Christine Ivy

Christine Ivy

Pilates Bio: 2nd Generation Pilates Teacher, LSM Pilates Master, BASI certified-Dance Specialization

Balance & Grace Pilates is the result of Studio Owner Christine Ivy's passion for using fitness as a tool to help clients connect with their best and most authentic selves. Christine is a Second Generation Pilates Teacher and a  Lolita San Miguel Pilates Master. Originally  mentored by Karen Clippinger and BASI certified with a specialization in Dance Conditioning, Christine has been  training a diverse range of clientele through  private, semi-private, and group pilates sessions since 2006. She  has a rich background of teaching Pilates Mat, Indo-Row, Barre Classes, Group Reformer, and Group Fitness. She studied intensely with her mentor 1st Generation Elder Lolita San Miguel in her 2 year Pilates Master Mentor Program and  has currently maintained an active practice with Carola Trier's prodigy and "hybrid of the masters", Jillian Hessel since 2016. Other studies include workshops and/or sessions with Wendy Leblanc-Arbuckle. Rael Isacowitz, and  1st Generation Elder Mary Bowen.
 Drawing upon a background in dance performance and teaching, Christine enjoys working with a wide range of clientele including athletes, pre/post natal, elderly, obese, those with rehabilitation concerns, and those in the trauma community. With a B.A. in Dance, Dance Science from CSULB and a love for biomechanics and anatomy,  she is well known by clients for her hawk-eyed ability to read and fine-tune the body as well as for using vivid imagery. Understanding that every body is unique Christine is able to quickly adapt to the needs of clients, regardless of age, level, or ability. She enjoys helping her clients reach goals with specifically tailored strategies.  Christine  understands that  physical fitness is one piece of the puzzle towards creating a balanced life and she encourages clients to enjoy the process while embracing grace along the way.  At Balance & Grace Pilates clients are able to, through challenging training coupled  with empathetic coaching,  experience transformative results. It is Christine's goal to see each of her clients discover and recover the best lives they  were designed to live!
 In  2017 Christine completed a  1 year thesis study of  "Trauma, PTSD, & Pilates: Using Contrology in the Understanding & Healing of Trauma" and she is now looking forward to opportunities to sharing it with  the greater Pilates Community. Christine has also completed the invitation only  Legacy Educator Training for Lolita's Legacy Program. She now has the opportunity to  teach, mentor, and coach the next generation of Pilates teachers in a 500 hour  Comprehensive Program that fuses classical and current Pilates approaches . Christine recognizes the importance of remembering our heritage and past while still evolving with the future of body-mind science in the field of Pilates. With that goal in mind in 2019 Christine began a year long Passing the Torch Mentorship with esteemed Master Teacher Wendy Le-Blanc Arbuckle where she is delving into the fascinating fields of structural integration and biotensegrity and  taking a fresh look at addressing the body ( and each client!)  with a whole body approach. 
For more information on Lolita's Legacy Comprehensive Training Program or to apply to the Program for dates/training:
visit the Certification Page  or email the studio, Subject line: Lolita's Legacy.
To request a workshop or speaking engagement with Christine, please email the studio.

Commercial Dance and Production Bio: Christine holds an extensive and diverse background in Stage Direction/Production, Choreography, Talent/Event Management, Teaching, Dance Performance, and Pilates and Fitness Education. As a former Producer/Director for commercial powerhouse Zen Arts she is now the CEO of Ivy House Productions and  is Studio Owner/Founder of  Balance & Grace Pilates Studio.  As a former Producer, Choreographer, and Core Member of global cirquetroupe Lucent Dossier Experience, stage credits include numerous national and international performances at notable venues such  as Coachella, Lightening in a Bottle, Electric Picnic (Ireland), and Boom (Portugal), along with multiple performances at the historic Palace Theatre (Los Angeles)and Liberty Theatre (NYC).  She can be seen in music videos for Avicii (“Super Love”), Of Monsters and Men (“Mountain Sounds”) and is featured in Pharrel Williams’ single, “Come Get it Bae”, featuring Miley Cyrus. Commercial credits include Big Lots and Reliant Energy. Musical theatre roles include the Into the Woods(Baker’s Wife) and The Robber Bridegroom (Salome). As the lead BASI Pilates Instructor /Owner at Balance & Grace Pilates, commercial fitness credits include two dance fitness videos from fitness icon Tracey Mallet,  DanceFuse CardioBurnand DanceFuse CardioLean, in which she is featured and for which she was a contributingchoreographer. She is a Second Generation Master Pilates Teacher under Lolita San Miguel, who is one of only two Pilates Master Teachers ever certified by Joseph Pilates. She is currently in a year long mentorship study with Wendy LeBlanc-Arbuckle and diving into the deeper understanding of the body from the position of structural integration and treating it as a holistic whole. Her B.A. in Dance/Dance Science (CSULB) further equips her to give back to the community through her current work with the dancers at Santa Ana High School (Assistant Dance Director) and with non-profit organizations such as Top Billing Entertainment Performance Academy. She and her choreography partner Eddie Garcia are represented by Go To Talent Agency. You can learn more about Christine at  http://www.wix.com/mamasladybug/christineivy,  or by visiting her Pilates studio home at www.balanceandgracepilates.com. She is a firm believer that life is a journey best taken together and her mission statement is, "Take no prisoners. Leave no regrets. Bring everyone along for the ride”.  She appreciates this opportunity to pay it forward and is excited to share her passion for authentic living and dancing.