Meet Dan Walton

Dan’s energy is infectious! He knows how to bring out the best in students in his classes. He blends his own vision and life experiences into each lesson. Dan originated from the east coast where he was first introduced to wellness from his mother, who is a yoga instructor and reiki healer. Dan moved to the west coast to follow a career in the restaurant industry. After 11 years in restaurants Dan affirmed his place in the wellness field. Following his passion for pilates, he left the restaurant industry and opened Studio Blue in February 2007 with Angela, a long time friend.

With four years of pilates experience, Dan is a certified pilates instructor and strives for continual learning and appreciation of the art under mentors such as Lavinia Magliocco. Dan is also pursuing a greater understanding of the yoga practice and various forms of dance.

In addition to teaching at Studio Blue, he also teaches at the Metropolitan Learning Center, where he has developed a pilates elective class for seventh and eight graders. During volleyball season he conditions the Concordia volley ball team. He has also donated his time to the Men’s Wellness Center, St Agatha School and the Vancouver Juvenal Correctional Facility for kids. Dan is currently an ambassador for Lululemon Athletica.

Meet Emily Running

Emily recently moved to Portland from Paris, France where she was living, teaching and exploring life as an artist. Emily is trained in an eclectic assortment of movement styles including, dance, aerial, gymnastics, Pilates, yoga, and capoeira to name a few. Her extensive work within her own body lead her to teaching. Her technical qualifications include a comprehensive Pilates certification through Power Pilates NYC, a BFA in Choreography and Performance in Dance from the University of Montana, as well as many continuing education credits in advanced anatomy, mat work, Pilates with the Triad Ball, Magic Circle and Gymstick. While teaching Pilates in Paris, Emily was invited to train and teach Agni Yoga at the first Agni Yoga studio outside of India. At that time she also developed her own class entitled Movement Inspired, which embodies a central theme of movement and aims to solidify the mind/body connection. Emily likes to challenge clients to work to their highest physical potential while creating a positive and encouraging environment in which to do so.

Meet Wendi Albro

Wendi found Pilates in 1998 through her training in modern dance in Seattle, WA. She was amazed at it’s effectiveness in treating chronic back pain, something she had been dealing with on and off since her early days as a competitive gymnast. Not only that, it improved her dancing, giving her a greater sense of balance, strength, and proper alignment. Later, she would also use Pilates to rehabilitate a knee injury.

In 2004, Wendi moved to San Francisco where she began the Pilates Teacher Training course at Ellie Herman Studios. After becoming certified, she then completed the Janda Method of Neuromuscular Reprogramming with Lizz Roman. A method that combines the principles of Pilates with posture analysis, gait assessment, and muscle testing. In San Francisco, Wendi had the pleasure of working closely with several highly respected trainers, all of whom have studied with some of the best in the business.

Patient and dedicated, Wendi’s inclusive approach to Pilates is infused with a love and understanding of movement and how it is a critical component to health and well-being. She continually welcomes new ideas to expand her knowledge in how to address each individual’s particularities and needs. Wendi is excited to be a new resident of Portland, and a new member of the Studio Blue community.

Meet Tami Sousa

Tami Sousa received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona. She completed her Pilates apparatus and mat certification in Washington DC through PhysicalMind Institute in 2006, fulfilling her desire to effect positive change in people’s lives. While living in D.C., Tami accomplished over 1000 hours of extensive training while teaching directly under her certifying instructor, Michael Wright.

An active athlete Tami was originally drawn to Pilates while she was training for one of the L.A. marathons. Her life has centered around sports and athletics. Her passion for Pilates, running and physical activity led her to a career caring for the human body and understands that reaching fitness goals strengthens your life, not just your body. She is experienced in working with people of all levels of background. Her teaching style encompasses on creating unique training sessions that focuses on core strength while ease of movement and body awareness.

Meet Matt Lueders

Matt Lueders thinks Pilates is for EVERYONE. He nurtures his clients to love their bodies at every stage of their development, and pushes them to set new goals for athletic performance, self-awareness and the joy of living. He believes that YOUR body is capable of surpassing your own wildest dreams for it.

Matt came to Pilates after years of involvement in sports- baseball, lacrosse, wrestling, football, biking, running and swimming- where the limitations of painful injuries and severe asthma left him often discouraged. Pilates completely changed his shape and performance, allowing him to enjoy and excel in activities that were previously off-limits.

Matt comes to Studio Blue from Studio 5 Pilates, the certifying studio for the PhysicalMind Institute in Wellesley, Massachusetts. In his work there, and previously at four other studios in New England, he developed programs for clients aged fourteen to eighty-five. An article about him in Boston Spirit Magazine (January ’08) tells how his clients get more out of yoga, seated meditation, breath work, riding, dance, tennis, soccer, skiing, running, swimming and EVERY other activity in their lives!

Meet Angelina Vasile

Angelina is certified in Pilates mat and equipment by the Ellie Herman Studios in San Francisco and has been teaching since 2001. Her education includes study of the Janda method of neuromuscular re-patterning, the Franklin method, resistive stretching, and Forrest Yoga. She is greatly influenced by her time working under the mentorship of Tom McCook at Center of Balance in Mountain View, California and the Pilates method as taught by the PhysicalMind Institute. Her movement studies began as a young athlete and runner, and continued as she received a degree in Dance and Performance Choreography. Angelina’s teaching style incorporates her passion for anatomy and kinesiology, athletics, Chinese medicine, martial arts, dance and yoga. It’s her goal to teach clients how to breathe deeply and move consciously to find balance, strength and grace. She is dedicated to her own practice and continued education to better serve her clients and as a way to experience presence and joy in her own life. She is passionate about growing peoples understanding of themselves and their bodies! Skilled at working with a broad range of clients, she especially loves working with injuries, athletes, the elderly and those struggling with body image related disorders. When not teaching, Angelina is usually found dancing, yoga-ing, playing in the great outdoors, watching major league baseball, or baking.

Meet Ishbel Miller

Ishbel began practicing yoga with her mom at age five and discovered pilates in college. Ishbel has been teaching pilates and yoga for six years and has loved every minute of it! Both pilates and yoga have transformed Ishbel not only physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. There is always something new to learn each time she steps onto the mat or works with her students. Ishbel feels immensely blessed to travel along-side her students as they venture deeper into their own practices and discover the endless capabilities of the body and the mind and their relationship together. Ishbel's students have ranged in ages from three-years-old to ninety-years-old. Every one of her students has stood as an inspiration and as a testament to the ever-blossoming potential of the human body.

Meet Tim Haster

I have 17 years of success in treating: car accidents, injuries, sports injuries from golf, tennis, skiing and rock climbing (all weekend warriors welcome), treating chronic and acute pain from frozen shoulders, migraines, long term back, knee or hip pain.

These injuries can affect all your normal daily activities such as doing dishes, typing on a computer, lifting your child, driving, and\or trying to sleep and feeling un-rested. Many people do not see the results they want from traditional medical treatment and drugs only treat the symptoms and not the cause. With massage therapy, I may be able to help you live a better and more pain free life.

I believe each person is responsible for their own healing and that, although healers can assist and guide an individual, one must fully contribute to their own healing for the efforts to be successful.

I have had the pleasure and privilege to work on a variety of people from all walks of life and am excited to meet new people and challenges. I look forward to working with you to help you achieve your optimal health. Is it your time for change?

Meet Wade McCulloch

Wade McCulloch, originally from Ashland Oregon, graduated from Southern Oregon University with a Fine Arts Painting Degree. Had several Art shows at local Ashland Art Galleries. Moved to Hawaii, began studying the Healing Arts. Studied Chinese Medicine for one year. Moved to Boulder, Colorado, finished 4 year Master of Science in Chinese Medicine degree. Moved back to Oregon with his two Boston Terriers. Currently living in Lake Oswego, I enjoy traveling to Kenya with my wife, Surfing, Skiing, Rock Climbing, Basketball and any Football game I can find, Yoga/Pilate's and of course Painting. I have been trained in the Chinese and Japanese Traditions of Acupuncture. I am very gently with the needles. I have worked in clinics for HIV, Oncology (Cancer patients), Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, Sports Injury's, and Japanese Traditional Medicine. I have also received certification in Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture and am currently studying the effects of Chinese Medicine on Allergies in preparation for enrolling in the Doctorate of Chinese Medicine program at Oregon College of Oriental Medicine.