This Mat & Chat was hosted on on Instagram Live on Saturday, January 16th, 2021. The chat followed a 25 minute mat workout.
Victoria: Daniel, I want to get started with finding out about your Pilates background. Currently Daniel is a teacher at PilatesWorks but he also is a teacher training for Power Pilates, correct? So yesterday we spoke on the phone and I was like: “Were you a ballerina?” And he’s like: “No” and I was like: “Ooooh!” because usually that is the case for many people that I have on my Mat & Chat. So, we are going to talk about where you work and how you got there, but I want to talk about how you got into Pilates, from day one!
Daniel: Yeah, absolutely! First and foremost again, thank you for having me. Thanks to everyone watching. It’s not lost on me how fortunate I am to be able to be here. It’s been a difficult year for many people. People have experienced a lot of loss and difficulty, so I know how fortunate I am to still be able to teach Pilates and have my health and be supported by my family, my friends, and my clients. So thank you again for having me. I appreciate the support- and thank you guys for tuning in! I hope you enjoyed the workout.
So how did I get into Pilates? Let’s see! So where I am currently, the studio in Long Island City, I’m one stop from Grand Central. The ownership of this studio still- prior to the pandemic and hopefully following- they have a couple of yoga studios here in Astoria in Long Island City. So in 2012, a friend of mine introduced me to the studio, and that was the first time I started taking hot yoga classes and Pilates classes and things like that. That was where I was introduced to it as just a practitioner- and I really, really enjoyed it. Later on, as my career as a performer, which is what I was doing when I came to New York- I was like a singer/actor. Nothing very major.
Victoria: Oooh! Like wannabe Broadway?
Daniel: Wannabe is the perfect word for it. I never had any great success, but I did regional work, I was a singer on like cruise ships, things like that.
Victoria: So fun! Wait, do you know Juliet Clingan? She was one of my guests in the early summer- you should look at her after. She was a performer on a cruise ship as well and that’s where she met her husband! She’s in Las Vegas. So cool! A lot of Pilates people with pasts on cruise ships! Gonna have to take a cruise when the pandemic is all done.
Daniel: Right? So at some point, I wanted to segue out of that, and I did a mat certification at the Kane School in New York, and that was great. I went out into the world and taught mat for a long time. It kind of just snowballed to the point where I was subbing, teaching, somewhere around 10ish mat classes a week.
Victoria: That’s a lot!
Daniel: Yeah, and while I had a full-time job and everything. At some point during that I got introduced to Juan Estrada and was super inspired by his teaching. That kind of ignited classical Pilates for me. Even though at the time, I didn’t really even fully- I was just like: “Why don’t I know the exercises he’s teaching?” So my first comprehensive was with Core Pilates, right near Union Square. I did my first 600-hour there, and I started teaching partway through, after I did my Intermediate test-out, for PilatesWorks. We had a different name at that time, but it was the same ownership. So this is kind of my home base, I’m very lucky.
Victoria: Everybody loves Juan. Look at all of these comments. He’s such a rockstar! Just the best.
Daniel: Oh, yes. I used to work out with him. So, Core must have been like 2015/2016, I would say. Around that time. Went out into the world, built my business, keep teaching, and think it was Juan who recommended that I started taking classes and meet Stephanie West. From there I kind of started just hanging out of Power, taking classes. She would actually come here, because she used to live right around the corner from this studio. We came to become friends, and our teaching styles really mesh and we get along really well. Then I had the opportunity to bridge into and simultaneously become a teacher trainer for Power. I was really grateful for that. Now, 2020 happened and I’m here! And I’m okay!
Victoria: Cool! That’s an awesome background, you’ve been in this Pilates world for a while. I know of you because of Stephanie, but also because of Juan, because when we could do group classes in-person, I know you did his “Real Men do Pilates” classes, and that’s a really cool thing that Juan hosts just for men. I think it’s such a cool thing to see, and I love to see the pictures after. We’ll wind all around and get back to that.
As you know, I ask people that if they have questions for you to submit them to me. One of these questions, I was like: “Oh, well if there’s an appropriate time, I’ll ask it.” And it sort of seems like you did, but I think it can be interpreted in a bunch of different ways. Sam Wildbore asked me to ask you: “What was your Pilates A-ha moment?” I think it can be interpreted in many ways, but you said when you took that class with Juan, you were like: “What?!” That maybe seems like a light bulb moment for you, but I’m sure there have been many along the way. So what would you respond?
Daniel: *laughs* So something that immediately comes to mind- and I mean, there are multiple- something happens to me every day, right? But the one that comes to mind was when I was trying to decide where I was going to- well. When you’re first starting out in this, you think everything is the end of the world. Where should I do my comprehensive? Which studio should I go to? It was at Core. I went and I took a class with Kristen- she was a teacher trainer at that time. They have the Pilates Local now. I always remembered- it was just this simple thing. She blew my mind in criss cross. She said something like- I was leaning, leaning out of frame, and she said something about the back elbow. She said: “That back elbow points at the wall behind you.” And my little brain just was like *poof*. I felt something that I had never felt before. That was a light bulb moment. I was like: “Okay, I want to do this. I’m going to spend the money” However you want to put it. So that was one thing.
Victoria: Yeah, no. I have those moments all the time, and I also love seeing the A-ha moments in a client. I’m sure you experience those all the time as well. Maybe you say something in a way that it finally clicks for them and they’re like: “Ooooh, that’s what you were talking about the whole time!?” But they’re a part of what we do, regardless of having them in our own practice or helping friends or clients get there- it’s so important. So I thought that was an interesting question, and she asked one more question: “If Joseph Pilates were alive today, what would you ask him or have him teach you?”
Daniel: Wow.
Victoria: I know. When I first read this question, I was like: “I’m glad nobody has asked me this!” Because I don’t know. I don’t want anyone asking me this on the spot!
Daniel: I think I would just have him teach me the hundred.
Victoria: Would you want him to stand on your abs like he does in so many of the archival photos?
Daniel: Yes. Hands on. Jump, jump! I’m ready.
Victoria: Actually, have you ever done that? Because I’ve done that.
Daniel: Yes, Stephanie and I have actually- of course, Stephanie and I- I wanted that picture, so I had her stand on my stomach.
Victoria: I feel like people think it’s crazy, but you’d be surprised. When you’re engaging your core, it’s really not that bad- you can withstand it. It’s pretty interesting.
Daniel: Yes, I think as long as they get on slowly- you don’t want a sudden-
Victoria: “Boom!” Yeah, no. @PilaTay (Tracey) just said: “Boomerang, so I could make that video when he pushes that guy’s head.” He is so aggressive in his videos and I always say- I think that the film was sped up. Daniel Lyon from Real Pilates- he always says that what we see on film is so limited. It may be 1.5 times the speed perhaps, like when we see what he’s doing? I don’t know. I had a video of him doing neck pull and he literally take this guy’s head and slams it to the ground. It’s so intense! My clients would be like: “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” No thank you! Okay, so the hundred. You’d have him teach you the hundred- I think that’s a good one. I may go that way too.
Okay, so finally, Lori Shipp asked: “What is your least favorite exercise? You make everything look so easy!”
Daniel: I would actually say- you know what comes to mind? Single leg kicks. Single leg kicks on the mat. I really don’t like it.
Victoria: Really!? Why?
Daniel: Um, I think most of the time for me personally it’s taught too fast, and it’s one I really like to break down. When I do that one quickly, it’s like *kaput* here and done. If I slow it down, it’s better. Single leg kicks- I’ll go with that.
Victoria: Right. Interesting! Mine would be something that I struggle with- something I’m not very good at. Not that I’m very good at single leg kicks, but anything where I’m abducting my legs- so single leg tendon stretch on the Wunda chair, or even kneeling side kicks. Any variations where I have to really lift that leg up is just so hard for me. Or star! Let’s not even get started on star.
Okay, so you mentioned Juan, Stephanie. When you certified at Power, was Juan your mentor?
Daniel: When I certified at Power, Juan was long gone by then.
Victoria: Okay, so Stephanie?
Daniel: Yes. Stephanie and Georgiana as well.
Victoria: You still obviously teach with Stephanie and do those tag-team mat classes online. So I want to know, since you still work with Stephanie and certified under her, what parts of Stephanie do you think you’ve taken with you as an instructor?
Daniel: I mean, a lot. There’s a lot. The way she breaks down exercises has inspired and kind of given me permission in my own teaching to do that, and to challenge and discover new things about the exercises. Just like that. We take each other’s classes a lot. At this point it’s almost like I’m always trying to bring a new way of thinking about an exercise or try to find something new without changing or creating new things to give to her because I feel like I get it back so much when I work out with her.
Victoria: So is it the fact that it never gets old for you?
Daniel: Well it’s very limitless. For the pandemic, I’ve been using for instance, the online materials with Pilatesology- that stuff. When I have the time, and the gift to be able to get down on the mat or on the apparatus and work at these things, it keeps my teaching so fresh. If I don’t do it, I talk it- but I have to feel it constantly. I have to constantly remind myself of these sensations, of these things- in order to keep my teaching at all interesting. I teach a lot.
Victoria: That’s something we mentioned a lot in the Mat & Chats of the past. Pre-pandemic, I think a lot of people- me for example, but many others- are so busy teaching. The last thing you want to do at the end of a long teaching day is stay and work out. Like: “Oh, I just taught for six hours, do I really want to stay here and work out when I could probably just go home and eat lunch and sit on my couch?” So I think a lot of us had kind of gotten in to that cycle, and then the pandemic kind of gave us this opportunity for a reset. Suddenly we’re all just taking, taking, taking- classes, classes, classes. We’re all at home, and there’s no excuse! We’re locked in our apartment.
It was important to me- every time I have a Mat & Chat, or take a class- it doesn’t even have to be with someone new- I take a class every Monday at Real Pilates with Juan. I’m always learning something new. I think it’s important because we are always constantly inspired by our colleagues and our peers, and that’s what keeps this community so rich too. We did some variations today that I’ve literally never done. It’s crazy to think that after all this time, there’s still ways to make exercises different and exciting. It’s cool. It’s something that keeps clients coming back to Pilates as well. They’re never done learning what we teach them.
I want to take a few minutes- I don’t know if you’ve been very big on Instagram and the dramz, but it’s been a very crazy year, right. It’s been a very interesting year from many different perspectives and backgrounds. The Pilates industry has had a very big shift. I’ve seen things go more towards the direction of inclusivity, which is amazing. I didn’t really realize that there was so much exclusivity in the industry that I spend my whole life in, so over the last five to six months, I think I’ve had my eyes kind of opened. Like: “Whoa! This existed? I’m so sorry!” If I contributed, I didn’t even know. What would your hope for the Pilates industry be moving forward in the future? In 2021, hopefully we’ll be open in person and teaching classes. But where do you see Pilates going, evolving? It’s a heavy, big question, but what would your hope be for classical Pilates?
Daniel: Well, first, I’m not even probably well-versed enough, I don’t keep up enough. I know- I believe that part of the board, or all of the board? Frankly I’m not educated enough.
Victoria: Honesty, I’m not a PMA member, and I was not ever- so for me, I’m seeing this all happen around me but I don’t really understand how deeply engrained certain issues are. I’m an observer, but not a participant in this specific moment. But, yes. Just knowing what you know- and it doesn’t need to be strictly about the PMA- there is a lot that has been happening- but what would be your hope for where this industry goes?
Daniel: I hope that people continue to learn from people from all different walks of the fitness industry, right? That classical Pilates continues to use platforms such as yours to share information, to share different teachers, to share different ideas. Whether you’re teaching contemporary or classical, that what you’re teaching is good, and that what you’re doing is good. You know what I mean? And that you’re helping people achieve longevity and live better lives and do whatever it is they do even better. As long as what you’re teaching does that, I’m all for it.
Victoria: It’s been interesting. I think that Instagram has become a place where people air grievances. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. We are all connected here and this is where we get our media and our news. I do hope for me in 2021, that people learn to maybe step it back a bit and really focus on what keeps them going. We’ve seen so much negativity on the Internet in 2020 and January 6th- unrelated to Pilates. I do hope that we can move forward in a productive way. Sometimes going on the Internet and saying: “I don’t agree with this, and not how I feel, this is not how I think and if you don’t agree with me- you can f*ck off and unfollow!” I don’t think that’s really the appropriate way. What I’m seeing with industry leaders writing open letters when they have issues or finding ways to constructively criticize is probably the best way to move forward. I’m hopeful that the greater Pilates community can harness that and find ways to create positive content to keep us uplifted! The pandemic is not over, a lot of studios are still closed, it’s definitely a crazy time, and people are definitely dealing with it in different ways. There’s no wrong way. That would be my two cents.
Daniel: On that note, I want to give a shout-out to my friend Sarah Powell- she’s a classical Pilates teacher here in New York, and is a teacher trainer for Equinox. If anyone’s looking, Sarah does weekly classes. I’ll put it up on my story. @PilateswithSarahPowell. She donates- she teaches her classical Pilates mat classes and donates on a weekly basis- ongoing- to charities that she finds both in New York and around the country, I believe. It’s really nice, and she’s a great teacher. That’s a really wonderful thing that she’s doing. What you’re saying brings it to mind. It’s a productive way to use what you love.
Daniel’s Speed Round:
City or beach
Sweet or savory?
Cat or dog?
Adventure or comfort?
Books or movies?
Nights in or nights out?
Summer or winter?
Tea or coffee?
Early bird or night owl?
Pizza or pasta?
Europe or Asia?
Spring or fall?
Breakfast or dinner?