This Mat & Chat was hosted on on Instagram Live on Saturday, March 20th, 2021. The chat followed a 25 minute mat workout.
Victoria: I’m with Mariano Dolagaray and he is coming to us live from Panama. He has just made that his new home- he described that at the beginning of our intro earlier. We are going to talk about that, but I want to go all the way back to the beginning, because yesterday when we spoke on the phone, I was like: “What!?” Your life is so cool, you’ve been all over the world, you’ve done Pilates everywhere that I’d like to go. So take us back. You were born in Argentina, correct?
Mariano: Yes, yes. First of all, you can listen- my English is not perfect because three years ago I didn’t speak English. I started maybe 4 years ago to challenge myself and try to take this new step to speak English. But yes, I was born in a little town in Argentina. I started Pilates at 28 years old with one teacher who lived there. Her name is Mile Moreno. She went to Brazil to learn Pilates with Romana and Inelia Garcia. I was studying physical therapy in University and one teacher talked about Pilates. He said it was interesting and that he had tried it in New York. So I started searching for places on the Internet and at this time, there was only one place in Argentina, and I was in that place. I went, and I saw 15 reformers and 15 women, and one teacher teaching a group class. I felt like it wasn’t good. It was interesting, but it was the bad version of Pilates. It wasn’t classical Pilates. It was good though, because at this place, I saw Brooke Siler’s book and on the back of the book it said all of the places and countries where there was Pilates, and I didn’t see any in Argentina, but they had it in Brazil.
I called the place in Brazil, and they said: “Well in Argentina, we have one teacher” and I went to this teacher. When I did my first class, or maybe after my second class, I felt something different, like I never felt before. It was my breathing. It was something inside, something inside said: “Wow, this is very interesting.” In the beginning, I didn’t like Pilates. It was so strange, no? The reformer, and the teacher at this time didn’t have a ton of experience, either. But after my first course, I moved to Brazil to be with Romana and Inelia Garcia. Romana used to travel to Brazil every year. I don’t remember if it was once a year or twice a year, but this was in 2004/2005. I went to Brazil first, and then after Brazil I put this challenge in my life- I need to learn English. I moved to New York. But I didn’t move to New York for English, I moved to see a teacher. In Brazil in 2005, Jerome [Weinberg], Romana, and Moses [Urbano] traveled there. And Shari, too. When I did my certification, I was always thinking that I needed to see Jerome again, and Shari. I moved to New York for that reason- to see these teachers again, and to learn English.
When I arrived in New York, I said: “Hello Shari, how are you?” And she said: “Hi, Mariano.” And I said: “Can I work out here? Can I do something?” And she said: “Are you a teacher?” And I said: “Yes, I am a teacher.” And she said: “I don’t know who you are- you need to do the program again.” And I said: “What? The program again!? Okay, I’ll do the program again.” And I did the program again. It was fantastic. I stayed in New York, and after New York I moved to Bermuda. After Bermuda, I moved to LA- for two reasons: to meet Jay [Grimes], and for love. *points camera at Angie*
Victoria: Is that Angie?!
Mariano: That’s Angie, yes. I moved to LA and it was amazing. Angie used to live in San Diego. I lived in LA, and she lived in San Diego. It was a very beautiful experience, talking about Pilates, of course. To work in Pilatesology, and with Moses, of course. Every weekend I went to San Diego and worked out with Moses.
Victoria: Let’s hold on a second. I work with a client who knows Angie, and that’s why I know Angie, and I know that Angie teaches Pilates. But for those people who are watching and may now know, your girlfriend- or maybe she’s more than a girlfriend, I don’t want to put you on the spot- she’s a Pilates instructor too, right?
Mariano: Yes.
Victoria: So you are a power Pilates couple. Not like a Power Pilates couple, but a powerful Pilates couple- kind of like the Cotrones, Susannah & Sam Cotrone. What is it like to have a partner who does the same exact thing for their career as you? What’s that like? At home, at the studio…
Mariano: For me-I have learned a lot with Angie.
Victoria: How was Angie trained? What’s her background?
Mariano: With Moses & Romana’s Pilates program too, but Moses was Angie’s mentor. Ten years ago, Moses said: “I’m going to teach you” and he worked only with Angie. This is the reason I met Angie. My first text to Angie was not about her, it said: “Angie- give me Moses’ telephone number!” Angie works a lot with Moses and last year she finished the program with Romana’s Pilates.
I learn a lot with Angie. I really enjoy it. When I say I learn with her she laughs and says: “It’s not possible.” I don’t know. It’s beautiful for me, because I think about Pilates 24 hours a day- I love it! When I finish my work in the studio and go home and teach online, I’m teaching in one room and Angie’s teaching in one room. I’m talking about this life and I love it. We work out together, sometimes we are lazy and teach each other. In the future, I ordered a full studio for my home here, from Empower Pilates from Brazil. Maybe we’ll start to teach each other. It’s great.
Victoria: I didn’t want to forget to talk about Angie, since she’s there especially.
Mariano: She’s here, she’s watching from her Instagram.
Victoria: Did she do the workout?
Mariano: No, no.
Victoria: She’ll go back and do it later.
So, you were in California and you were working with Moses- that’s where I interrupted you- so let’s continue from there.
Mariano: I didn’t talk about New York. And in New York I was with Jerome, he was my friend. Jerome for me is one big inspiration. Moses too- both. Jerome and Moses for me? They move me. They are my friends and their energy is different. One lives in LA, the other in New York, and they are still similar in one way. Why is that? Because Romana put something inside of these two guys. To say something to you, if you ask Jerome and Moses: “What is Pilates? What did you learn from Romana?” He will look you in the eyes and say: “Romana taught me how to lift the spirit of the people.” Not about exercise, not about whether spine stretch forward has arms raised or arms on the floor- but other things. It’s beautiful.
When I moved to LA, I was near Moses and I learned a lot. I keep going- I am a student. I watch videos, I pay for my class every week, I have my teachers- this is forever. If you know some teacher and the teacher doesn’t work out anymore, or the teacher thinks they don’t need anyone else to teach them, I don’t follow this teacher. I follow like a student. I follow teachers who I would like to study and keep learning from.
Victoria: It’s very important. I think one of the most important things you can do for your clients as a teacher is to always keep learning. You have to stay engaged in the activity of practicing Pilates. You’re never done- Pilates is infinite, it really is- there is always something new to learn. The best thing I can do for my clients is continue to learn and continue to take classes from other instructors and bring that back to them.
Mariano: Yes, and the most important teacher for us is our client. You learn with your client. Of course we need to understand the method and practice every day- it’s a lot of information- it’s a lot. Our body changes every day. Every day is different. I lie down on the reformer and the mat and every day is different. When people say: “The Hundred again?” I say: “Yes, again. Thank God again. Thank God we need the Hundred every day in our life.”
Victoria: I love that. That is so true.
So Argentina to New York, New York to LA, and probably San Diego, because Angie was in San Diego. Oh wait, I forgot Bermuda! Didn’t you do Pilates in Bermuda?
Mariano: Yes, I was in a continuing education in New York. I arrived in the morning- I always liked to be the first at the studio, a beautiful studio, True Pilates in New York. Now it’s closed, it doesn’t exist anymore. I went there early in the morning one day and there was a teacher there, and somebody- I don’t remember who anymore- said: “Mariano, can you teach this woman?” because the teacher wasn’t there. After the class, she said: “Mariano, can you work with me in Bermuda?” And I said: “Where is Bermuda?” It was so funny. She gave me her card, and I was in my apartment looking at the card later and thought: “No, do they speak Spanish there? No, I am here to learn English!” I Googled “Bermuda” and said: “Oh? Bermuda isn’t in the Caribbean?” It’s near New York! It’s an hour and a half from New York. It’s beautiful. It’s a British colony, and the people of course speak English. So I thought, “Okay, maybe this is a good place to learn English. And it was for real, because in New York a lot of people speak Spanish, but when I arrived in Bermuda- oh my gosh, nobody spoke Spanish there, and the accent was very difficult to understand. The owner of the studio, Jane Christie, Jane is from Scotland. She’s Scottish. She was so hard for me to understand. But, she was a good teacher for me. The best teacher for my English of course is Angie.
Victoria: Yes, living with somebody is always great. But I’m sure you’re her best Spanish teacher!
Mariano: Yes, Yes.
Victoria: It goes both ways.
Mariano: After Bermuda, Victoria, I went to LA. After LA, I went to Argentina to visit my family. I go every year for Christmas, the New Year. I stayed longer to teach some workshops and in March the pandemic happened. The airport closed and I was in Argentina for 7 months. Angie was in LA.
Victoria: Oh no! That’s hard!
Mariano: Yeah, it was hard. No flights, couldn’t visit each other. In this past year, I met people from Panama and started to talk to people about the new project, new studio in Central America. The conclusion was: I moved here with Angie in October.
Victoria: You told me yesterday that this was the first classical Pilates studio in Panama, for sure, right?
Mariano: No, there is another teacher. There was another, but last year she moved back to Brazil again. This studio is the second studio. Huge studio, full equipment, 6 teachers teaching there.
Victoria: That’s amazing!
Mariano: And this neighborhood doesn’t have a classical Pilates studio. When I said it was the first, I feel like Panama is how Brazil was 20 years ago. People don’t know what PIlates is. Or, people come to the studio and say: “I practice Pilates! I’ve practiced for ten years!” And I say: “Ten years, wow! That’s great! Let’s do the Hundred.” And they have no idea. It’s a challenge, but I love it. I love to share this amazing method to the people here. Every day we have new clients and more interest from the community here. Every day we grow. It’s great.
Victoria: That’s awesome. I’m so excited for you guys and I can’t wait to visit. When countries open back up again and we can travel, I’m going on a world PIlates tour. You won’t see me- I’m out. I’m going to Panama, I’m going to California. I’m going to visit every person I had on my Mat & Chat and it’s going to be amazing. I have a question. Can Angie stand next to you? I do this thing at the end of all of my Mat & Chats- a this or that game, and you’re supposed to pick the first thing that comes to mind- and I think it would be fun for Angie to choose your preference. It’s almost like the newlywed game, right?
Mariano’s Speed Round
City or beach
Sweet or savory (with wine preferably)
Cats or dogs (both)
Adventure or comfort (adventure with 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