Jen Painter
Jennifer graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Theater from Florida State University. She’s been teaching the Gyrotonic Method since 2004, and is well versed in many of it’s applications and specialized equipment. In addition to teaching, Jennifer is also a professional dancer in the NYC area. When not inspiring others to move and pursue healthy lifestyles, Jennifer enjoys being outdoors. She loves to hike, bike, kayak, swim, go camping, surf, spend time on the beach, read, and play sports.

Uli Turowsky
Uli’s passion for movement and dance is what brought her to the U.S. She received her BFA in dance from Danshogskolan in Stockholm, and has taught and performed both in Europe and NYC. Now, she resides in Red Hook, Brooklyn Uli with her husband Michael and their dog Sammy. She’s well-versed in both the Pilates and Gyrotonic Methods, having received certifications in both, plus specialized equipment. She reached Trainer Status in the PAI and STOTT Pilates trainings, and has certified hundreds of individuals throughout the world.

Christine McEwan
Christine McEwan brings over 25 years of teaching experience in ballet and modern and over 10 years of teaching experience in Pilates and Gyrotonic to the Kinespirit community. She is a graduate of Ryerson University Theatre and Dance School Toronto Ontario Canada, and has danced throughout Europe, Canada, and the U.S. In Addition to Christine’s movement background in dance, she is certificatified in the Pilates, Gyrotonic, and BodyTalk methods. She’s taken courses with neuro-muscular movement specialist Irene Dowd in Anatomy and postural training to further her understanding of movement and the human body.

Shelley Poovey
Shelley brings a diverse movement background to Kinespirit. Prior to moving to NYC, she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from UNC-Chapel Hill with a focus in Cognitive and Biological Psychology. While at UNC, she was a research assistant to Professor Christina Burbeck, experiencing cutting edge research in visual perception. Her passion for the body and movement is what drives her through life, leading her to extensive mind/body research and training. In addition to her vast repertoire of Gyrotonic and Pilates certifications/trainings with some of the fields’ best master trainers, Shelley is a Certified Bodytalk Practitioner, having completed advance courses in Sports Medicine, Chinese Medicine, Osteopathy, and Orthopedic Evaluation Techniques. She attended the Pacific College for Oriental Medicine, where she completed master courses in Chinese Medicine and Level 1 Training in Tui Nai Physical Therapy Massage. She studied Swedish and Thai Massage techniques at the Swedish Institute and received training from Tom Myers in Developemental Embryology and Bodywork. In NYC, she worked with Irene Dowd and Rebecca Dietzel, taking courses on “Anatomy/Kinesiology of the Spine, Trunk, and Limbs” and “Inflammation: Healing with Movement and Nutrition.” Additionally, Shelley received 12 months in-depth Dance Therapy training with master therapist Janice Geller. She continues to dance throughout NYC and has her own NYC based dance company. Incorporating all of her knowledge and training, Shelley’s teaching methods focus on healing and strengthening the whole mind and body.

Michelle Weber
Michelle Weber began her dance training at a young age, while growing up in Western Massachusetts. She is a technically trained dancer in ballet and jazz. She loves partnering, tumbling, ballroom, and theater. Michelle has danced and choreographed professionally in New York and LA across the mediums of film, television, and live theater, working with artists such as Michael Jackson, Brian Setzer, Brian McKnight, Ray Romano, Mike Myers, and Spike Jonze. She has also had the honor of working on the choreography for the film A Christmas Carol with Jim Carey, and performed with the first national tour of the Broadway show CONTACT. Michelle has an extensive background in both Gyrotonic and Pilates and enjoys not only teaching, but learning from her students.

Nathalie Davis
Natalie Davis has been teaching Gyrotonic and Pilates since 2006. In quite the juxtaposition, she previously worked in Finance as a Security Trader. She has a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Management. Natalie loves to read, but isn’t sure she’s ready to go digital yet and give into the Kindle.

Serena Edwards
Serena is from California, where she grew up studying a variety of dance styles and movement modalities. She moved to New York to pursue a career in modern and contemporary dance. In an effort to address several lingering injuries she discovered Gyrotonic, which proved to be nothing short of life changing. Practicing gyrotonic has brought not only greater ease, strength and joy in movement, but also more feelings of energy and vitality than ever before. Serena feels very lucky to be able to teach and share this wonderful methodology!.

Frances Baca
Frances is a Pilates Academy International certified trainer, as well as Gyrotonic Apprentice Trainer. She draws from her diverse sports, dance and martial arts training to help understand and meet her clients goals."

Celia Devoe
Celia graduated earned her B.A. in Dance with an Education Concentration from Marymount Manhattan College. She is a freelance modern dancer, constantly performing in venues throughout the NYC area. In addition to teaching Gyrokinesis, Celia also teaches dance and creative movement to students of all agea. She enjoys crossword puzzles, math games, trapeze, yoga, cycling, hiking, studying anatomy, traveling, laughing, loving, and strives to constantly grow as a student and teacher.

Abbe Ouziel
Abbe is a graduate of the Ailey/Fordham BFA proram. While studying at the Alvin Ailey School, she became well versed in the modern techniques of Martha Graham and Lester Horton. To further her dance training, she went to Israel to train with famed choreographer Ohad Naharin’s Batsheva Dance Company. More recently, Abbe has been testing out her acting chops and completed a one year conservatory program through the Barrow Group. She’s been a student of the Gyrotonic Method for eight years and has been teaching it for the past three years. She continuously strives to gain more knowledge about anatomy and various movement techniques to incorporate into her teaching. When she’s not teaching, dancing, or acting, Abbe finds enjoyment from traveling, music, and meeting new people.

Emily Moore
Emily graduated from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in dance. Her knowledge of movement and the human body is vast and diverse. In addition to teaching and being a student of the Gyrotonic Method, Emily also teaches and participates in Thai Bodywork, Chi Nei Tsang Abdominal Chi Massage, MELT Method, Qigong and the Healing Tao, and Contact Dance Improvisation. Currently, she is a member of projectLIMB, a performing arts co-op intent on connecting communities with their bodies, landscape, resources, and each other. She also participates in Altaer Education, which is an initiative that offers wilderness retreats as a means to inspire individuals through yoga, dance, and meditation. Emily attributes her growth to her wonderful teachers: projectLIMB, Leda Franklin, Daria Fain, Irene Dowd, Mantak Chia, Deborah Hay, Sue Hitzmann, Juliu Horvath, Lower Left, Debra Rose, Kaline Alayna, Felicity Joy, Chantal Deeble, and Jennifer Daly!

Elisabeth Demmer
A native of Santa Fe, NM Elizabeth has been dancing most of her life. Studying many different dance forms including Ballet, Modern, Jazz, and Ballroom dance Elizabeth quickly found her passion in movement and dance. Elizabeth studied with companies such as Alonzo Kings Lines Ballet, The Oregon Ballet Theater, American Conservatory Theater, and Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. She went on to perform at various places in the US and Argentina. Elizabeth was introduced to Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis through her dance career and is now a certified Gyrotonic instructor and currently in the process of getting her Gyrokinesis certification. Elizabeth loves sharing her joy of movement and dance with others.

Sera-Kim Huenergard
Sera received her Bachelor of Arts in dance and her Bachelor of Fine Arts in sculpture from the University of Washington. She then went on to graduate from the Swedish Institute College of Health Sciences with an AOS Massage Therapy. A ‘Jane of all trades,’ Sera continues to dance in NYC with ZviDance, as well as explore her interests in costume design - a self-taught craft, but her collaborative work has already been reviewed by New York Times and NY Arts Magazine. Sera has also trained in Pilates Mat work with the Kane School of Core Integration. Currently, she is engaged in postbacculaureate studies at City College, with the intentions to apply to medical school or an advanced healthcare program.

Carin Gao
After graduating from Boston University with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations, Carin began her search for a career, which would involve helping others. She felt like she fulfilled this quest upon becoming a student of Pilates. Learning to be in her body with freedom, grace, ease and confidence was such a gift that she wanted to be able to do the same for others. Now, Carin is certified in Pilates Mat and Apparatus, as well as Gyrotonic Tower and Jump Stretch Board. She works intuitively with her clients and strives to bring balance, strength, knowledge and the joy of movement into their daily lives.