Phoebe's story

Phoebe’s early training includes studying and performing with the School of American Ballet, the Simonson Technique of Jazz Dance, and the Kevin Wynn Collection. From 1967–68, she attended ballet classes taught by Romana Kryzanowska, who was also teaching at the Pilates Studio at the time — a formative connection that would shape her life’s work.

Reintroduced to Romana in 1976 at SUNY Purchase, Phoebe began studying the Pilates Method to strengthen a spine weakened by scoliosis. By 1980, she was working at the Pilates Studio under Romana’s direct guidance, eventually becoming one of the studio’s managers, playing a key role in its daily operations and the preservation of the work.

When the Pilates Studio closed in 1989, Phoebe continued her work alongside Dr. Howard Sichel in his chiropractic office — a collaboration that evolved into what we now know as Power Pilates.

Phoebe’s influence extends deeply into the dance world. In 1998 and 2005, she was invited by the School of American Ballet and Ballet Academy East to develop conditioning programs for professionally focused teenage dancers. The success of these programs is evident in dancers’ sustained strength and the notably low incidence of injury.

Since 2006, Phoebe has worked as a freelancer, teaching individual sessions and workshops while continuing to share the method worldwide. With the international recognition of Joseph Pilates’ work ever expanding, Phoebe’s vision remains beautifully simple: for everyone to experience freedom of the body — and, through it, help make the world a better place.