Blossom Leilani Crawford

Blossom Leilani Crawford is the owner and director of Bridge Pilates in Brooklyn, New York. She is known for her playful and powerful teaching methods, which she developed during the seventeen years she worked with Pilates Elder Kathleen Stanford Grant. Since then, Blossom has made it her mission to expose each one of her students to the joy and satisfaction that comes from intelligent exercise.

Blossom had the good fortune to be introduced to Pilates by Kathy Grant in 1993, during her first year as a dance student at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. A venerated teacher, Kathy was one of only two people to personally receive her Pilates teaching certification from Joseph Pilates himself. Blossom was impressed by the effect that Kathy’s exacting and intuitive approach to Pilates had on maintaining and healing her body, and continued to study with her throughout her rigorous dance program.

After three years of working with Kathy, Blossom became her Teaching Assistant at NYU, an honored position that she held for over a decade (1996-2007). With Kathy’s encouragement, Blossom went on to pursue private study with Pilates Elder Romana Kryzanoyska. She received her Pilates teaching certification in 1999, after six hundred hours of practice and observation.

Blossom’s current work is a blend of her own considerable experience, Romana’s more traditional set of training methods, and Kathy’s flexible and demanding style. She is known for her ability to seamlessly integrate Pilates lineages as the situation demands, and for her insight into Kathy’s work. The diverse stylistic approaches Blossom can access on the spot has made her a sought after Pilates instructor at conferences throughout the United States and abroad.

Reformer Refresh
August 24, 12 PM – 6 PM $350  

In this Reformer workshop, we will refresh your usual routine. With the use of some simple images and the occasional inexpensive prop, we will learn how to get more out of our clients and ourselves on this well-loved piece of Pilates apparatus.

We will follow Mr Pilates’s original Reformer order with an emphasis on deepening and enhancing the most performed exercises. Blossom will also share some unique Kathy Grant Reformer exercises as well as her own collection of simple yet effective modifications and advancements that complement the traditional work. Come join in the fun, get new tools for your teaching toolbox, and revitalize your Reformer routine. 

Sunday, August 25th, 9 am – 3 pm

Barrel Exploration
August 25, 9 AM – 3 PM $350

During this workshop, we will dive into traditional Pilates and some not so traditional vocabulary on the Spine Corrector, Ladder Barrel and Baby Barrel.

We will look at how their shapes round out the linear exercises in Pilates and give us access to the body in ways that other pieces of equipment cannot.

In equipment sessions, the barrels can be a short addendum to a workout, but, after this workshop, you will see how an entire workout can be done on a barrel and even be improved as a result. We will explore the barrels’ unique shapes and demonstrate how it can be utilized to challenge and align the spine for a variety of students. 

Registration

These workshops will be held at the St. Louis Pilates Lab. Workshops are $350/day or $600 for both days. Pre-registration is required. Please email [email protected] to register.