Frequently asked questions
How do the Community Classes and sliding scale payment options work? We believe that movement and self-care should be accessible to as many people as possible no matter what their circumstances are, and we're here to serve our communities. With that in mind, a few times a month, we offer "Community Classes", where folks can join for free or pay by voluntary donation. All proceeds from these classes go to a local charity. We don't ask any questions about your circumstances or what you choose donate or if you choose to come for free... We're just happy to have you! If you have a request for a community class, please get in touch! We are here to serve you, and we love providing classes that are helpful to what you need right now.
How does preregistration for online classes work? Preregistration means that you're committing to **all** the offerings of a certain online class within a month by prepaying for your space, receiving a 15% discount off the drop-in price. This means your space is locked in and you can't cancel your class or carry your class over to the next month, but if something comes up and you can't make it to your class, you have the option of doing an alternative make up session within the same month if you give us a heads up. This option works great for folks who have a regular schedule and like keeping up with a consistent Pilates practice. If you like having more freedom with your appointments or if you find that it's hard to predict how your month is going to go, a punch pass is probably a better option for you. If your teacher has to cancel a class due to emergency or illness, you have the option of joining an alternative make up class, getting a refund for the missed class, or crediting that amount toward future classes. Preregistration opens the last week of the previous month and closes at the end of the first week of the applicable month. If you would like to preregister, send us an email or a direct message or give us a phone call, and we'll send you an invoice to your email that you can pay via e-transfer or credit card.
Do I need to bring anything for class? For in person classes, no. We've got you covered for everything from mats to water to masks (if you choose). You can just show up! We have two change rooms/washrooms (no showers) and a place to put your coat and belongings. For online classes, all you really need is you, an internet connection, a device that has a working camera and microphone, and enough space on the floor that you could make a snow angel without hitting something by accident. Beyond that, sometimes we will suggest having props on hand to make the class feel better for your body or to add some support or to make a class more fun. However, we always choose things that you can find around your own home. So if you don't have things like bands, bolsters, or weights, no worries! We're very happy to make do with things that are easy to find around your house like hand towels, pillows, folded blankets, scarves, cans of beans, etc! The evening before or morning of your class, we'll send out an email with your Zoom login along with a list of any props you may need for the class. You are always welcome to get in touch if you have a question about a certain prop or replacement, or if you want to let us know that you just don't have anything that works -- we're happy to adapt and accommodate!
What should I wear to my Pilates class? Generally, we recommend wearing whatever you feel comfortable, safe, and relaxed in. We do recommend wearing clothes that are not too stiff or restrictive, so jeans tend to not work well. Sometimes it is helpful for us as your teachers to be able to clearly see what your body is doing, so wearing things like leggings or traditional sports clothing can be helpful for that reason; however, it's most important to us that you feel peaceful and not distracted by what you're wearing -- so if you want to show up in your PJs, in a loose t-shirt, or baggy sweat pants, you do you! Please avoid wearing clothes with zippers or buttons to your studio appointments, because they often tear and scratch our mats and vinyl. Same goes for jewellery and earrings. Sometimes toe nail polish, thick lotion, heavy make up, and tanner can also damage our mats and equipment, so please consider that. You do not need to wear shoes for Pilates, and we don't require you to wear special socks unless you want to. At this point, we don't have a "dress code" per se, but we're all about body confidence and if you'd like to work out in a crop top and short shorts, go for it -- especially when you're joining us from home. For online classes, we do recommend having your camera on so that your teacher can see you and give you helpful feedback and keep so safe. So keeping that in mind, we do want to keep things PG in our group classes and while online cameras are on -- so as long as you can keep the NSFW bits covered up and be respectful of the other folks who might be joining your class with you, that's fabulous! What you do when the camera is off it totally up to you. For our studio classes, we have two change rooms available for use before and after your workout. We aren't a scent-free space by default, so if you want to wear perfume or scented products for your 1:1 session, that's all right with us. If you are scent-sensitive, let us know and we'll make sure to avoid triggering products or essential oils, and we can do our best to keep the room fresh and neutral for you. We're also happy to ask a group class to accomodate any sensitivities. Please be aware that we do use sanitizer and cleaners in our studio that have bleach and dish soap as ingredients. If you have long hair, you will probably appreciate having a hair tie so that your hair doesn't catch in the equipment. If you forget yours, we usually keep a fresh jar of them on hand.
I'm a returning client... Do I have to fill in the health and waiver form every time? No, you don't! The first time you book yourself into a class, you will have to fill out the comprehensive form and then confirm your class. On the confirmation page, you will see the option to create an account and save your information. You'll be asked to create an email/password combination. Then, for future bookings, you can log in and access your saved information. Up at the top right of the Acuity booking window, there are the words "Returning? Log in." By signing in, Acuity will remember your booking profile from before, and everything will be saved. Easy! Having an account with saved information also means that you can adjust and update your health information at any time if your health changes or if your circumstances change.
I feel super awkward about having my camera on. Do I have to? We totally get that! You're not alone with wanting to maintain your privacy, and we want you to feel safe and secure in our classes. That said, as teachers, we really do appreciate being able to see you so that we can give you specific helpful tips and help you have the most meaningful workout possible. We also want to make sure that you're moving safely. If you're feeling self-conscious or apprehensive about having strangers seeing you, you may find it helpful to consider: - We request that folks keep their Zoom program set to "speaker mode", where the teacher's screen is highlighted, and not have it set to "gallery mode" where everyone is visible. We want folks to be able to focus on their own workouts without being distracted by whatever other people are doing. We never record classes to share later, either privately or on social media. - Our classes are kept small (usually only 5 people at a time) and everyone joining has the same goal as you do -- to have a fun, friendly workout in an environment that is safe and positive. Everyone joining is supportive and kind, and (most, if not all) folks want their own privacy respected as well. - If you're feeling stressed and vulnerable, and if you don't want any public attention called to you at any point during a class, you can alert us to that on your registration and health form by letting us know that you may appreciate certain considerations or accommodations. We're happy to help however we can! - You may like setting up a short Zoom consultation/connection with either Mykaela or Nadea to ask questions and get a little more familiar with us, share your story, and get comfy with your Zoom setup before booking a class. We're happy to set that up with you!
What even is Pilates? We have a page all about that under our "About Us" heading. Originally called “Contrology”, the Pilates method was developed by Joseph Pilates (1883-1967) as a system of exercises that focus on finding symmetry and good postural alignment in the body, as well as increasing your overall strength, body awareness, flexibility, mobility, and functionality. It is known for being a great system to help increase core strength, but it is truly a total body workout.
Who are you guys, anyway? What are your qualifications? Glad you asked! We have more info on the page "Our Team" under the "About Us" heading above, but you can also reach out and ask if you have specific questions or if you want to know if we are up for dealing with a certain condition or special circumstance!
How do I book a duet? Duets have to be arranged privately and can't be booked on our public calendar since they involve booking two people at once. Usually any appointment time on our calendar that is open for a 60-minute private session can be made into a duet on request. Please note that our studio does not coordinate arrangements for finding a duet partner for you, so you will need to arrange for a partner for yourself.