Under The Sun – Madeline Black

I’ve heard you referred to as the “Pilates Lady” — what’s your story?

I grew up in New York and became involved in professional dance. This was in the 80s. At that time the Pilates craze was dying; there were no Pilates studios at all. I ended up moving to San Francisco, lived on Potrero Hill, and opened the first Pilates studio in the Bay Area there in 1990.

Ok, I guess it’s time to learn more about Pilates. My sister tells my its founder was a guy named Joe.

Funny! Yes, His name was Joseph Pilates, who was born and originally lived in Germany. In 1924 he immigrated to New York, and having developed a “movement system” he called “contrology” opened a studio in the Hell’s Kitchen section of the city. He began working closely with the dance community, led by such as George Balanchine and Martha Graham.

And Pilates itself, what is it actually? I’ve heard it’s all about “core strength”.

Building core strength is just part of it. Pilates is a body movement system designed to strengthen the body as a whole by generating healthy movement patterns. It’s hallmark is that it builds supple strength through a system using no compression. Dancers are subject to injuries, so it’s beginnings there make sense. The work is done using what we call “apparatus” not “equipment.”

Tell me about the Pilates “craze” you mentioned.

After Joseph died, the name Pilates took hold and those he had taught continued to use the method and teach. It eventually became sort of a fad, and like all fads got trendy. A man named Ron Fletcher moved from New York to Los Angeles in the 90s and attracted the attention of celebrities like Natalie Wood and Jane Fonda. Jane went on to create her own “workout” system, as you know. But those of us who have been doing Pilates for a long time outlived the “faddishness” and I’m busier than ever.

What ended up bringing you to Sonoma?

Potrero Hill in the 80s and early 90s was a rough part of town. I came to Sonoma looking for a safe place to live that had a good market and places to hike, but also allowed me to commute to my studio in San Francisco. In 1993 we bought a house on Arnold Drive, a farmhouse built in 1906 on a acre of land. I continued to commute for five years. I had an in-home studio for a while, and in 2003 finally opened Studio M here, next to the library on Napa Street. I still see  dancers, but not just. Most clients are women 35+ years old, though I have some who are 88 and 90. And I see some men, mostly for injuries. Pilates is not aerobic exercise, but is a form of workout.

And you just published a book?

It came out in September. It’s titled “Centered – Organizing the body through Kinesiology movement theory and Pilates technique.” It’s mostly for teachers, but accessible to anyone; it starts at the feet and moves up to the head; lots of science and physical training. We sell them right here at the Studio.

And how is life in Sonoma?

It’s great. My son who is now 21 years old started school at Flowery in the dual-language immersion program. Now he’s a Spanish/biology major at the University of Oregon. I fell in love with Sonoma Market the moment I stepped in and I go hiking in the lands above the Developmental Center and Jack London park every week.

Interview by Larry Barnett