JOSEPH PILATES LABELLED his technique as ‘an art and a science.’ It is important to remember this. In a world where science rules it is easy to lose the artistic aspect of the Method. It is not just exercise and not just corrective exercise. One definition of the word ‘art’ is ‘the practice of a system directed to the production of a work of art’. Pilates’ mat and apparatus work are systems and should be taught as such. You receive a program and then practice it to perfection so that after all the effort you reach a level of skill which allows you to really perform and enjoy your program.
Many teachers and practitioners modify the original exercises in the name of new scientific research, but the more I study the latest discoveries the more I am convinced and delighted by the entire Pilates system. My emphasis in my teaching is on keeping to the original exercises, concentration, effort and full body and mind connection - not to mention enjoyment!