History of the elders

The History of the Elders: The First Generation

Pilates is not a modern fitness invention; it is a living lineage. The "Elders" are the elite group of individuals who studied and worked directly with Joseph and Clara Pilates at their original studio at 939 Eighth Avenue, New York City.

As the method has evolved over the last century, these pioneers served as the "keepers of the flame," each preserving a unique facet of Joe’s original Contrology system.

The Core Masters

1. Romana Kryzanowska: The Preservationist (1941–1967)

• The Lineage: A George Balanchine dancer who studied with Joe until moving to Peru in 1944. She returned in 1958 and spent seven years working at Carola Trier’s studio as an assistant while simultaneously training with Joe and Clara.
• The Accredited Innovation: While she claimed to teach only "pure" Pilates, Romana is widely credited with formalising the "Series of Five" abdominal sequence. Joe’s original 1945 book, Return to Life, only included the first two (Single Leg Stretch and Double Leg Stretch). Romana added the remaining three to create a powerhouse challenge for her students.
• The Nuance: Her time at Carola Trier’s studio likely influenced her structured approach to teaching large groups, which eventually became the Romana’s Pilates global curriculum.

2. Jay Grimes: The Essentialist (Mid-1960s)

• The Lineage: A professional dancer who studied with Joe, Clara, and Romana. He is the director of Vintage Pilates in Los Angeles.
• The Accredited Innovation: Jay is the champion of "The System." He emphasizes that Joe didn't teach "exercises," he taught a workout where the order and the transitions (the "goesintas") were the actual exercise.
• The Nuance: He is the primary source for the "Economy of Motion" philosophy—specifically the "no-lift" transition in footwork—insisting that Joe hated wasted movement and wanted students to stay "in the springs."

3. Kathy Grant: The Technician (1950s–1967)

• The Lineage: One of only two people officially certified by Joe. She ran the Henri Bendel studio and taught at NYU for over 50 years.
• The Accredited Innovation: She created an entire "pre-repertoire" known as "Before the Hundreds." These were tiny, non-apparatus movements designed to "wake up" the deep stabilizers of the spine.
• The Nuance: She famously developed the "Cats" and "Zipped Up" cues to help dancers find their vertical alignment, bridging the gap between Joe's floor work and standing posture.

4. Eve Gentry: The Healer (1938–1968)

• The Story: A modern dancer who worked with Joe for over 20 years. Joe famously helped her regain full upper-body mobility after a radical mastectomy in 1955.
• The Legacy: She moved to Santa Fe and pioneered the Somatic side of Pilates, proving the method's incredible power for clinical rehabilitation.
• The Technical Nuance: She focused on subtle "imprinting" and joint release, teaching that Pilates is a concept of movement, not just a series of exercises.

5. Ron Fletcher: The Artist (1948–1971)

• The Story: A Martha Graham dancer who brought Pilates to the West Coast, opening his Beverly Hills studio in 1971 with Clara’s explicit blessing.
• The Legacy: He expanded the work into the vertical plane, adding standing work and rhythmic choreography.
• The Technical Nuance: He introduced Percussive Breathing and highly choreographed transitions known as "the goesintas."

6. Carola Trier: The Clinical Pioneer (1940s–1960)

• The Story: A professional contortionist and the first student Joe helped to open her own separate studio in the late 1950s at West 58th Street, NYC.
• The Legacy: She worked in tandem with NYC’s top orthopedic surgeons, bridging the gap between Contrology and modern medical science.
• The Technical Nuance: She was the first to use a two-sided mirror for posture analysis and developed innovative apparatus adaptations for injury-specific needs.

7. Lolita San Miguel: The Educator (1958–1967)

• The Story: Alongside Kathy Grant, she is the only other student officially certified by Joe himself. She had a distinguished career as a ballerina with the Metropolitan Opera.
• The Legacy: She founded the Master Mentor Program to ensure the oral traditions of the Elders are passed down with academic rigour.
• The Technical Nuance: Her style is a balanced blend of historical integrity and modern biomechanics.

8. Mary Bowen: The Soul Seeker (1959–1967)

• The Story: A Jungian Analyst who began her journey with Joe in 1959 and has continued to study with every major Elder for over 60 years.
• The Legacy: She founded Pilates Plus Psyche, exploring the deep relationship between physical alignment and the unconscious mind.
• The Technical Nuance: She views the spine as the "conductor" of both physical and psychological health.

The "Silent" Elders & Family Lineage

Naja Cori (Dolores Corey): The Satellite Expert (1950s–1970s)

• Where she worked: Joe trusted her to run his satellite studio at the Henri Bendel department store in NYC.
• Her Role: She was a high-level technical instructor who maintained Joe's rigorous standards for New York’s elite fashion and social circles.

Hannah Sakmirda: The Hidden Hand (1920s–1970s)

• Where she worked: The original Eighth Avenue Studio.
• Her Role: Joe and Clara’s primary studio assistant. While she avoided the spotlight, she was the person responsible for the daily "flow" and equipment setups for decades.

Jerome Andrews: The European Ambassador (1950s)

• Where he worked: Trained in NYC before moving to Paris, France.
• His  Role: Joe trusted him so deeply that he gave Jerome the original blueprints to build his own Reformers in Europe, introducing the method to the French dance community.

Mary Pilates & Irene Zeuner Zelonka: The Family (Lifelong)

• Where they worked: The original studio and later their own practices.
• Their Role: Joseph’s nieces. They represent the familial preservation of the method. Mary Pilates remained a fierce protector of her uncle's "pure" work well into her 80s in Florida.

Bruce King & Robert Fitzgerald: The Dance Masters (1960s)

• Where they worked: Both were dancers at Joe's studio before opening their own NYC studios (West 73rd and West 56th St).
• Their Role: They catered specifically to the 1960s professional dance community, emphasizing the athletic and quiet precision of Joe's original floor work.

“The Elders didn’t just preserve Pilates—they fragmented it into lineages.
Some stayed true to Joe’s original intensity. Others adapted it for rehabilitation, education, or expression.
What we teach today is not one Pilates—but many, all tracing back to one room in New York.”