Our Team

Director

Melissa

  • Bachelor of Dance Performance
  • Diploma of Polestar Pilates Studio & Rehabilitation Method
  • CrossFit L1
  • CrossFit L2
  • Kettlebell Level 1 & Level 2
  • Diploma of Specialist Makeup Services
  • Pilates Alliance Australasia Full Member
  • Educator for Polestar Pilates: Studio and Reformer

Originally from Canberra, Melissa began dancing at the age of 3 before she moved to Adelaide to pursue her study in dance, completing her Bachelor in Dance Performance in 2008. The anatomy and kinesiology components of the course particularly appealed to Melissa, which aided in further understanding of the body.
Unfortunately, a pelvic injury was the deciding factor in not pursuing a dance career, so she followed her creative side and accrued a Diploma in Specialist Makeup Services.

Her continuous Pilates attendance has facilitated her in the many hours of dance training from her teens, maintaining her technique to help prevent, rehabilitate and reduce further injuries.

With her Level 1 and Level 2 in CrossFit, Melissa emphasises the importance of the Pilates method and its ability to successfully emphasise core and body awareness, breathing, mobilisation and strengthening of the body within all physical activities and general daily life.

Instructors

Dee 

  • Diploma of Clinical Pilates by Breathe Education
  • Certificate IV in Pilates by Breathe Education (mat and reformer group teaching)

Dee began gymnastics training and dancing in the early years of primary school but this was interrupted after a couple of years due to kidney sensitivity to strenuous activity. In her teenage years she developed interest in design and architecture which led her to pursue a career in this field. A busy career and lifestyle led her to a very sedentary lifestyle and after a number of years this led to a back injury just from doing general life activities.
She started regular Pilates classes to manage her back pain and to regain her body strength, physically and mentally. After only 3 sessions she decided that this was something she had to explore further. She enrolled into a Pilates course with Breathe Education thinking that it would give her basics to understand her body better and to help herself. Soon she realised that the course was giving her not only that but a totally new understanding and perspective of the human body and its physical and mental state.
Just by sharing her newly discovered passion with friends and family she realised she was suddenly able to help them as well.
During her Pilates course she met and worked with other Pilates teachers emphasising the importance and application of the Pilates method into everyday life and physical activity.
She is passionate about challenging clients and helping them achieve their long term goals. She believes that Pilates is the perfect exercise for everyone because it can be modified to suit the goals and needs of each individual.

 

Camila

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Physiotherapy
  • Postgraduate in Anatomy and Biomechanics
  • Diploma of Clinical Pilates by Fisiocorp Brazil
  • Diploma III and IV in Fitness

Camila is originally from Brazil and a few years ago decided to come to Australia to experience a new culture. Her first location was Sydney; staying for 3 years and completing her Diploma in Fitness to further her knowledge. She then chose to move to Adelaide to build up her career and have a quieter life.
Camila was originally a synchronised swimming athlete for almost 10 years, and after working with physiotherapists to attend to the injuries incurred from her sport, she decided to study Physiotherapy.
A few years after completing her degree, she continued on to complete her Diploma of Clinical Pilates. This allowed her to join her two passions: rehabilitation and movement.

 

Adele

  • Bachelor of Science (Human Biology and Human Movement) U.W.A
  • Bachelor of Science (Physiotherapy) Curtin University
  • Certified Practitioner of Pilates Studio and Rehabilitation Method (Polestar)

Adele was born in South Africa and emigrated to Western Australia at age six. Inspired by her medical parents, she completed a Bachelor of Science degree with a double major in Human Movement and Human Biology at the University of Western Australia. She then completed a physiotherapy degree at Curtin University.

Keen to explore the world, she travelled to Byron Bay and worked briefly in a rehabilitation hospital before moving to London. She worked in a variety of clinical settings including aged care, orthopaedic outpatients, and private practice. After 4 years, in search of warmer beaches, she moved to Sydney and spent 2 years working in a private practice.
She married a South Australian and moved to Adelaide and worked in a clinic that introduced her to the Pilates method. She was impressed with the amazing scope of exercises available using Pilates equipment; from acute rehabilitation for musculoskeletal injuries and respiratory patients to elite sports conditioning.

Adele has a special interest in the spine, having worked at the Back Clinic in London and the Headache Clinic in Adelaide. She has also studied with Sarah Key in Sydney. She is passionate about movement and getting people to move more. In today’s world, developing a movement practice is more important than ever, as people of all ages sit hunched over a computer keyboard against the ever-present force of gravity, and she feels that the Pilates method allows movement challenges in all planes relevant to gravity. She knows the method can build a tailored solution for better balance, improved bone mass, co-ordination, strength, and flexibility… and of course it’s fun!

 

Bree

  • Certified Practitioner of Pilates Studio Method (Polestar)
  • Distinction in all Royal Academy of Dance syllabi
  • Recipient of the RAD Jaqueline Tucker Award 2016
  • Australian Dance Theatre Youth Ensemble 2019
  • Orlando Ballet 2020
  • Currently studying Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) at UniSA

Bree began Pilates at the young age of 12 to increase her strength and contribution to injury prevention for her preprofessional ballet and contemporary training.
In Australia, Bree completed all Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) grades with a Distinction and was the recipient of the RAD Jaqueline Tucker Award in 2016. At the age of 17, she was member of the Australian Dance Theatre Youth Ensemble, performing at various events and working with both ADT company dancers and choreographers.
Bree furthered her professional ballet career through training and performing in the USA with institutions such as the Houston Ballet, Joffrey Chicago and Orlando Ballet, eventually accepting a trainee position with the Orlando Ballet in 2020.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bree returned to Adelaide and commenced studying her Polestar Pilates Studio Certificate. Bree is currently working as a physiotherapy assistant and is studying her Bachelor of Occupational
Therapy (Honours) at the University of South Australia and is to graduate in 2024.
She is excited to share her passion for movement with you and utilise her knowledge from her dance background in combination with her current studies.

 

David

  • Bachelor of Performing Arts (Dance) – WAAPA
  • APPI Pilates Certified in Matwork and Reformer
  • Certificate III & IV in Fitness – AIF
  • Currently studying Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours) at UniSA

David was introduced to Pilates throughout his university studies in Classical & Contemporary Dance; coming from an extensive background as a Personal Trainer he found the rehabilitative aspects of Pilates especially useful both to himself and his clients.

Whilst working as a professional dancer throughout Australia, David also worked as a Barre Instructor for several years in addition to his existing Strength & Conditioning coaching. Following his retirement from his performing career, David has undertaken additional training in both Matwork & Reformer to further develop the toolkit with which he can assist his clients.

With his focus now aligned to his study of Physiotherapy, David seeks to assist individuals from all walks of life in better understanding their bodies; learning not only how to prevent and rehabilitate injury, but to achieve new capabilities to improve their wellbeing in and out of the studio.

 

Lauren

  • Bachelor of Physiotherapy UniSA 2017
  • Diploma of Polestar Pilates Studio & Rehabilitation Method 2020 
  • Women’s Health Physiotherapist (Women’s Health Training Associates, 2019)
  • Principles of Rehab and Performance (Dr Dan Kirkbride, 2020)
  • Current Physiotherapist SPOC Football Club

Growing up in the Adelaide Hills as a lover of the outdoors and sports, Lauren began her interest in movement as a keen young Netballer, playing at local, association and regional levels. Lauren has always had a keen interest in the human body and in movement, and pursuing a career in Physiotherapy was a natural direction to take. 

Lauren began her journey in Pilates in 2016 through Physiotherapy at University. The congruence between Physiotherapy and Pilates was clear from the beginning and it quickly became a clear career direction. Lauren has always worked in cohesive Physiotherapy and Pilates environments, and also has experience working in Women’s Health in both of these settings. Practicing as a Physiotherapist with the backing of Pilates and Women’s Health has shaped the way Lauren understands and teaches movement.

Pilates has been foundational to Lauren personally in her pursuit of different sports and athletics into adulthood. It was instrumental in rehabilitation from football injuries and in preparation for a recent triathlon. With years of teaching as a Physiotherapist, the observation of the way Pilates can take people so thoroughly through their rehabilitation from injury, postnatally, or just to keep fit, is a constant delight and motivation!