Pilates instructors
Emma
Originally a client of Melanie's, Emma has practiced pilates for 17 years. In 2005, she opened The Natural Health Service, an alternative therapy clinic in Killay where the pilates school developed. She qualified as a nurse and later a homeopath, volunteering for a charity in the NHS, as well as founding a birth pool hire company, gaining experience as a Doula.
Gaining her Pilates Teacher Training Certificate in 2010 and having completed her reformer Pilates training in 2020 with Peak Pilates, Emma offers one to one sessions, and continues to ensure ongoing training to meet the constantly changing demands from athletes to those suffering with health issues. Emma became the director of Practical Pilates Ltd in 2018 and rebranded as Pili-Pala in 2023.
Shirley
Shirley is a physiotherapist of 17 years and has been a musculoskeletal specialist for 13 years, working both for the NHS and in the private sector. She began teaching pilates within her expertise in 2009 and completed her reformer Pilates training with Peak Pilates in 2020, having a deep interest in muscle imbalance and the challenge in correction.
She has an extensive background as a fitness instructor, holistic beauty therapist and has trained in Reiki 1.
Shirley joined the team in 2016 and enjoys every minute teaching Pilates. Being forward thinking allows her to develop professionally and improve her practise. Shirley offers one to one sessions on both the mat and reformer machine.
Melanie
Before Pili-Pala, Practical Pilates Ltd was founded by Melanie Walters who’s been specialising in Pilates for over 20 years. She has an advanced instructor CYQ level 3, gaining qualifications from The Pilates Institute, London, in mat based Pilates, back care Pilates, clinical posture, Pilates in pregnancy and functional rehabilitation. As an advanced personal trainer, her qualifications include gym and circuit training, nutrition, exercise programme design and fitness testing and gained her NVQ Assessors Award in 2005.
Since qualifying in 2002, she’s attended workshops with recognised names in the Pilates field such as Polestar Pilates, Stott, Body Control Pilates, Active Pilates and enjoyed workshops with Lolita San Miguel and Alan Heardman in London. Melanie’s intermediate Pilates classes are challenging but your body will surely thank her for it.
Ann
Ann has a history of participation in fitness and sport, having been a keen runner for many years. She first attended a Pilates class on medical recommendation to address a running injury. This started her love of practising Pilates on a regular basis. She has been an avid practitioner of Pilates for over 7 years now. She has completed the Peak Pilates level 1 qualification for teaching both mat and reformer and looks forward to passing on her experience and knowledge through her classes.
Sam
Sam has been practising Pilates for many years having learned as a student of Pili-Pala’s founder, Melanie Walters. Sam is an outdoor enthusiast, enjoying walking, running and recently learning to surf! She credits her regular Pilates sessions with enabling her to stay injury free, and helping improve her strength and postural awareness. Having qualified as a mat Pilates instructor, she is keen to share the benefits of practising Pilates with others.