Amy Fischer

Amy is the founder of Pure Pilates and Total Body Rehabilitation, Inc. She is a California licensed physical therapist and a degree in Biology.  For the past 10 years she has been treating orthopedic and sports related injuries.  She is also a certified Pilates and GYROTONIC instructor.  Amy is a Post Rehabilitation Specialist for Breast Cancer Survivors through the Pink Ribbon Program. Amy specializes in manual therapy and orthopedic injuries, along with Pilates based rehabilitation. Amy has obtained her pilates certification through D.K. Body Balance. With years of experience in treating patients successfully, Amy provides the safest, most effective and advanced treatments available for physical therapy. She addresses each patient’s individual physical needs, gives them the care that they deserve and helps them achieve their goals.

Heather began practicing Pilates 8 years ago after the birth of her first child.  Within a year she knew this was something she would pursue as a career.  She is trained in the Body Arts and Science method of Pilates.  She has been teaching for over 5 years and last year completed her certification in pre and post-natal Pilates and pelvic floor rehabilitation with Jennifer Gianni of Fusion Pilates and the Long Beach Dance and Conditioning Center.  Pilates is a passion for Heather that she hopes to ignite in those around her.  In her former life, she was a chef and lived in Paris for a time working in a Boulangerie.  In her spare time she now teaches culinary arts for the Regional Occupational Program and spends time with her husband and two children.

Claudia Sherk

Claudia has spent her entire life dedicated to sports/fitness. She began practicing Pilates in 1990, from that point on she was hooked. After having her two children she took her love for Pilates one step further and attended Body Arts and Science International (BASI). She has been teaching both mat and reformer Pilates since 2005.

Myra Ramos 

Myra  received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from UC Irvine in 1994. In working to achieve her degree in Biology, she always exhibited interest in realizing the human body’s potential through proper movement and exercise.
She put this interest to practical use, when she turned to Pilates as a means to renew her commitment to conditioning her mind and body after giving birth to her second child. Through Pilates, she improved her awareness in proper body movements that resulted in stronger abdominal muscles and a healthier spine. She credits Pilates not only with improving her overall body conditioning but also for directing her to a self confident, optimistic, and healthier perspective on life.
The strength of her belief in the benefits of Pilates as a means for improving one’s self led her to a path from a consistent class taker in 2001 to a serious student to a committed instructor in 2004. She is certified under Ron Fletcher Program of Study.  Her love for practicing and teaching Pilates continues as it has made a positive impact on her life. She is guided by the words of Pilates elder, Ron Fletcher … “Movement should be approached like life … with enthusiasm, joy and gratitude… For movement is life and life is movement, and we get out of it, what we put into it.”

Jessica Ruggles

Jessica brings fifteen plus years of movement experience with her to our studio. Her background is in kinesiology and dance including Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Tap and Cultural dances. She has been teaching dance and fitness for over seven years including Aerobics, Step, Weightlifting, Aqua, Spinning, Kickboxing, Yoga and Pilates. She obtained a BS in Kinesiology from Cal State Fullerton in 2005. Her Pilates training is in the Body Arts and Science International (BASI) method certified through Ritz Conditioning. Jessica is also certified in Pre-Natal and Post-Partum Pilates. Due to her background and education, Jessica is a knowledgeable, experienced and motivating trainer able to work with a wide range of individual needs.

 Nichole McKinney

Nichole’s love of movement began at an early age when she first started taking tap, ballet and jazz at the local dance school.  She continued to dance (competitively and for enjoyment) throughout High School and College, earning a Bachelor of Science in Communications from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1999. For 11 years, Nichole focused her efforts on her business career and successfully managed marketing teams for multiple Fortune 500 companies on both coasts.  Between countless meetings and frequent business trips, Nichole continued to be a diligent student of dance, Yoga, Pilates and general fitness.  But it wasn’t until she discovered the Pilates Reformer during physical therapy sessions to treat neck and back injuries that she truly fell in love with Pilates. Urged by her physical therapist to become a certified instructor, she decided to trade in her blackberry for bare feet and Nichole quickly discovered that not only did her work on the reformer lessen her pain, it also created noticeable changes in her body – longer leaner muscles, better posture and increased mobility.  Nichole’s goal is to share her knowledge and love of Pilates with people of every age and size, to help them achieve their fitness objectives and improve their lives, because Pilates is truly movement for life!  Nichole holds a comprehensive Pilates Certification (Balanced Body University curriculum).

Sarah Faber

Sarah started practicing Pilates nearly three years ago when attending fashion school. While learning how to design around the ideal body she felt drawn to conditioning the ideal body type. After merchandising for a chain of Pilates studios she determined the best way to design around a body was to learn the inner workings of the body. It was then she changed her career path to Pilates Instruction. Sarah has attended the renowned Body Arts and Science International (BASI) school of Pilates Instruction. With her deep understanding of human aesthetics and anatomy she is committed to the teachings of Joseph Pilates and the physical rewards that come with.

Dru Barrios  

For the last 15 years, Dru has worked as fitness director for several large gyms and resorts. She is certified in Pilates from BASI, Yoga, Indoor Cycling, Kickboxing, Aqua and many other fitness and training categories. Her extensive coursework to obtain a degree in Exercise Science included life sciences, kinesiology, education theory, athletic training, sports psychology, nutrition, exercise physiology and movement. Following a lifestyle that is geared toward physical, mental and emotional well being, Dru has excelled in her practice and gained notoriety for her talent as an instructor, trainer, speaker and educator. Dru’s systematic but fun approach to training brings her loyal clients results with long-term success.

Connie Clyde 

Connie has been practicing Pilates for nearly five years. Although she has engaged in various forms of fitness for years, but it wasn’t until she experienced Pilates that she found her true passion. Besides that, she found that Pilates was the definitive answer to her lower back and neck problems; she is now virtually pain free! In pursuit of her Pilates passion, she was certified through BASI in October 2007, and has completed courses for a STOTT certification.  When she isn’t working on fine-tuning her Pilates, Connie is a freelance writer, editor, and translator for educational publishers and other clients. Connie resided in Venezuela for years and has traveled extensively. She teaches in the Laguna Niguel studio on Thursday mornings.

Lisa Belville

Lisa has been a fitness enthusiast for over 20 years.  She is a certified Hatha Yoga instructor, a certified Pilates instructor, certified through Balanced Body University, and is also a registered diagnostic medical sonographer.  Lisa was born and raised in the Midwest and is the mother of two wonderful children.  Her passions include raising children, reading and traveling.

Alison is a native of Southern California and has had a passion for dancing since the age of four. She completed her bachelor’s degree in Dance and Liberal Studies at Loyola Marymount University in 2000. It was after a dance injury during her senior year that she discovered Pilates and its healing benefits. She received her Pilates Certification in 2001 through Long Beach Dance Conditioning Center, under the direction and mentorship of Marie Jose Blom. She is committed to helping her clients’ maximize their potential, while paying close to attention to their health and fitness goals, emphasizing good body mechanics, Pilates form and technique.

Melissa’s love of fitness began as a seven-year-old child living in the jungle of Borneo. As a form of active entertainment she would borrow her moms Jane Fonda videos and work up a sweat. When she moved back to the States she spent ten years as a cheerleader and began her own cheerleading fitness business in 2003. In 2004, Melissa went through the Total Woman in-house Pilates certification, which included a well-rounded education from both Classical and STOTT instructors. Since receiving her certification Melissa has worked in gyms such as Equinox and with her own personal clientele. In her free time, Melissa is a singer/songwriter and plays music throughout Southern California and the US.

Brigitte’s professional background includes Pilates, nutrition, fitness, dance and Lotte Berk. She earned her B.S. in Nutritional Science from San Diego State University in 1999 and started practicing Pilates in 1999 as well.  She started teaching Pilates in 2001 where she went on to receive teacher training certificates in Pilates from Aline Studios in 2002 and Body Arts and Science (BASI) in 2005. Brigitte is a member of the highly respected Pilates Method Alliance (PMA) and earned her PMA certification in 2008.