In an effort to provide a healthy outlet for students to enhance the mind and body, the Point Park Pilates club is offering free weekly classes featuring professional instructors at the Point Park Student Center. “We are looking to promote a sense of health and wellness for everyone at Point Park,” Lindsey Florence, the President of the Pilates Club, said.
The Point Park Pilates club was formed last semester after the University cut the funding of different group fitness programs, including Pilates. This form of exercise is used to help strengthen the body and increase flexibility and balance by using one’s own body weight. Florence, Madeline Gullett, Michelle Hepp, and Heather Baxter, trained student instructors of the 2014-2015 school year, did not want to see the group die, so with the help of a part-time Point Park faculty member, Lesley Davenport, the club was born with each girl holding an officer position.
Classes are held four times a week at various times to give all students an opportunity to make it to a class. Monday’s are at 11:30 A.M., Tuesday’s and Thursday’s meet at 6:00 P.M., and the Friday classes take place at 1:30 P.M. A different officer teaches each class, giving the four a chance to expand on their Pilates knowledge and to gain experience teaching. “I love the atmosphere, it makes me feel better afterwards. I have fun,” said Chloe Bendis, a regular Pilates attendee.
As mentioned before, master classes will be taking place on February 8, February 22, and March 7. The master classes will be taught by Davenport, who also owns the Pilates Center of Pittsburgh, and Kiley Coulter. These will be regular Pilates mat classes that any student of any skill level can attend.
When asked what would be different from the normal classes, Gullett said that the teachers would move quicker and would use different Pilates tools, like magic circles, in their routines. These classes can be expensive outside of Point Park, so the four girls hope that students will take advantage of having these types of classes for free.
One other perk the Pilates club offers is the chance to win a scholarship to help pay for one’s certification. Before the program was cut, the University paid a small portion of the certification fee for a student to become certified. Now, the club uses a good portion of the money they receive from the United Student Government to help pay for several students’ certifications each semester. Several students, like Cortnee Deyarmin, are excited to hear about the chance of winning a scholarship. “I found a YouTube channel and learned what Pilates was…it inspired me to teach group fitness, and when I saw a scholarship, I jumped on it,” She said. The application process is very simple and just requires a form to be filled out and submitted on OrgSync.
The Pilates club is planning to have a bigger “face” on Point Park’s campus and hopes to raise awareness to all students. Florence recalled how just a few years ago, not as many people showed up to the sessions and how attendance was predominantly from dancers. Now, more mats have to be purchased because attendance shot up, and Florence said that most of the participants are not dancers. The officers love to hear feedback and encourage students to do so they can schedule classes at convenient times. “I love to see people happy and hear that they say they feel good afterwards,” Gullett said. “I love seeing a change in their routine after I help them correct a move.” The Point Park Pilates club can be followed on Facebook, and they keep their followers up-to-date with important information.