Celebrating International Women's Day 2022!
It has been quite a while since someone asked me who inspires me to continue working in my chosen career. I am a former ballerina with The Dance Theater of Harlem, and for years I have been a Pilates teacher.Â
I was born in Mexico City, where I studied ballet with my extraordinary teacher Sonia Castaneda. I can honestly say that Sonia Castaneda is my inspiration. Sonia was, herself, a former Principal Dancer at The Compania Nacional de Mexico. She began her ballet studies 80 years ago, and at her current age of 90 years old she continues to teach ballet.Â
Sonia is a true inspiration. She has never lost her passion for ballet, art, and, most importantly, teaching. She continues to teach and inspire people, like me, after more than 70 years in this profession. What Sonia has is a genuine curiosity for the science of body movement. She never stops learning. That is why she took my Classical Mat Teacher Training course at 88 years old.
During the training program, I recall that one week started with Sonia struggling to get up from the floor without help but ended with her doing it with ease. When I asked her about it she said, "I can feel that the use of my abdominals is something that I wasn't aware of."
I recently asked Sonia how she thought the Pilates method crosses over to classical ballet. Her response? "Ballet technique is all about alignment. You strengthen the body as a whole and to be able to move to and from any position with ease and grace. The Pilates method gives you all of that. Just do the work, and you will understand the body."Â
That is what my teacher, Jay Grimes, says. "Do the work. Don't change the exercises to suit you. Change your body so that you can do the exercises."Â
Sonia also shared that being a ballet teacher is about learning how the body moves and following your intuition. To best guide your students, you must have a lot of discipline, perseverance, and patience. Additionally, she talked about the importance of breath during movement. Whether you are a dancer or someone looking to move more efficiently and gracefully, improving your breathing is vital. Using your breath effectively will make the difference between a workout and an art form.Â
Sonia currently lives in Merida Yucatan, where, at 90 years old, she still teaches ballet and continues to learn every technique that will improve the movement of her students. I don’t know about you but I call that inspirational!Â
Elena Bartley
Creator of TuPilates.video
Elena, a graduate of Escuela de Danza Ana Pavlova in Mexico, danced with The Dance Theater of Harlem and became a principal dancer. She performed in top venues worldwide, including the Met and Covent Garden. Certified by Romana Kryzanowska in 1995, she later studied with Pilates legends like Ron Fletcher and Jay Grimes. Elena now trains clients and instructors in Mexico and Las Vegas. Learn more at tupilates.video
