Our goal is to provide individuals with the knowledge, encouragement, and drive to transform and maintain a strong and supple body.  In turn,  leading them to a long, productive, and healthy life. Through the use of Pilates, experiential anatomy, idiokinesis, Bartenieff Fundementals, and years of research in training the body we strive to free people captive in their own bodies, as well as, challenge athletes to go further that ever thought possivle.

Lisa Orig, CPT
Creative Director, Upside-Down Dance, Dance Educator, Certified Pilates Teacher through the Pilates Method Alliance. Full Certified STOTT PILATES™ Instructor, Certified STOTT PILATES Instructor Trainer

BA Dance with an emphasis in Performance/Choreography from The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago.

Dynamic Dancer: Kinesthetic Anatomy of the Spine and Trunk, Dynamic Dancer: Kinesthetic Anatomy and Biomechanics of the Limbs with Irene Dowd of NY.

Owner of Upside-Down Pilates, LLC

Lisa began dancing at the age of three. In the local YWCA of Lincoln, NE she did her first Plié’s and Tendu’s. At the age of nine she began working with The Lincoln Midwest Ballet Company under the direction of Shari Shell-True. There she performed ten seasons.

After moving to Chicago Mrs. Orig performed for Shirley Mordine, Rennie Harris, Kathy Young, Jan Erkert, Steve Paxton, Molly Shanahan, David Gordon, David Dorfman, Cindy Unger, The Anatomical Theater, Brian Jeffery, Juan Estrada, Sasha Tretter, Adriana Durant, The Chicago Moving Company, and Simone Forti. In November 2000 she had the honor of performing as a Community Cast Member with Mikhail Baryshnikov and The White Oak Dance Project in their performance of Past/Forward.

Mrs. Orig is the Creative Director of Upside-Down Dance. This professional modern dance company is proud partners at The ARTS at Marks Garage. You can see the company performing on Oahu at The ARTS at Marks Garage three times per year. 
Mrs. Orig completed her Comprehensive Pilates Certification in the heart of Chicago’s Gold Coast. Her continuing education in the body arts took her to New York to study with Irene Dowd. Ideas descending from Mabel E. Todd and Lulu E. Sweigard have been passed along through Irene Dowd creating a revolutionary perspective of the human body, how it works, and how to train it. In 2003 Lisa received her full certification in the STOTT PILATES method of body conditioning, and in 2005 became a certified STOTT PILATES Instructor Trainer.
In support of the Pilates Method Alliance Lisa Orig is also a Certified Pilates Teacher.

Mrs. Orig is currently in pursuit of an MFA in Dance from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  Over the next two years she will study Laban Movement Analysis and Bartenieff fundamentals.  Traveling to the University of Utah she will become a Certified Movement Analysist and complete the course work to become a registered somatic movement therapist.  
  
Eileen Towata, Ph.D, CPT
Education/Certifications/Training: Ph.D. in Botany, M.S. in Biology, B.S. in Biology Certified Pilates Teacher (Pilates Method Alliance) Certified Pilates Teacher (STOTT PILATES™ Full Certification) ACE (American Council on Exercise) Certified Personal Trainer ACE Certified Group Exercise Instructor Arthritis Foundation PACE Hip School Better Balance (Balance/Mobility Training) Member of ICAA (International Council on Active Aging) Member of PMA (Pilates Method Alliance) 17+ years teaching experience in movement/physical activity Experience in marathon running/tennis.

Jill Dietmeyer, LMT
Fully Certified STOTT PILATES instructor ACE-Certified Personal Trainer Licensed Massage Therapist (MAT #7901) Aikido, Third Degree Black Belt Cuong Nhu Karate, First Degree Black Belt B.S. Psychology; University of Illinois Jill began her fitness career in the early 90s as a martial arts instructor. In addition to Aikido and Karate, she has studied Tai Chi Chuan, Chi Kung, Aikijutsu, and Ninjutsu. As part of her martial arts teaching she began helping people reach their fitness goals through personal training. Her continuing drive to learn more about the human mind and body led her to study massage therapy and Reiki. The study of Pilates was a natural fit and after seeing the incredible results obtained through the system, she became fully certified in the STOTT PILATES method. Jill's teaching philosophy focuses on the coordination of mind and body to achieve fitness or rehabilitative goals. She has worked with clients ranging in age from teens to 80s including many recuperating from injury or surgery. She is currently working towards obtaining a doctorate in physical therapy.

Our Philosophy
Your brain is the most powerful “muscle” in your body! By retraining your thoughts about how your body functions you can retrain your muscles to fire in a more safe, efficient, and effective manor. This can lead you out of pain if you are in it or bring your body into peak physical and mental condition. Please remember, we are only teachers. Every good teacher is obsolete in the end. You will only get out of Pilates what you are willing to put into it.