“There are four things I love the most in life: Pilates, travel, good food, and my dog. I realized that by starting Playa Pilates I could combine three of those things into one amazing experience. Wait…. I could probably also bring my dog…”
Meet Chrissie - Certified Pilates Instructor, Retreat Leader, and Founder of Playa Pilates!
While Chrissie has always been a fitness enthusiast, she discovered a true passion in Pilates, and is currently an instructor at Altea Active Ottawa, as well as Halo Pilates.
Her movement practice is mat and reformer classes, with a strong background in functional strength training. Chrissie believes that Pilates is for everyone, and meets the student where they are. She believes in being gentle with yourself, and loves the excitement of improvement and challenging herself. She is an intuitive teacher with many years of movement practice under her belt.
She started her fitness journey with a personal trainer 15 years ago, and has maintained a movement practice since then. Her passion in movement has led her to try many workout styles (along strength training) throughout the years, following her through different cities she’s lived in. These range from Olympic lifting and Crossfit in Ottawa, boxing in Halifax, to barre classes and Lagree in New York City. Her background in professional musical theatre involved dance, and lends to her love of incorporating music with movement. At her first studio, The Playground Pilates Collective, she learned to combine both of those loves in her mat classes. Her favourite style of mat class to teach is Pilates based, with some functional strength incorporated, to the beat of music.
Chrissie is a creative, welcoming and supportive teacher, who loves making peoples’ lives better through her passion and knowledge in movement.
What my why behind Playa Pilates?
THIS RETREAT IS INSPIRED BY THE FIRST SOLO TRIP I EVER TOOK MYSELF. I CONSIDERED GOING ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, AS LONG AS IT WAS WARM, AS I'D ONLY GONE AS FAR SOUTH AS NEW YORK CITY. I LEANED AWAY FROM THE RESORTS FOR MULTIPLE REASONS, AND I KNEW I WANTED TO BE BY THE OCEAN.
I SOMEHOW HAPPENED UPON PUERTO ESCONDIDO DRAGGING THE MAP AROUND ON AIRBNB, AND FOUND A PERFECT-LOOKING SPOT THAT FAR EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS. MY HOST MADE ME FEEL SAFE, AND PROVIDED ME WITH A NETWORK OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD GO ON TO FACILITATE A TRIP OF A LIFETIME.
I BELIEVE THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I'D FELT PERMISSION TO RELAX IN AGES. PERHAPS, EVER. I'VE BEEN A HARD WORKER MY WHOLE LIFE, AND STRUGGLE TO LET MYSELF RELAX WHEN I HAVE FREE TIME. I HAD FULL PERMISSION WHEN I WAS IN MEXICO. I STRUCTURED MY WEEK AROUND DAILY EXERCISE, I ATE FRESH FOOD, I SMELLED CLEAN AIR, I MET BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE, AND I TOOK THE TIME I NEEDED TO DO WHATEVER I WANTED. I FELL ASLEEP AND WOKE UP LISTENING TO THE OCEAN.
RELAXATION AND ADVENTURES, FUELLED BY THE MOST AMAZING FOOD I'D EVER HAD AND EXERCISE. I'D MADE THE DREAM WEEK FOR MYSELF. AND IT HELPED ME REALIZE WHAT MY CAPACITY FOR HAPPINESS COULD BE. IT WASN'T JUST A TRIP TO MEXICO. IT WAS A TURNING POINT.
NOW I AM LUCKY ENOUGH TO COMBINE MY PASSION FOR PILATES WITH THE COMPLETE NERVOUS SYSTEM RESET I EXPERIENCED, AND SHARE THIS EXPERIENCE WITH YOU. YOU DESERVE THIS.
“Hi! My name is Meritt, and two years ago Pilates changed my life. . . I was suffering from an endurance sport related injury while my best friend was completing her first round of teacher training. I was instantly in love. Pilates brought new found strength into my life when I needed it the most. It didn't take much convincing after that, that I needed to become a teacher myself.”
Meet Meritt - Certified Pilates Instructor, and Co-teacher!
Meritt currently teaches at Oxygen Yoga and Fitness in Fort McMurray. Her classes are inclusive to all levels, providing many modifications among progressions and challenges. She strives to assist her students to develop their strength from the inside out. She hopes Pilates can bring stability to your life just as it has to hers. Also, Meritt was nominated for best Pilates instructor in Best of YMM, and was bronze winner through community votes just in her first year of being an instructor.
Meritt’s fitness journey began in grade 3, where she picked up a passion for long distance running. Since then she has completed 2 half marathons, 5 triathlons, and a Spartan race. She was working in the culinary industry at the time, but always made sure she had time and space to dedicate to fitness.
Meritt’s other passions that keep her physically active include hula hooping, hiking, snowshoeing, and cross country skiing. Meritt’s Pilates journey began the spring of 2023 when her friend Chrissie was completing her Pilates training, and was running practice classes. Meritt regularly began attending classes, and was excited to begin her teaching journey through The Playground Pilates Collective’s training. There, she studied with Janine Markey and Alison Raeya, both Master Pilates instructors.
Upon completing her training, Meritt moved to Fort MacMurray, and began teaching at Oxygen Yoga & Fitness. Since then she has become a staple in their Pilates community, and looks forward to continuing to grow in her Pilates career.