More Than Movement: Building the Future of Pilates Education in Delaware

Great Pilates instructors do more than teach exercises. They inspire confidence, encourage curiosity, and help people discover what their bodies are capable of.

At Right Balance Pilates, we believe exceptional instruction begins with exceptional education.

It’s a philosophy that shapes everything we do, from welcoming someone into their very first class to helping an experienced mover take the next step toward becoming a Pilates instructor.

As Delaware’s only state-licensed Pilates education center, Right Balance Pilates is proud to help shape the future of Pilates instruction through thoughtfully developed Mat and Reformer Teacher Training programs, continuing education, and professional development opportunities.

Our mission is bigger than preparing instructors to lead classes. We want to develop knowledgeable, confident, and compassionate educators who understand the Pilates Method, embrace lifelong learning, and share our belief that Pilates is for EVERY BODY.

Because the future of Pilates deserves instructors who are as passionate about teaching as they are about movement.

Honoring Joseph Pilates Through Contemporary Education

Pilates has evolved tremendously since Joseph Pilates first developed his method, originally known as Contrology.

Yet the principles that made his approach so meaningful remain at the heart of Pilates today.

Thoughtful movement. Control. Concentration. Breath. Precision. Coordination…and the understanding that the mind and body work together.

Joseph Pilates believed in developing strength, flexibility, coordination, and physical awareness through purposeful movement. His approach was never simply about completing exercises. It was about improving the way people move and function throughout their lives.

At Right Balance Pilates, we believe contemporary Pilates should honor those foundations while continuing to learn, adapt, and grow.

Contemporary Pilates recognizes the value of the original method while incorporating advances in movement science, anatomy, teaching techniques, and our understanding of the human body.

It’s an approach that allows instructors to respect the integrity of Pilates without becoming rigid in how they teach it.

After all, no two bodies are exactly alike.

A person returning to movement after an injury may need an entirely different approach from an experienced athlete. Someone beginning Pilates later in life may have different goals than a younger mover exploring strength and mobility.

A great instructor recognizes these differences and knows how to adapt.

What Makes Right Balance Pilates Different?

There are many ways to learn Pilates exercises. Becoming an exceptional Pilates instructor requires something more.

It requires an understanding of why movement matters, how exercises connect, and how to communicate that knowledge to people with different experiences, abilities, and goals.

At Right Balance Pilates, our education programs are built around several important commitments.

1. Education Comes First

We take our role as Delaware’s only state-licensed Pilates education center seriously.

Our programs are designed around meaningful learning, hands-on experience, and the development of practical teaching skills.

We don’t want students to simply memorize exercises or follow a predetermined routine. We want them to ask questions…

To understand movement.

To explore modifications.

To recognize when an exercise should be progressed, adapted, or approached differently.

And, most importantly, to develop the confidence to make thoughtful decisions when working with real people.

This approach helps prepare instructors to become educators, not simply class leaders.

2. Experienced Educators Who Love What They Do

The people teaching future instructors matter just as much as the curriculum itself.

Our education programs are supported by experienced instructors with more than 30 years of combined teaching and training experience.

Leading our Training & Education efforts is Stacey Chandler, Director of Training & Development, an award-winning Pilates instructor with more than 20 years of experience in Pilates and movement education.

Stacey brings a thoughtful, integrative perspective to teacher training. Her approach emphasizes understanding, collaboration, personal growth, and the connection between movement and everyday life.

Together, our educators create a learning environment where questions are encouraged, individual progress is celebrated, and students have room to develop their own teaching voices.

We believe the best educators never stop being students themselves.

3. Pilates Should Be Accessible to EVERY BODY

This may be the most important part of our philosophy.

Pilates is not reserved for a particular age, body type, fitness level, or physical ability.

It’s a method of movement that can be adapted to meet people where they are.

At Right Balance Pilates, our instructors work with people who have a wide variety of movement goals, from rebuilding confidence after physical setbacks to improving strength, mobility, balance, and athletic performance.

Our studio’s rehabilitation-aware approach is supported by a team that includes instructors with backgrounds in physical therapy, nursing, and other health-related disciplines.

That experience reinforces an important lesson for aspiring teachers: good instruction is never one-size-fits-all.

Students in our education programs learn to think beyond the exercise itself. They develop an appreciation for modifications, progressions, clear communication, and the importance of helping every client feel safe, supported, and capable.

Our studio classes reflect that same approach, with levels progressing from Basic to Level 1, Level 1.5, and Level 2.

The goal isn’t to make everyone move the same way. It’s to help every person move in a way that is appropriate, meaningful, and empowering.

Two Paths to Grow: Mat and Reformer Teacher Training

Right Balance Pilates offers dedicated teacher training programs in both Mat and Reformer, giving students opportunities to deepen their knowledge and develop new instructional skills.

Each program supports our commitment to preserving the integrity of the Pilates Method while preparing instructors for the realities of contemporary teaching.

Mat Teacher Training: Understanding the Foundations of Pilates

Mat work is a fundamental part of the Pilates Method.

Without relying on the resistance and support of larger apparatus, Mat exercises encourage a deeper understanding of body awareness, control, coordination, stability, and purposeful movement.

For aspiring instructors, Mat Teacher Training creates an opportunity to develop essential teaching skills while exploring how exercises can be modified or progressed for different movers.

Our Mat Teacher Training Program combines guided instruction, hands-on practice, and opportunities to develop confidence as an instructor.

The program includes four comprehensive modules totaling 32 hours of in-studio education, with additional independent study and practical experience.

Students explore the knowledge and teaching skills needed to communicate effectively, guide movement safely, and create meaningful experiences for their future clients.

Our Next Mat Teacher Training Begins February 2027

We’re excited to welcome our next cohort of instructors-in-training to our Lewes, Delaware studio.

2027 Training Schedule

Whether you’re considering a career in Pilates or looking to deepen your understanding of the method, this program is an opportunity to learn in an encouraging environment with experienced educators.

Reformer Teacher Training: Expanding Knowledge and Teaching Possibilities

The Reformer is one of the most recognizable pieces of Pilates apparatus, and one of the most versatile.

Its combination of springs, carriage movement, and adjustable support creates opportunities to challenge strength, coordination, balance, and control while accommodating a wide range of abilities.

But understanding how to perform an exercise on the Reformer is only the beginning.

An effective Reformer instructor must understand how the equipment works, how resistance affects movement, and how to make purposeful adjustments to support different clients.

Our Reformer Teacher Training Program encourages students to look beyond choreography and develop a deeper appreciation for exercise selection, modifications, progressions, and individual instruction.

Students are encouraged to become thoughtful teachers who understand how to use the apparatus to support their clients, not simply lead them through a workout.

Reformer Teacher Training is also an important part of our expanding educational community, with students currently developing the knowledge and practical skills needed to become Right Balance Pilates Reformer instructors.

Interested in Reformer Teacher Training? Contact our Training & Education team to learn about upcoming opportunities.

Education Doesn’t End with Teacher Training

Becoming a Pilates instructor is an exciting achievement.

But great instructors recognize that graduation is a beginning, not an endpoint.

Movement education continues to evolve, and there is always more to understand, practice, and explore.

That’s why we’re committed to growing Right Balance Pilates Training & Education beyond our foundational teacher training programs.

Through educational workshops, visiting instructors, specialty apparatus training, and professional development opportunities, we want to create a place where instructors can continue advancing their knowledge throughout their careers.

Our ongoing Reformer Teacher Training and upcoming Balanced Body Tower/Cadillac training are examples of that commitment in action.

These opportunities allow our teaching team to expand their expertise, exchange ideas, and bring new perspectives back to the clients and communities we serve.

When instructors continue learning, everyone benefits.

And as our education programs grow, so does our opportunity to contribute to the quality of Pilates instruction throughout Delaware and the surrounding region.

What Does It Take to Become a Great Pilates Instructor?

We believe the most important qualities of an exceptional Pilates instructor begin long before someone teaches their first class.

It starts with curiosity.

A willingness to learn something new, even when it challenges what you already know.

It requires patience and empathy, understanding that every person enters the studio with their own experiences, goals, and abilities.

It means learning how to listen, observe, communicate clearly, and celebrate progress in all its forms.

And it requires genuine enthusiasm for sharing Pilates with others.

You don’t need to be the strongest, most flexible, or most advanced person in the room to become a meaningful Pilates educator.

You do need a respect for the method, a commitment to learning, and the desire to help others discover the benefits of purposeful movement.

Those are the qualities we hope to nurture in every student who enters our training programs.

Building a Stronger Pilates Community, One Instructor at a Time

Our vision for Pilates education extends well beyond our studios.

We want Right Balance Pilates to be recognized throughout Delaware, the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and eventually beyond as a destination for thoughtful, high-quality Pilates education.

A place where aspiring instructors can begin their journeys.

Where experienced teachers can continue refining their craft.

Where Pilates professionals can connect, collaborate, and learn from one another.

And where the integrity of the Pilates Method remains central to everything we teach.

We are proud of the educational community we’re building in Lewes and throughout our growing studio network.

More importantly, we’re excited about the people who will become part of it.

Because every knowledgeable, compassionate instructor has the opportunity to make Pilates more accessible to another person, another family, and another community.

That’s how we honor the method. That’s how we help it evolve. And that’s how we make Pilates accessible to EVERY BODY.

Begin Your Pilates Education at Right Balance Pilates

Whether you’re dreaming about becoming an instructor, exploring a new career, or continuing your professional development, we invite you to discover what makes our Training & Education programs special.

Interested in Reformer Teacher Training or future educational workshops? Contact Stacey Chandler, Director of Training & Development, at stacey@rightbalancepilates.com.

Learn with purpose. Teach with confidence. Share Pilates with EVERY BODY.