Studio Instructors of Pilates

Jasmine de LaCruz-Simpson | Maureen Dunn | Amber Frye
Susan Hankinson | Terry Hendrickson | Aleda Keel
Melanie Murray | Abbey Richards | Betsy Thomas | George Watson

For information about personal training with any of these instructors, please see the Personal Training page.


Jasmine de LaCruz-Simpson Pilates Mat, On the Ball, Core & More, Hip Hop, Dance Fusion	Born in the Philipines and raised in Dallas, Jasmine has been active all her life. Enrolled in dance at the age of three, she studied classical ballet at Tuzer Dance Center in Richardson. She continued dancing and cheerleading throughout high school and at Loyola University. A knee injury her sophomore year forced her to the coaching side where she honed her choreography skills and produced many creative, high-energy routines. After graduation in 2001, she moved back to Dallas to open her own photography business. She became a certified fitness instructor through AFAA and began teaching dance and fitness professionally, specializing in hip hop aerobics, kickbox aerobics, Pilates mat, PiYo, strength training and aqua aerobics. Jasmine is certified by AFAA for group fitness instruction and personal training, FitTOUR for Pilates Mat and stability ball, Kaiser for indoor cycling, SCW Fitness for pre- and post-natal personal training, 24 Hour Fitness for PiYo, Reebok Core Board, YogaFIT, Nike Rockstar Instructor 2004-2006 (with Jamie King), and Moms In Motion. She attends continuing education workshops whenever possible, including Pilates with Siri Galliano and Stott Pilates. She is also the Dallas Representative for DanceLab.Us. Jasmine believes exercise should be fun! Everyone can dance, some better than others. However, the amount of fun you have doing it is up to you...

Maureen Dunn Pilates, Soma Moves, Yoga Flow, Core & More, On the Ball	Maureen has more than 20 years of experience as a professional dancer, choreographer, teacher, workshop facilitator, group exercise leader and personal fitness coach. She is certified for Pilates mat and equipment work through Physicalmind Institute. Maureen has a bachelors degree in Dance Performance from the University of Oregon and a masters degree in Choreography from the University of North Carolina. Her academic studies include anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, and a wide variety of dance genres and somatic techniques, with an emphasis on body awareness modalities developed by Alexander, Feldenkrais and Pilates. After beginning her career as a dancer, Maureen became interested in the health and fitness field 15 years ago when she realized that a regular cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training program can enhance well being, physical and mental acuity, energy, psychological clarity, emotional balance, and overall quality of life. She is currently pursuing her doctorate degree at Texas Woman’s University, researching creativity through movement expression and its role in facilitating enhanced transpersonal growth, spiritual awareness and psychological balance. Maureen’s aspiration is to help her clients achieve their physical goals and also appreciate the sustaining power of a holistic exercise program, everyday healthy lifestyle choices and focused, disciplined action. Learn more at Maureen's website.

Amber Frye Pilates	Amber's training in the Pilates Method began at MoveStudio with classes, workshops, private training, and much self-study and reading. She began to see her body change in ways she had not thought possible because of her past conditioning. She has been most influenced by master teachers Michael Miller and Donna Fisher, as well as all the MoveStudio instructors. In 2005 she completed her certification to teach matwork through Pilates Unlimited with Karen Sanzo. Amber has a deep appreciation and understanding of the strong foundation of the classical Pilates Method and the logical progression of the movements. She enjoys sharing with others her unique style of teaching and what she has learned from her own journey, in a fun, supported and welcoming class environment.

Susan Hankinson Pilates	Susan has many years of experience training a wide variety of clients, including those with special rehab needs. She is certified in classical Pilates Method matwork and equipment training through Power Pilates (2005), Romana's Pilates in NYC with Joseph Pilates' protege Romana Kryzanowska (2002), and PilateSystem with Colleen Glenn (1998). She is a member of the Pilates Method Alliance and has attended continuing education workshops with Pilates luminaries Romana Kryzanowska, Jay Grimes, Susan Moran, Bob Liekens, Peter Fiasca, Siri Galliano, Kathy Grant, Michael Miller, Howard Sichael, Colleen Glenn and Karen Sanzo.

Terry Hendrickson Pilates	Terry believes in playing hard for fun. She has participated in team sports since childhood and has competed in several triathalons. After being sidelined with a knee injury, she discovered Pilates. The non-impact exercises improved her flexibility, balance, agility, core strength, and endurance, and also introduced her to a new career. Terry continues to challenge herself, balancing family life (and raising three boys!) with her athletic endeavors. She strongly believes Pilates can enhance any athletic or physical performance. Terry is certified by Stott Pilates and Michael Miller Pilates. She hopes to share her joy of play with her students!

Aleda Keel Core & More, Yoga	Aleda has been teaching fitness classes for more than 20 years and has been practicing yoga since 1993. After experiencing a back injury, she immersed herself in the study and practice of yoga to heal her injury. This started her on the journey to learn to teach yoga to others. As an active dancer and fitness enthusiast, yoga had shown Aleda the connection of mind, body and breath in a new way, giving her increased energy, strength and concentration. Her passion is to touch as many people as possible with the joy and healing power of yoga. Her teaching style is influenced by the many master instructors she has had the good fortune to learn from; this includes teachings from B.K.S. Iyengar, Vanda Scaravelli, Rod Stryker, Ana Forrest, Anusara Yoga and the Pilates Method. Her class is “down to earth,” allowing her students to achieve their best in a relaxed atmosphere. Aleda is a Registered Nurse and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Physiology. Her education and training allows her to adapt the practice to the individual needs and abilities of her students. She received certification to instruct yoga in 2003 and continues to take classes and workshops, believing that her training is never completed.

Melanie Murray Pilates, Yoga	Melanie is certified in mat and equipment work by Stott Pilates and the PhysicalMind Institute and has been teaching since 2000. She began training with Joseph Pilates' protege, Romana Kryzanowska, while studying dance in New York. She also directed a Pilates studio in Minneapolis at the Minnesota Dance Theatre. Melanie danced professionally with several ballet companies after training extensively at some of the most prestigious schools in the country, including Joffrey and American Ballet Theatre. She earned her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Modern Dance from Texas Christian University, including advanced training in anatomy and kinesiology, and taught dance for several years at the college level. A yoga practitioner and teacher since the early 90s, Melanie has a daily meditation practice that includes chakra energy healing and breath work. She is certified by the White Lotus Foundation in Santa Barbara and has studied extensively with master yoga teachers such as Tias Little, Judith Lasater, Gary Kraftsow, and Elise Miller. Melanie has a Masters in Counseling Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute and is also experienced in energy healing and somatic psychology. She uses all of her training and experience in her teaching, which she considers a healing art form.

Abbey Richards Pilates	Abbey is in the process of completing her comprehensive mat, reformer, cadillac, chair, and barrel certification through Stott Pilates. She began practicing pilates at age 14 with Cheryl Miller in Springfield, MO. Pilates helped Abbey recover from a serious case of tendinitis and bursitis in her hip joints, which has inspired her to help others in this same capacity. Abbey received a BFA in Modern Dance and Minor in Arts Administration from Texas Christian University. She studied under Susan Douglas Roberts, Dr. Andrea Harris, and Christian Von Howard, among others. She was also selected to show one of her choreographic works to the TCU Fine Arts Guild. Abbey looks forward to sharing her passion for pilates and movement with her students.

Betsy Thomas Pilates	Betsy graduated from Columbia University with a Masters of Science Degree in 1983. Since then she has worked as a physical therapist in a variety of clinical settings from hospitals to outpatient clinics, including the Dallas branch of Kaiser Permanente and The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center of Dallas. The majority of her experience has been in the realm of orthopedics. Her journey with Pilates began five years ago with a four-hour class instructed by a local physical therapist. Intrigued and immediately sensing a connection with the strength of this exercise method, Betsy went on to complete a 600-hour Comprehensive Certification through Power Pilates. She brings many years of experience as an orthopedic physical therapist to her teaching. She is also working toward a second certification in Pilates Rehabilitation with Polestar Pilates to further her understanding of optimal exercises for the body human and all of the complex issues that come with living in the current age. Betsy is married and has two teenaged sons. Her exercise interests include rollerblading, swimming, kayaking, biking, and of course, Pilates!

George Watson Pilates, On the Ball, Core & More	George Watson embodies more than 25 years of professional experience in the fitness industry as a personal coach and athletic trainer to career athletes and sports enthusiasts. His current focus is in the application of the Pilates Method to traditional athletic and sports conditioning techniques in order to help athletes sustain the rigors of sports competition. George is a master personal trainer certified through the Cooper Institute. He earned his Pilates certification through Oasis Mind Body Conditioning, and he has NeuroCoreKinetics Phase I and II certification from T.A.N.K. (Training Athletes Neuro Kinetically) based in Houston. George has a Bachelor of Science degree from California State University in kinesiology and sports medicine. While earning his degree he served as Assistant Coach and Conditioning Specialist for the Santa Monica College Women’s Track Team under Tommie Smith, Olympic Gold Medalist and George’s longtime mentor. At Santa Monica College he also conducted physiology testing and fitness assessments, developed conditioning programs for injury prevention as well as therapies to minimize permanent injury-related damage, and worked in the physical rehabilitation department administering exercise programs for the disabled. Currently, George teaches and trains throughout the Dallas metroplex. He especially enjoys working with the football, basketball, baseball and crew teams at Jesuit Preparatory High School, applying his experience and knowledge of fitness conditioning to empower young athletes. As an athlete himself, George truly understands the value of proper conditioning. He knows when athletes are conditioned properly they are more likely to reach their fullest potential in their athletic pursuits with fewer injuries, whether competing professionally or just for fun. Find out more at his website, Get Fit By George.