdoor enthusiast, an active lifestyle and wellness journey led her to pursue a career in the fitness industry. She took her 1st Pilates class in 2015 and was hooked. She found that Pilates was an excellent way to help her body and mind be prepared for her marathons. Following her professional career as boutique gym employee as well as owning and operating a fitness franchise, she decided she wanted to make others feel the way she felt during her Pilates sessions. Her passion to make others feel good and empower them to a new approach to fitness led her to search for a Pilates certification. Christine completed her comprehensive Pilates certification with The Pilates Place Studios and continues her learning journey in the industry to offer her clients the best she can. Her enthusiasm, attention to form, and consideration for the entire individual, provides an approach that really helps others and aims to improve their quality of life.
When not at the studio you can find her out on a run, enjoying family time, her four cats and her puppy Penny!
Elisa Zambrano
Pilates Teacher
Born and raised in Miami, Elisa is a Certified Personal Trainer with a passion for movement. She currently teaches Indoor Cycling, Barre, Pilates & Hot Pilates (hot room at 105 degrees Fahrenheit). Elisa’s journey to Pilates came after wanting to grow as a teacher and fine tune her practice in Barre. She saw the long term benefits in Pilates and loved how it could impact anyone at any age. Elisa stumbled upon The Pilates Place Studios and trained with Jackie & Louis for Reformer & Trap Table + Apparatuses. Being able to dive into the world of Pilates allowed her love for movement to unlock new chapters and Elisa was able to continue her education learning new biomechanics. Elisa enjoys spicing up sessions and to test the limits, while always providing challenging options. Coming from a background of teaching different forms of movement, she loves to incorporate what she knows into Pilates while still focusing on the principles of Pilates including awareness, precision, balance and control. When she’s not teaching, you can probably find Elisa drinking an iced coffee under an umbrella somewhere near the beach.
Ginger Harris
Pilates Teacher
Though she hails from the Midwest, Ginger Harris considers herself a Miamian, as she’s spent more than 20 years as a Miami Beach resident. A gymnast and nationally competitive cheerleader in her younger years, Ginger has always dedicated a portion of her life to physical fitness. She’s also been a vegetarian for more than two decades. A devout yogi in her adult life, Ginger spent most of her 20s and 30s twisted like a pretzel in yoga poses. Seeing this, a friend encouraged her to try Pilates for the first time at The Pilates Place Studio. Five years later, she’s still there as both a student and now a teacher, completing her training at The Pilates Place Studios as well. Ginger was astounded to find Pilates increased her flexibility and strength far beyond that of her 20-plus year yoga practice.
After two decades as an editor, Ginger decided to pursue something more rewarding, and began Pilates training. As a Miami lifestyle blogger, Pilates allows Ginger to combine her time on the reformer with her passion of social media. She also manages The Pilates Place Studios social media accounts, where she enjoys getting all the teachers together for photoshoots to show off their moves and teach others the healing powers of Pilates.
Ginger is a firm believe that each day should begin or end with a workout, and she finds true happiness in her Pilates endorphin blast. Through Pilates, Ginger believes you can think more clearly, overcome stress, feel better about your physical appearance and heal injuries and mental hurdles. It’s these reasons why she is dedicating her life to helping others through Pilates. Plus, she thinks toning up muscles, particularly abs, is a pretty rewarding payoff, too.
Jean-Philippe Mouhica
Pilates Teacher
Born in Saint Jean de Luz, South West France, Jean-Philippe started playing sports at a very young age and actually studied to become a Physical Education teacher. When he was 20, he left France to become a professional Jai Alai player in Mexico, with the dream of one day playing in the Miami Jai Alai court, which he did! In 2008, JP sustained an injury that caused a herniation, which in turn caused him to lose sensation in his right leg. After a successful operation, it was then that he discovered Pilates and the amazing therapeutic benefits of The Method. His Pilates practice kept him from requiring additional surgeries and has kept his body strong.
JP has always been amazed by the human body and its movement. He has a deep understanding and respect for what the body is capable of and it was this, coupled with his own personal experiences, that led him to study with The Pilates Place Studios and become a comprehensively trained teacher. In his classes, JP emphasizes the guiding principles of Pilates, creating a strong foundation no matter what level you are at in your practice. He enjoys working one on one with the clients, creating a customized experience and helping each client meet their individualized goals.
Jheramie Garcia, NCPT
Pilates Teacher
Growing up in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jheramie Garcia, Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher (NCPT), has always been keen on living a healthy and active lifestyle. She initially started strength training at the gym but had an urge to implement a more holistic ways of fitness into her routine. Jhera decided to try yoga in 2007 with her best friend at a local studio and enjoyed class so much she started practicing 5-6 days a week. As the studio started expanding they added Pilates Mat classes to the schedule. This became the start of her Pilates practice as Jhera quickly became hooked and subsequently started taking reformer classes throughout the years.
After moving to Miami Beach in 2012, Pilates became Jhera’s go-to fitness style of choice. Through her Pilates practice as a student she learned to have more mind-body awareness and loved the affect it had on alleviating her minor lower back pain. In 2015 she began pursuing a deeper understanding of the method when she enrolled and successfully completed The Beyond The Basics 530 hour comprehensive Pilates Teacher Certificate Program.
Whether it is a fun and challenging workout that tones, lengthens and strengthens the body, or a vital tool for preventative or rehabilitation purposes, Jhera is a firm believer that the Pilates method is the ultimate form of exercise creating positive changes to the mind, body, spirit and overall quality of life that can and should be enjoyed by all.
Kayla Duque
Pilates Teacher
As a classically trained dancer, Kayla loves Pilates! After a hamstring injury back in 2016 that left her without any flexibility in her right leg, she turned to Pilates. She experienced significant relief, Pilates helped heal her injury as well as many other past injuries. After establishing Pilates as her weekly cross-training exercise, she began to notice incredible advancements in balance, control, flexibility, and fluidity of movements. It was like she had found the secret to fine-tuning a dancer! Kayla continued Pilates for another 5 years until her last year of dancing, the best years of her career! It wasn’t until her 6th year of Pilates that she decided to make a career out of it and pursue a classical comprehensive certification with The Pilates Place. As a teacher, Kayla’s goal is to help others achieve injury-free status, lengthen the body and build lots of flexibility! She has a knack for stretching from her dance background and will always encourage clients to reach a little further in all they do!
Sidney Knight
Pilates Teacher
Meet Sydney, a passionate Pilates teacher dedicated to guiding individuals on their journey to enhanced wellness and vitality. With a strong foundation in yoga and Pilates, Sydney brings a wealth of experience and expertise to every class.
After moving to Miami in 2018, Sydney started practicing both yoga and pilates and enjoyed the practice so much, she became a certified Pilates teacher. Trained by The Pilates Place Studios, Sydney holds a deep appreciation for traditional Pilates while seamlessly incorporating contemporary elements into her teaching style. Her classes are a fusion of tradition and innovation, ensuring a dynamic and engaging experience for everyone.
With a focus on enhancing flexibility, strength, and balance, Sydney is dedicated to guiding students towards their fitness goals while ensuring they leave each session feeling invigorated and accomplished. Her ultimate aim is for everyone to walk away feeling like they’ve had a truly fulfilling workout experience.
Tricia CRAAN
Pilates Teacher
Born and raised in Miami, Tricia has always enjoyed being active. Before becoming a Pilates teacher, Tricia was a yoga instructor. As her yoga practice grew, so did her love for the low-impact functional movement exercises. She discovered Pilates in 2010 and was immediately hooked by the impact it had on her both physically and mentally. Wanting to share the positive effects that Pilates had on her own life with others, Tricia completed a comprehensive Pilates training program with The Pilates Place Studios in 2019. Her classes combine contemporary Pilates and fitness fusion, which include creative sequences that will leave you with a full-body workout whether you are a beginner or an advanced student. Her passion is working one on one with her clients to accommodate any issues or injuries and creating a tailored experience for each one of them.