Manager Profiles
Elaine Puren
GYROTONIC® System Manager
Elaine grew up in Buckinghamshire and completed her full time dance training at the Arts Educational School, Tring and the Central School of Ballet, London before joining Northern Ballet Theatre under Christopher Gable. Elaine then spent five years as a soloist with the NAPAC Dance Company in Durban South Africa.
On returning to London she undertook various dance projects and discovered the GYROTONIC® system. She completed her teacher training in 2000 with the help of a Lisa Ullmann Scholarship at the European GYROTONIC® Headquarters in Bad Krozingen Germany, studying with Juliu Horvath and Gina Muensterkoetter. Elaine opened Studio 74 with Amanda Menage in January 2003.
Elaine is now a Certified GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® Master Trainer and gives regular teacher trainings with Beatriz as well as teaching private and group classes.
Beatriz Pascual
GYROTONIC® System Manager
Beatriz was born and trained in Spain. After graduating at the Real Escuela de Arte Dramatico y Danza de Madrid she danced in various companies in Spain, Belgium and South Africa and as a guest artist in Japan, New York, Europe and the UK.
It was during a dance project in New York in 1996 that she first came into contact with GYROTONIC® through its inventor, Juliu Horvath. She then trained with him and came back to the UK to open the first GYROTONIC® Studio in London teaching for 7 years before joining forces with Elaine and Amanda.
Beatriz is also a dance teacher and the the founder and artistic director of ARtelier a forum for independent artists.
She is a GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® Master Trainer giving regular trainings with Elaine in London. Beatriz also gives trainings in Spain.
Teacher Profiles
GERRY EDWARDS
Pilates
Gerry is certified by the Pilates Foundation UK Ltd as a Comprehensive Apparatus and Mat Pilates teacher. In addition to a broad knowledge of the Pilates Method, Gerry has extensive experience in sport injury rehabilitation and both physical and neurological conditions.
An honours graduate from the Royal Military College of Science, Gerry's interest and involvement in Pilates began several years ago during his previous career as a Management Consultant. While looking for an antidote to the stresses of corporate life, he first studied The Alexander Technique and then progressed to Pilates. His total belief in the efficacy of Pilates and its contribution to overall health, led him to the decision to leave corporate life and retrain as a Pilates Instructor.
IAN KING
Pilates
Ian trained in ballet and contemporary dance at the Rambert School of Ballet & the Heinz Bosel Foundation in Munich. Ian performed ballet in Germany and contemporary dance in the UK.
He decided to go to University where he gained a BA and MA in History of Art. After working for various art organizations and galleries, Ian returned to bodywork He pays particular attention to alignment and coordination, believing that movement quality is a key element in exercising effectively, whether for rehabilitative purposes or general conditioning.
Ian trained with, and is a member of, the Pilates Foundation UK Ltd. He also teaches Gyrotonic®.
LINDA GIBBS
Pilates
Linda was a professional dancer for over 30 years. She began her training in 1961 at the Rambert School of Ballet and was a leading member of the London Contemporary Dance theatre from 1969-87.
Throughout her career, she taught for many leading dance companies, operas and schools around the world.
Her career was varied. As well as dancing in operas at Covent Garden & appearing in musicals in the West End, she also taught for many companies & schools around the world.
In 2000 she retrained as a Pilates Teacher under the direction of Alan Herdman.
ROSY SANDERS
Pilates
Rosy was amongst the first to experience Pilates when Alan Herdman first brought the Method over to England in 1970, basing his studio at The Place where she was studying dance at the time. She has many years experience in professional dance in performing, choreographing and teaching in Theatre, Film and the Music industry.
When diagnosed with serious osteo-arthritic degeneration in her hips, she began her apprenticeship with Alan Herdman in 1998.
Following her double hip re-surfacing and replacement in 2002, she is particularly interested in the remedial benefits of Pilates.
SUE NASH
Pilates
Sue Nash is a Pilates Foundation Qualified teacher who now trains aspiring Pilates teachers. Sue keeps furthering her Pilates practice and teaching by studying with leading international teachers and experts from other body work disciplines. She is passionate about the power of Pilates to heal and to increase wellbeing especially in the case of injury or chronic conditions. Sue is also a professional choreographer who has worked in dance, theatre and opera for over 20 years. She has also worked as an advisor and teacher for vocational training programmes in the performing arts. As a qualified Astanga Yoga teacher Sue has some insights into using Pilates to support a Yoga practice.
TOMOKO ANDO
GYROTONIC®
Tomoko earned BA degree in Arts and Literature in her home country, Japan where she also studied ballet since she was seven.
She moved to UK in 1996 and further explored her interests in body and movement. As well as teaching ballet to children and assisting
in Qi Gong classes, she took part in other cultural activities that include "how to wear Kimono workshop" at William Adams Festival
in Kent and "Kimono reception" at Royal Opera House.
Tomoko discovered Gyrotonic through Beatriz Pascual in 2002 and did an apprenticeship under her before
completing her training with Juliu Hovarth in June 2003. Tomoko's interest in human well-being and internal energetics
has further taken her to train in Acupuncture and Chinese medicine. She completed her BSc training in 2008.
YUKO KIMURA
Pilates
Yuko began her dance career with K-BALLET COMPANY in Japan. She
discovered Pilates while she was dancing in the company. During this
time Pilates kept her body strong and flexible without any injury as
well maintain a healthy mind. When Yuko left the company she started a new life in Germany,
later followed by a move to London to study Pilates.
Yuko qualified as a dietician when she graduated from university in
1998. She wrote monthly nutrition articles for a fitness club for four
years. Yuko completed her Pilates training with the Pilates Foundation
UK at LABAN in 2008. She is currently pursuing her Masters Degree in
Nutrition.