Dan opened Studio Blue with a friend and former business partner in February, 2007. His vision was to create not only a place where clients could get fit and reduce or eliminate chronic pain, but also a place where clients would be coached and cared for as though they were family. Dan has an amazing amount of energy and good will which he brings to Studio Blue. He knows how to make clients feel comfortable, yet challenged in both the mat classes he teaches, and in his one-on-one training sessions.

Dan was born on the East Coast, where he was first introduced to wellness by his mother, a yoga instructor and Reiki healer. After moving to Portland and working in the hospitality industry, Dan found his passion for Pilates, completed his Pilates certification and opened Studio Blue. Dan received his certification from Physical Mind Institute in 2005, and has since completed Stott Pilates mat and reformer training. He has also taken Stott’s Injuries & Special Populations course twice, and works with many rehab clients to relieve them of chronic pain, whether it is in the back, neck, knees, hips, or just about anywhere in the body.

At Studio Blue, Dan teaches Pilates classes, runs boot camps and is a personal training instructor. He also has an ongoing program working with the unique needs of competitive figure skaters from the ages of 8 to 17. When he’s not at the Studio, Dan enjoys heading to the beach, running, and hiking. In the Spring of 2010, Dan combined two of his favorite things, the beach and Pilates, and took a group of clients to Mexico for Studio Blue’s first Pilates retreat. Happily for Dan, the retreat was such a success that it has now become a much anticipated, yearly tradition.

Joanne discovered Pilates in 2006, and was immediately amazed at how quickly and easily doing Pilates trimmed her waistline, increased her muscle definition and tone, and improved her overall strength and balance. After awhile it even became fun (in an addictive sort of way)!

Joanne grew up in Chicago and spent 20+ years in direct marketing and advertising in senior management positions on the East Coast for Fortune 500 companies such as Time-Warner, Columbia House, The Home Shopping Network, Ogilvy & Mather, and U.S. News & World Report. She met Dan and Studio Blue in 2007 and, as a Studio client, fell in love with the variety and challenge that the classes at Studio Blue had to offer. Over time she became friends with Dan and the other amazing instructors at the Studio, and after retiring from her marketing career in 2008, Dan asked her to become his partner to help run and grow the business.

Joanne loves getting to know every client by name, and making sure that each client’s expectations and needs are always exceeded. She manages the financial and marketing aspects of the business, which frees Dan up to spend more time doing what he loves to do best – working with clients to help them achieve their wellness and fitness goals.

When she’s not at the Studio you’ll find her enjoying life in Irvington with her 2 daughters, cooking gourmet meals, wine tasting, bowling, hiking out in the Gorge, or making travel plans to visit family and friends around the U.S. or the 2 girls she sponsors through the Miracle Foundation in India.

Jen has a deep love of Pilates and taking care of others. After Graduating from The University of Michigan 2005, she decided to try something new and move to the West Coast. She discovered the Studio Blue family in 2009 right after the studio had opened. She was looking for a place to start her Pilates practice, which led to her first shifts at the front desk of the studio. Her goal now as Studio Manager is to maintain a warm environment where clients feel supported in reaching their personal fitness goals. When she is not in the studio she spends time discovering the world with her 3 young children.

Erin was introduced to Pilates in the 1990s after a car accident. She found that Pilates was much more effective than traditional medicine for rehabilitating her injuries. It was this that kindled her interest in becoming a Pilates teacher herself. A few years later, Erin, her husband, and two daughters, moved to Paris, France where her mother, Martine Curtis-Oakes had opened the largest Pilates teacher training center in Europe. In 2008 she received two internationally-recognized certifications, one from Balanced Body and one from A-Lyne Centre de Formation in Paris.

Because her introduction to Pilates was by way of an accident, Erin gets satisfaction working with clients to rehabilitate their injuries. She has extensive experience with Parkinson's disease, spinal and disc injuries, pre and post natal and surgery rehabilitation. Being an avid bicyclist and runner, she also enjoys working with clients with an athletic bent. Erin always continues developing her rehabilitation skills, her knowledge of anatomy, and other modalities that complement her Pilates teaching.

Tami has been certified in Pilates since 2007 through PhysicalMind Institute and holds a level 1 and 2 Sports Medicine Training certification in TRX since 2010.

She has always had a passion for athletics. Her life is centered around exercise, consisting of jogging, weight lifting and various forms of physical activity, which initially drew her to a career in Pilates. She understands that reaching fitness goals can strengthen peoples lives, both mentally and physically and she enjoys teaching and witnessing these positive results with her clients. Tami is very experienced in working with clients who are new to Pilates, as well as former and current athletes who seek different benefits from her role as an instructor. She strives to bring out the best in each client, by performing various techniques, staying current with research, and always wanting to learn more knowledge from other athletic specialists. Her teaching style is encompassed around creating unique training sessions that focus on core strength, with mindfulness of body control, movement and overall awareness. Tami enjoys using TRX as an early tool for sports rehabilitation with many of her sports based clients. She has a special interest in working with runners, to either expedite their recovery, or find a way to prevent future running related injuries.Tami's expertise is in observing and assessing movement, then developing strategic treatment plans to improve dysfunctional patters of body movement, all while educating her patients on ways to improve and avoid future injury.

Tami's passion for sports, personal well-being and care for others has developed into her being an amazing Pilates Instructor, as she truly cares about her clients' best interests, hoping to see them all exceed in various ways. Eliminating injury, keeping people happy and motivated is what makes Tami thrive and truly love being a Pilates Instructor.

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, but Pilates improved her dancing, giving her a greater sense of balance, strength, and proper alignment. Later, she also used 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 Repatterning, with Lizz Roman, which is 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 the understanding of how movement 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.

Angelina has been teaching movement and healing arts since 2001. From a young age she was inspired to move, dance and be joyful by her mother. Her father inspired her empathic nature, introducing her to radical thinking, spirituality and living a life of compassion. Driven by these passions and her desire to connect fully with her own spirit, as well as that of others, she set out on her life’s path. Angelina holds a BA in Dance and Performance Choreography, is a certified Pilates instructor (since 2001) and a certified Forrest Yoga teacher (since 2007). Her style incorporates her love for anatomy and alignment, athletics (particularly gymnastics and running), movement therapy, Chinese medicine, Vipassana meditation, Muy Thai kickboxing, Pilates, modern dance, Vinyasa, and Forrest Yoga. Her mentors, Pilates guru, Tom McCook of Center of Balance in Mountain View, CA, therapist, Julia Landis in San Francisco, CA and Ana Forrest, founder ofForrest Yoga, have been her continuing inspiration to evolve, understand the oneness of it all, and to give back by empowering others.

Angelina loves doing what she does and is skilled at working with a broad range of clients. She especially enjoys working with injuries, athletes, pre and post-natal clients, the elderly and those struggling with body image related disorders. With a down-to-earth approach, she wants to share with you how to breathe deeply, move consciously and feel fully to connect with your spirit and truth. Staying devoted to her own movement and meditation practice allows her to be a more effective teacher; it’s also been the key to experiencing abundant presence and joy in her own life. As part of her Karma Yoga, Angelina volunteers with Living Yoga, teaching teens and adults in recovery. When not teaching, Angelina is usually found dancing, yoga-ing, reading, playing in the great outdoors, watching major league baseball, or baking. For more info visit www.angelinavasile.

For most of his life, Mike was a competitive athlete. While attending the University of Oregon, he competed on the wrestling team for four years as an NCAA Division One athlete. Upon completing his degree in Sociology and retiring from the sport, Mike found that he was suffering from numerous physical ailments that had been accumulated over the span of his athletic career. With very little luck in physical therapy, he figured his ailments were simply ‘a part of life.’ It wasn’t until Mike’s two-year service as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Kyrgyz Republic when he found a book on Pilates. Given his living conditions and lack of fitness equipment in the remote country, Mike learned the basic techniques of Pilates and has been practicing ever since. With a foundation in Pilates, Mike is able to pursue the activities he once thought he would never again be able to do. Mike enjoys surfing, competing in triathlons, and coaching youth wrestling.

Having successfully completed the Comprehensive Teacher Training Course, Mike is a Certified Pilates Instructor with Body Arts and Science International. In addition to Pilates, Mike studied Personal Training at the California Healing Arts College in West Los Angeles and is a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. He has also continued his Pilates education with BASI Faculty Member and Movement Specialist Karen Clippinger in working with the aging population. As passionate as Mike is for his own physical exercise, Mike is equally enthusiastic for helping others!

Ashley López has been leading group fitness classes since 2003. She is certified through the American Council on Exercise and is a Registered Yoga Teacher through Yoga Alliance. She has an eclectic background in Pilates, having gone through teacher training both at the University of Illinois and Balanced Body University with additional experience in Stott, TheMethod and dance and yoga core training. As a yoga instructor, she offers a variety of classes which include classical Hatha, gentle Yin, and flow or Vinyasa with influences from Iyengar and Viniyoga. Beyond yoga and Pilates, she has trained to teach Bellydance, Zumba, Cycling, Kickboxing, Water Aerobics and Sculpt. A professional dancer who is passionate about health and wellness, she is eager to learn, share, and challenge herself and others.

Keph Sherin teaches BodyFusion a unique workout that integrates functional movement, Pilates, yoga, and dance concepts for a fun and therapeutic class. Use body weight, free weights, bands, and foam rollers in medium intensity exercises that challenge strength stability and core. Keph’s classes refresh the body with new posture and awareness to detail which will make your workouts more effective and rewarding.

Kacie is passionate about understanding how the human body functions best. She began her Pilates practice 5 years ago to manage her own scoliosis and instantly loved how her practice developed her confidence, sense of self, stability. These changes influenced her to reassess her life and leave her corporate career to focus on becoming a Pilates instructor and helping others on their paths to wellness. Kacie was STOTT Pilates certified in October 2013 and has never regretted her decision to make Pilates her life’s work.

When she’s not on the mat Kacie enjoys exploring the Pacific Northwest with her dog Theo, playing disc golf, reading and studying biomechanics. Her greatest joy is watching her clients transform from a place of pain, discomfort and sedentary life to a place of mobility, stability and wellness. You’ll love her radiant positive energy and engaging smile.

Fully certified in STOTT PILATES, instructor Emily Keane began her personal Pilates practice during high school and quickly gained a profound respect for the system. A firm believer in the importance of the mind-body connection, Emily infuses her teaching with enthusiasm, humor and a personal connection that communicates her faith in the importance of healthy movement. She believes that Pilates can be transformative and empowering, lending clients a deep sense of agency in their own physical experience.

Emily returned to the Portland area in 2011 after having spent nine years away traveling and completing her undergraduate degree in Art History and Cinema at the University of Toronto in Ontario, Canada. She is happy to be back in the west and is eager to share the passion she feels for her work.

Anna Marra is a fully certified STOTT PILATES® instructor and professional dancer with BodyVox of Portland, Oregon. Originally from Montana, Anna graduated with a BFA from the University of Utah's Department of Ballet where she had the opportunity to perform internationally in Europe and Asia. These experiences in dance ultimately cultivated her passion for teaching and interest in body care. Practicing Pilates alongside her dance career, Anna feels the benefit of this exercise carries over to every aspect of life, from athletic performance enhancement, injury prevention, rehabilitation, to general fitness and physical well-being. She loves working with individuals to help them achieve their personal health and fitness goals to create a better quality of life.

Emma’s lifelong commitment to the exploration of movement includes Vinyasa Flow Yoga Teacher Certification (2005), Advance Flow Yoga Teacher Training (2011), as well as certification in BarreWorks (2012)—a bodysculpt class that combines the best of Pilates, yoga and dance with low-impact techniques to achieve a full-body workout while listening to off-the-charts world music.

Emma earned an M.F.A. from the University of Iowa’s Nonfiction Writing Program in 2009. Her essays have appeared in Southeast Review, Drunken Boat, Two Hawks Quarterly, Iowa Review, Dollfeeder and in an anthology published by NCTE titled: Reinventing Identities in Second Language Writing. She ghostwrites and edits for The Teaching Company, has served as artistic director for several dance companies, and created a yoga program for homeless teens in Iowa City. Emma recently received nonprofit status for Writing My Way Back Home—A Veterans’ Writing Workshop, to continue helping U.S. military personnel find their way home through writing. A recent transplant to Portland, she looks forward to smelling the roses.

Nicole began her Pilates practice in 2010 after a battle with an autoimmune illness, and was inspired by how quickly her muscle tone, mental clarity, and immune system function improved. Naturally, she wanted to share her passion, so she became a certified instructor in 2013 through the Pilates Sports Center in Encino, California. Nicole can talk about how much she loves Pilates for hours, and the people around her love hearing about it. Her hope is to inspire people to become stronger and healthier; she views the instructor/client relationship as symbiotic, and will work as a facilitator towards your personal goals. She loves watching a transformation unfold in all her clients - and she will totally give you a high five and/or hug after your session. When she’s not educating herself on all things Pilates, she’s writing, reading, and enjoying long and pensive walks at Mt. Tabor.

Melissa came to Pilates as a young dancer studying with the Houston Ballet Academy and received her first Pilates Mat certification in 2001. After performing professionally throughout San Francisco and Chicago, Melissa returned to her hometown in California to earn her college education and become a fully certified Pilates Instructor. Soon after receiving her B.A. and her Pilates certification in 2008, Melissa performed and toured internationally and domestically with Parsons Dance out of New York City. Melissa attributes much of her success to the support of her Pilates training. She believes that Pilates completely changed her muscle structure and has supported her against injury throughout her career. Melissa is passionate about sharing movement and helping others find more strength and stability in their bodies to help facilitate their own personal goals.

Melissa graduated with High Honors from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a B.A. in Art History, and a minor in Exercise and Health Science. Melissa holds her comprehensive Pilates Certification from Body Arts and Science International (B.A.S.I.) and is thrilled to join Studio Blue.