People
At Studio Helix you will discover new and exciting ways to approach health and fitness with the best-qualified instructors in the valley. Our instructors have trained extensively in a variety of body-centered disciplines. Their creative approach to teaching is informed by their involvement in the performing and martial arts.
Kate Faulkner
Kate Faulkner (Physical Therapist and Pilates Instructor, Co-owner) is a Licensed Physical Therapist, Certified Pilates instructor and massage therapist. She draws from a solid foundation in movement arts and medical sciences. Kate has a Masters degree in Physical Therapy from American International College and has completed two years of graduate studies in Biomechanics at the University of Massachusetts Exercise Science Department. Kate has completed training in Myofascial Release, Joint Mobilization, Craniosacral Therapy, Muscle Energy Technique, and she is a Certified Massage Therapist. Kate has been a certified Pilates instructor and has conducted teacher training for over twenty years. In addition, she has received pre-teacher certification training in Gyrotonics. Kate holds a BA in Dance from Rutgers University and has performed and choreographed throughout the Northeast.
Bill Arcand
Bill Arcand (Functional Fitness Instructor, Somatic Educator, Tai Chi Instructor, Co-owner) Bill has a diverse background in fitness, movement and education. Bill integrates his knowledge of anatomy, biomechanics and neurophysiology to deliver movement specific training to help his clients learn how to integrate strength, flexibility, balance and coordination; optimize their mobility; and relieve discomfort and pain.
Bill is a Fellow Graduate from the prestigious Gray Institute of Functional Training. He is certified as a Clinical Somatic Educator (Somatics Systems Institute); an Exercise Coach (CHEK Institute); a Certified Personal Trainer/Fitness Counselor (Holyoke Community College); an Exercise Specialist (Arthritis Foundation), and a Boxing Coach (USA Boxing Association). His long history of studying Chinese movement arts such as Tai Chi and related martial arts greatly influences his whole body integrated approach to fitness. Bill has completed preliminary teacher certification training in Pilates and Gyrokinesis. Bill holds a degree in Philosophy and a Secondary Teaching Certification and has over 30 years experience teaching and offering professional development services in movement/fitness and academic environments.
Katie Aylward
Katie Aylward is modern/contemporary dance teacher and a certified STOTT Pilates instructor. She has worked with Wire Monkey Dance and a wide range of celebrated choreographers. Katie is an international rock climber, and locally is a white water raft guide at Zoar Outdoor. In both her dance and Pilates classes, Katie offers this diverse physical knowledge in focusing on alignment, muscle balancing, and moving through the core.
Diana Cerutti
Diana Cerutti, licensed independent esthetician, reiki practitioner
Diana received her esthetics education here in the Pioneer Valley and subsequently completed advanced training at the Dermal Institutes in Boston and New York City. With prior training in psychotherapy and reiki, Diana’s first priority is to provide a safe and comfortable space in which her clients feel respected and appreciated.
Services include Facials, Head-Over-Heels (scalp & foot massage), and Face/Body Waxing. Diana’s facials are deeply cleansing, relaxing, and rejuvenating; Head-Over-Heels can be experienced as a calming scalp & foot massage or as a profoundly healing reiki treatment; and waxing is…..waxing (but the table's really comfy, the room's really soothing, and there's always chocolate available)!
Diana is available by appointment seven days a week. Credit/debit cards accepted. Gift certificates available by phone. Please visit her website for more detailed information about her services.
Contact Information:
www.MoreThanSkinDeepAtStudioHelix.com
413-214-5593
Michele Feldheim
Michele Feldheim Has been involved with practicing and studying Somatic Therapies and meditation since 1980.
At Studio Helix she teachers a movement based Pilates Class that integrates breathwork, structural alignment principals, Yoga-based stretches and Body-Mind Centering™ based developmental movement to provide an informed core movement class. She also offers quarterly Women's Retreats that are designed for women to have an opportunity to retreat, rethink, and rejuvenate themselves that are one day long. She is also available at the Studio for Private bodywork, private Pilates lessons and Movement Therapy. Certifications include: Massage Therapist, Body-MInd Centering™ Practitioner and Teacher, Pilates Matwork Instructor, Yoga Instructor, Life Energy Fundamentals training with Jeff Krock and Polarity Therapy 1st level. She is also a professional pianist/musician and music teacher.
Bob Hannum
Bob Hannum is a certified Advanced Teacher of Pilates. He has been teaching and practicing Pilates for over 30 years. His teacher, Mary Bowen, is a "Pilates Elder", one of only a few current teachers directly taught by Joseph Pilates.
Pilates created a series of exercises nearly 100 years ago that have proven so effective that his principles of core conditioning and breathing are standard practices among physical therapists and professional trainers. Although known for the use of unique equipment, Pilates first created mat exercises, and later invented equipment designed to assist those who were unable to do the mat routine. Bob presents the original mat exercises, specializing in a safe, fun, and intense exercise routine that anyone can learn, and do anytime and anywhere, without equipment, teachers, classes, or a gym.
"From modern dance to martial arts, I've never experienced a more satisfying, full-body exercise routine. As I get older I don't have the time or interest in long workouts. Pilates is intense, quick, and effective. The body needs 3 kinds of exercise to stay healthy — cardiovascular exercise, strength training, and stretching — advanced Pilates mat exercises offer all 3 in one workout. Very few exercise routines do this."
Bob is also available for private lessons, as well as semi-private workouts with a friend, spouse, or partner for a less expensive alternative.
Contact Bob at 802-236-9163 or at bobowill@comcast.net.
Matisse Madden
Matisse Madden (Gyrotonic, Pilates, Dance Instructor) Matisse discovered the GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® as a compliment to her training as a professional ballet dancer. Matisse certified as a trainer in GYROTONIC® under the direction of Tim McMinn and Gina Muensterkoetter. Matisse is thrilled with the kind invitation to teach at Studio Helix. Matisse finds great joy in the success of her beloved students and is thrilled to work with dancers and athletes, both professional and amateur alike. Matisse received a MFA from the University of Utah in Ballet teaching and choreography. As an undergraduate and graduate student, Matisse studied anatomy and kinesiology, and French. Matisse is currently dancing with the Connecticut Ballet. In addition to her performances responsibilities, Matisse teaches Ballet and Pilates at Mount Holyoke College and Yale University.
Michelle Marroqín
Michelle Marroquín (Gyrotonic Instructor) has been involved in the movement arts since she began dancing as a young child. She is currently a candidate for an MFA degree at Smith College. Certified to teach Yoga, Pilates and Gyrotonic, Michelle teaches private sessions and workshops. She brings to her classes a love of movement, and a deep respect for the wisdom within the human body. For more info go to: www.MichelleMarroquin.com
Donna Mejia
Donna Mejia is a choreographer, lecturer, teacher, administrator, and performer specializing in contemporary dance, traditions of the African and Arab Diaspora, and emerging fusion traditions in world electronica. For 10 years she was a faculty member at Colorado College and Director of the Colorado College International Summer Dance Festival. For twelve years she served as managing director of the award-winning Harambee African Dance Ensemble of CU-Boulder. She continues to teach, choreograph and perform for colleges, dance festivals and private organizations internationally. Donna is an authorized instructor of Brazilian Silvestre Modern Dance Technique and is the primary person assisting in codifying this esoteric study of dance and the body. Presently, Donna is completing a 3-year assignment as Guest Artist in Residence for Smith College and the Five College Dance Consortium in Massachusetts. She is writing articles based on her research and teachings in the evolving field of Ethics/Integrity in Global Dance Culture and presents lectures on the deconstruction of the femme fatale in dance.
Tammy Pease
Tammy Pease, Licensed Massage Therapist and Reiki Practitioner
Tammy has been a part of the healing arts of 2003, when she served as an apprentice to Roxanne Bonnette of Alternative Health Consulting in cranio-sacral therapy. She is a graduate of the Amherst School of Massage Therapy (now the Massage School in Easthampton, MA.) and has been practicing massage for almost five years. She also studied with Reiki Master Jeffrey Brochu of Hawk Spirit Healing (Chicopee, MA) and is a level II certified Reiki Practitioner. In addition, she holds certification in End of Life/ Hospice Reiki with Haleya Priest. She holds certification in Lomi-Lomi massage through Hawaiian Temple Bodywork, specializes in deep tissue and triggers point massage, and has training in a wide variety of other massage techniques. She has also studied meditation and relaxation at Arche International in Gill, MA. Tammy holds an associates degree in Human Services from Dean College (Franklin, MA). She also has an extensive dance background in tap, ballet, jazz, lyrical, and acrobatics and taught dance in many different studios in Hampshire and Franklin counties for ages three through adult.
She tailors her massage to the individual client to bring out the most in his/her healing session.
Fritha Pengelly
Fritha Pengelly has been practicing Pilates since 1994
and received her Pilates Certification at the Kane School of Core
Integration in NYC in 2002. Fritha danced professionally with the Doug
Elkins Dance Company in NYC from 1994-2001. In addition to her work with the Elkins Company, Fritha has performed with The Chamber Dance Company,
David Neumann, and Wire Monkey Dance. Her own work has been shown at
several venues in New York City, The Five Colleges in Massachusetts,
Darien Arts Center (CT), Seattle, and at the Inside/Out Series at
Jacob's Pillow. She received her B.A. in dance from Hampshire College
and her M.F.A. in dance, with a focus on anatomy and physiology, from the
University of Washington in Seattle. With over twenty-five years of dance
training and movement experience, Fritha brings to her work a deep
understanding and love of movement. In working with clients through Pilates
she is focused on building core muscle strength through balance, correct
alignment, and full body awareness. She is currently teaching at Mount
Holyoke and Bennington Colleges and is enrolled in the Feldenkrais Program
at the Feldenkrais Institute of New York. She is the Artistic Director of
Pengelly:Projects, a local contemporary fusion dance company.
Jennifer Polins
Jennifer Polins (Gyrotonic, Pilates, Dance Instructor) has been a certified Pilates instructor for 8 years, and is a certified Yoga teacher and massage therapist. Jen is also a certified instructor of both Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis. Her teaching is greatly influence by a 15 year career as a professional dancer, studies and practice of BMC®, continuum, Cranial Sacral Therapy, Contact Improvisation. Jennifer co-directs Wire Monkey Dance, teaches and performs internationally and teaches at the Pioneer Valley Performing Arts High School.
Jeff Rosen
Jeff Rosen Jeff began his Tai Chi studies in 1982 with Maurice Haltom at the Aquarian Age School of Health, Meditation and Self-Defense in Ithaca NY. Over the years, he trained with several different teachers, gaining exposure to a variety of Tai Chi styles. He began his training with Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming and the YMAA in Boston in 1991. Jeff also studies with Dan Crescenzo and the deeply skilled practitioners of the Yin Style Bagua group of Northampton.
Jeff is one of just 10 students worldwide to have achieved the rank of instructor in the YMAA Tai Chi system, having achieved that rank in 2001. Jeff taught Tai Chi and Push Hands classes in Boston until moving to Northampton in 2003.
Jeff conducts the class in close accordance with the principles established by Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming. The central objective is deep mind body unification, achieved through an understanding that this is a lifelong pursuit, which is forever attainable and fleeting in equal parts. The school encourages students, new and old, to make sure this is a valuable path for them, and to continually customize their training regimen to suit their deepest needs.
Jeff serves as the Director of Finance for the Solidago Foundation and holds an adjunct faculty position in the Green MBA program at Antioch College.
Contact Information:
YMAAWesternMass@aol.com
YMAAWesternMass.com (Coming Soon)
617-875-4870 (Cell)
Saliq Frances Savage
Saliq Frances Savage is a Body-Mind Centering® Teacher and Practitioner, Registered Movement Therapist, Certified Gyrotonic Level I Trainer, and a teacher of Contact Improvisation. He is the Artistic Director of Wire Monkey Dance Company where he dances and choreographs. His background in dance, yoga and Ortho-Bionomy inform his work with infants, children and adults. Saliq works locally and abroad teaching, performing and seeing clients.
Jericha Senyak
Jericha Senyak is a student, teacher and performer of several of the many different styles of dance movement that fall under the general heading of “bellydance.” She grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, the birthplace of the modern American fusion bellydance styles so often seen today, and first began taking classes at the age of 15 as a way to learn about and understand her body during the tumultuous time of adolescence. She has danced styles ranging from Egyptian cabaret and Turkish Romany to American Tribal Style and Tribal Fusion. In her second year of training, she was invited to perform with her troupe at the 2005 Beijing Cultural Festival in a piece that was also performed at the Desert Dance Festival in San Jose, CA. In 2006 she arrived at Hampshire College in Amherst, and is now in her third year of teaching community-wide bellydance classes from the dance studios there. In 2007 she began training with the groundbreaking Arab-American Fusion dancer and teacher Donna Mejia at Smith College, and is performing with her in this fall’s Smith Faculty Dance Concert as well as traveling with her to Rakkasah East, the East Coast’s largest bellydance festival, in the spring of 2009. She has also danced in a number of performances and benefits around the Pioneer Valley, and her students perform regularly in showcases and local community spaces. Jericha is also an installation artist whose work focuses primarily on breaking apart the stereotypes and misrepresentations surrounding the history and practice of her beloved dance form.
Lizzy Tyler
Lizzy Tyler (Gyrotonic, Pilates, Yoga Instructor). Lizzy blends her background in dance, yoga, Pilates and Body-Mind Centering™ and Gyrotonic to deliver unique and dynamic training to her clients. Lizzy is a certified instructor of Yoga, Gyrotonic, Gyrokinesis, Pilates matwork. Lizzy continues to be a professional dancer as a member of Wire Monkey Dance Company and performing as a solo artist.