Back when The Pilates Center opened its doors in 1990, there was so much possibility and opportunity as there really was no Pilates landscape then. Boulder was the perfect location for sisters and founders, Amy and Rachel, to open up the studio. They were getting ready to start a new chapter in their lives, and this was an adventure they wanted to embark on together.
While the journey to get to where they are today wasn’t always easy, they always had each other and their commitment to Pilates. They knew it was their life’s mission to share this practice with others because it was more than just a helpful physical movement system; it was a way to make life better for themselves and everyone around them.
“We knew that we had to stay true to who we were and be happy in the environment and space we were creating. We had an opportunity to collaborate with people on their health, and we wanted to give away what information we could. Our space is a kind, supportive, generous, and peaceful one with no angst or competition because we’ve stayed true to the path that we’ve wanted to be on since we started the Pilates studio.”
As Amy and Rachel navigated studio life, the book “Return to Life” by Joseph Pilates was a huge inspiration and gave them the footing they needed to keep going after training under Romana Kryzanowska, Joseph Pilates’ protégé. As they continued to stay rooted in why they were doing these exercises and what it all truly meant, the studio continued to grow.
“We’re teachers, and we will keep teaching Pilates forever if we can. We’re committed to this work and to each other. We have mutual respect and love for one another in the Pilates community as we all work to propel Pilates forward. Our mission with The Pilates Center is to heal the world and achieve peace through Pilates. This practice helps people transform their health so they can become flexible, strong, and resilient in life. That’s why we do Pilates and why we teach Pilates.”
The Pilates Center is an example of what true success can look like when you’re willing to keep learning, adapting, and growing to find what works best, as Amy and Rachel have done over the last 30-plus years. Watch Amy and Rachel’s full Pilates Anytime interview here.
About The Pilates Center
The Pilates Center was founded in Boulder in 1990 by sisters Amy Taylor Alpers and Rachel Taylor Segel. The sisters trained under Romana Kryzanowska, Joseph Pilates’ protégé and inheritor of his NYC studio. Amy and Rachel have worked to foster the legacy and tradition of the original, classical method of Pilates while also incorporating a humanistic approach to meet every individual’s needs. For over 30 years, they have made it their mission to heal the world by empowering people to transform their health and Return to Life through Pilates.