Audrey is the Director and Principal of Performance Pilates & Physiotherapy, established in 2003 and located in Leederville, Western Australia. She received her B Sc (Physiotherapy) degree from Curtin University of Technology in 1992. Previously an Australian international rhythmic gymnast, she commenced her study in the Pilates Method of exercise while working as a physiotherapist in Los Angeles, USA. Audrey has been incorporating Pilates in her physiotherapy treatments since 1998.
Audrey specializes in posture and movement assessment and has an interest in teaching her clients to improve their functional ability and efficiency of movement through understanding the effect of gravity and load on posture and core stability with a holistic emphasis. This approach has been useful for many clients including elite athletes, office workers or clients with a sedentary lifestyle, with chronic or persisting pain or injury, women and pelvic health, pre and post-natal care and the aging population.
In your own words – describe “the Spirit of Polestar”
The possibility, knowledge and responsibility to experience and share movement, inspiration and quality of life with our loved ones, colleagues and community.
Polestar Pilates to me is:
Freedom
Purpose
Opportunity
What do you love about teaching Pilates and owning a Studio?
I opened my clinic & studio, Performance Pilates & Physiotherapy in 2003 with a vision to deliver comprehensive and holistic movement rehabilitation. What I love most about being an integrated health practitioner is that as a Pilates teacher is that I have an opportunity to empower people to regain confidence and improve the quality of their lives. Movement in particular is essential for an aging population so what better time to start than now!
Where did you take your Training and who was the educator?
I first undertook Pilates training in Los Angeles in 1998 with The Physical Mind Institute, joining the Polestar family in 2003 under the tutelage of Dav Cohen.
What are your current Inspirations? What do You love about them?
On a personal note, I wish to live with greater intention, each moment of every day. I found myself thinking that this past year flew by so quickly and I realized that I wasn’t present to so many moments along the way.
I am inspired by the resilience and the sense of community, the true “spirit of Australia” that our people have demonstrated in the past few weeks as a result of the catastrophic bushfires that have taken lives, destroyed homes, burned over 12 million acres and killed 1 billion native Australian animals.
Coming from a place of gratitude and stewardship for our beautiful land, we have a responsibility to take action against climate change – everyone here on the planet can play a part in conscious sustainability.
Why Pilates? How did you find the practice?
As a child I played and enjoyed a variety of sports – swimming, cricket, hockey, I also performed calisthenics and fell in love with gymnastics. In high school I had the opportunity to try Rhythmic Gymnastics which is floor based and involves handling apparatus – ribbon, hoop, ball, clubs and rope and went on to compete at an international level for Australia.
I found that through movement I felt my happiest and developed my confidence to perform on stage and the courage and determination to face competition and do the training to reach my goals.
Through movement I found my vocation as a Physical Therapist, and when I experienced Pilates, I found my dharma, the way to my purpose and calling.
Pilates is accessible to everyone and such a complimentary medicine to the knowledge I acquired as a rehab professional.
Why Polestar Pilates? How did you come to join the Polestar Community?
I first heard about Polestar Pilates while working in Los Angeles in the late 1990s, so in 2003 I was excited to hear that Polestar was coming to Perth! With a 5 week old baby, I attended my first Principles course and the rest was history. Within a few weeks, I met Polestar’s founder, Brent Anderson, Shelly Power and the rest of the Polestar Australia crew headed by Cat Giannitto. It was like coming home … I had found my pilates family of like-minded individuals, on a mission to share, educate and deliver the message of intelligent movement.
What do you hope to convey in your teaching?
That each and every person is able to do pilates, is able to move, with freedom, joy and purpose. That movement is connected to spirit and is essential for maximizing our quality of life! To instill confidence, love and respect of our whole body, of what it is capable of achieving when we re-establish the relationship of body, mind and spirit.
What is your favorite Quote? How do you embody this?
So many favorites!
Applied to Pilates:
“the science and soul of movement”
Pilates truly encompasses body, mind and spirit. There are physical, mental and energetic reasons as to why we should move! There is increasing evidence, both empirical and anecdotal that support this philosophy and as a physical therapist and integrated health practitioner, I choose Pilates for a neuro/bio/psycho/social approach to rehabilitation.
What is your Favorite Apparatus or favorite way to move? What do you love about it?
The Trapeze Table is my favorite apparatus as there are so many options for movement! I begin a workout using the assistance of springs, increase proprioception and neuro-motor learning with the tower bar, then build the intensity adding the challenge of resistance, while moving through different planes and orientations to gravity. My favorite movement sequences involve spine extension and inversion…something I look forward to on the Trapeze Table daily!
