Meet the Team.
Smartbody Movement is a community of fitness experts. Our trainers are chosen for their communication, compassion, their expertise, and their commitment. Each of us at Smartbody embodies our own practice, sharing what we know, and always learning more.
-
Founder
Senior Certified Pilates, Gyrotonic, Gyrokinesis and ALL specialized Gyrotonic Equipment Instructor
Owner and founder of Smartbody Movement, since 2003. She has been certified comprehensively in classical Pilates since 1998.
Later certifying in Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis in 2003 with the privilege of being in courses under Juliu Horvath, the creator of the Gyrotonic method.
She believes that “you need to do what moves you” and the structure of the Gyro and Pilates methodologies help facilitate healthy relationships with ourselves and others in life. She is currently a teacher of teachers with the Art of Control Pilates program and a Pre-Trainer in both Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis since 2006. She trained in Laban Bartenieff Movement studies in 2011. She continues ongoing study with Juliu Horvath, Hilary Cartwright, and Simona Cipriani.
She is additionally a professional visual artist with work held in private and corporate collections internationally.
-
Senior Certified Gyrotonic Instructor
Emily Deren is as a Senior Certified Instructor in Gyrotonic since 2019 and has been an active student in the methodology since 2013.
She holds a BA in Dance Studies from the New School University in New York City where she trained in post-modern dance and somatic practice.
Her highlights include performing in repertories choreographed by Juliette Mapp, Beth Gill and the Trisha Brown Dance Company, as well as presenting her own choreographic works at The Ailey Citigroup Theater and Movement Research.
While her dance background profoundly influenced her appreciation of Gyrotonic, Emily also discovered the practice to be incredibly healing and informative to her scoliosis. She now considers practicing Gyrotonic as a necessity to her spinal preservation and ability to live back-pain free.
As a teacher, she hopes to give her clients the gift of bodily relief, strength and freedom in the same way it has been gifted to her.
-
Senior Pilates Instructor
Katie Miller is a USPA Authentic PilatesTM teacher since 2016, and merges her practice with her background as a Physical Therapist.
She is committed to routine in her own pilates practice as well as in being a runner. Katie has a Masters of Science in Physical Therapy from Ithaca College where she graduated in 2003. She spent 9 years of her career focusing on neuro-rehabilitation at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital.
-
Senior Instructor in Pilates
Heather is a Boston native and classical Pilates teacher, comprehensively trained through The Pilates Center of Boulder, CO. Heather has been teaching Pilates for almost twenty years, originally certified through BASI Pilates while living in San Francisco. Heather also completed a 500 hour yoga teacher certification through Barbara Benagh's Yoga Studio in Brookline, MA. Heather loves practicing and teaching both Pilates and yoga, using both practices to find the delicate balance between effort and ease in movement.
-
Certified Pilates Instructor
With a strong foundation in movement and athleticism, Kyla brings a unique perspective to Pilates. Her journey began with gymnastics, becoming highly decorated in national gymnastic competitions and later transitioning into coaching both artistic and rhythmic gymnastics. Her competitive career was cut short due to a stress fracture to her spine. This experience equipped her with a deep understanding of body mechanics, flexibility, and strength training.
In a further effort to enhance her skills in teaching dynamic movement and core stability, Kyla expanded her repertoire by becoming a Barre instructor and most recently, a Pilates Instructor. Never wanting her athletes and clients to feel helpless in their bodies due to injury, she is committed to helping others achieve their goals through Pilates instruction. Kyla’s sessions are rooted in her ability to create a supportive and motivating environment for clients, encouraging them to connect with their bodies and discover their potential.
-
Karen began practicing Pilates in 2010 after a running injury, nothing else seemed to help until she discovered how Pilates could truly restore her body. Seeing firsthand how it supported her recovery, it sparked a lifelong passion for the method.
She became classically trained and certified in 2017. Today, she brings a grounded, nurturing energy to every session. While embracing all kinds of workouts, Karen believes Pilates offers a solid foundation to enhance, not only everyday movement, but also athletic performance.
Whether clients are runners, golfers, tennis players, or simply enjoy staying active, Pilates helps them move more efficiently, prevent injuries, and improve performance in the sport of their choice. Karen also values whole-body wellness beyond the studio: she is an IHP Level 2 certified Integrative Health Practitioner with a focus on nutrition, fostering a holistic approach that supports strength, balance, and vitality both inside and outside of Pilates.
-
Senior Instructor
Certified Pilates, Gyrotonic and ALL specialized Gyrotonic Equipment
While Kristina has taught Pilates for over 20 years she specializes in practicing and teaching many different kinds of movement: from pilates to dance to the Gyrotonic method. You may see her throughout the studio jumping from one discipline to the next, using the full range of equipment we have to offer. Kristina has been a senior instructor at studios such as The Movement Center and with us over the past 10 years.
She was certified in the STOTT method as well as Power Pilates and certified in Gyrotonic after years of training as a ballet dancer. She does prefer to not talk about ballet though, just moving for movement itself.
-
Senior Gyrotonic & Pilates Instructor
Kathleen Anderson is a certified instructor in Gyrotonic since 2005 and Gyrokinesis since 2006, completing Level 2 courses in each discipline by 2008. She has practiced Pilates since 2000, certified in 2017 and is currently completing additional certification as part of the Art of Control comprehensive classical program. Kathleen says, “ I teach movement because I believe in the power of dance!”.
Her background in movement also covers Iyengar yoga instruction and instructing in the bar sculpt method. She holds a Masters Degree in Psychology and is trained as a dance movement therapist.
-
Senior Instructor in Gyrotonic, Gyrokinesis, Gyrotonic Leg Extension Unit, Gyrotoner and Gyrotonic Jump and Stretch board
Fernadina Chan has practiced Pilates and the Gyrotonic method for many years. In 2008, she became a certified Gyrokinesis exercise instructor and a certified instructor of the Gyrotonic method in 2009.
Fern has long contributed to the Boston arts community as she was the founder, artistic dean and the co-chair of the dance department at Boston Arts Academy. She still engages in creative practice within the Boston dance scene in her own projects as well as co-director of Continuum Dance Project.
-
Senior Pilates Instructor
Lynn is an avid dance student and performer. She has been practicing Pilates since 2000, Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis since 2003 and has been a certified USPA Authentic PilatesTM teacher since 2014.
She is currently working towards her second certification in pilates with the Art of Control program. In addition to dance and Pilates, Lynn loves swimming and yoga.
She is most inspired by students who strive to improve their health and well-being. She is one of those teachers who knows we are all constant students.
-
Senior Gyrotonic & Gyrokinesis Instructor
Ann Fonte is a certified instructor in both the Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis methods of body conditioning since 2004, as well as Pilates mat certified since the year 2000. In addition to Ann’s certifications, she is also a classically trained dancer who can be seen performing professionally with Peter DiMuro/Public Displays of Motion and Lynn Modell, Making Dances.
Teaching Gyrotonic, and being a student herself over these past two decades, has helped Ann heal her chronic back issues as well as therapeutically rehabilitate her hip replacement. It is her goal to help her students also alleviate themselves of their chronic pain, increase their range of motion and to find space and an ease within their bodies. She is a true believer that, as we age, we do not have to stop doing the things we enjoy doing.
Ann holds a BA in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Holistic Health and Wellness (2020) from Lesley University.
-
Senior Certified Gyrotonic, Pilates, and Gyrokinesis Instructor
Pilates Teacher Trainer.
Gyrotonic Pre Trainer.
Prior to becoming a classically certified Pilates Instructor through Power Pilates, Svea McMath trained professionally in ballet, she was then introduced to her first formal Pilates class at ten years old. From that moment, the inspiration to one day become a certified Pilates instructor herself was fostered in her heart.
The dream of dancing professional was abruptly cut short due to a spinal injury and it was soul-searching time. Uncertain of what step to take next, there was one constant in her heart: the undeniable joy she had discovered for Pilates’ intelligent, mind-body approach to the art of movement and the passionate calling to advance the true meaning of wellness. Years after the original class which inspired her down this path, Ms. McMath completed the renowned PowerPilates 600-Hour Comprehensive Apparatus Program in 2018 and then the PureBody Pilates comprehensive teacher training in 2022. She is also nationally certified through the Pilates Method Alliance (PMA).
In 2024, Svea was honored to become one of the teacher trainer’s for Power Pilates, the Internationally recognized school of classical Pilates.
In addition to her two complete comprehensive Pilates certifications, Ms. McMath is also an Instructor and Pre-Trainer of The GYROTONIC® Method and an Instructor in The Gyrokinesis® Method.
Ms. McMath is eager to share her passion for intelligent, breath based, functional, all inclusive movement. True wellness blooms from the inside outward, enveloping both mind, body and spirit.