Lynda-Anne Gray
Principal, Cadence Consulting

My name is Brian Orser. I am an eight time Canadian Figure skating champion, World champion and two time Olympic silver medalist. I have been working as a professional performer for fifteen years. The Pilates method has been part of my training program for two years. Jacqueline Ethier has been my personal instructor in Pilates. Pilates is a great fit for skating as it targets core strength, flexibility, and overall body awareness. My profession is all about movement, balance and motion and Pilates has assisted greatly in those areas. Jacqueline's sensitivity to my needs for figure skating has been very beneficial and her attention to technique is excellent. I have noticed a positive difference in my skating since my training with Jacqueline began and will keep Pilates as part of my training routine.

Brian Orser

I have come along way with the help of Jacqueline Ethier and the Pilates Space over the last 4 ½ years. My flexibility, endurance, abdominal strength and general feeling of well-being have all increased enormously. When Jackie and I began my training, I was hoping to complement my running with some strengthening and flexibility. It has done that and more. Jackie has helped me prepare for three marathons and looking forward to the fourth. Her skill, patience and wonderful sense of humour make each session something I look forward to every week. I can't recommend Jackie and the Pilates Space highly enough. It is more than just exercise for the body . an hour with Jackie restores your entire sense of equilibrium.

Moira Johnson
Moira Johnson Consulting

I started doing Pilates a couple of years ago as a complement to weight-training. I have found that it is excellent for building core muscle strength and improving flexibility and balance. Lots of NFL players have also taken it up in recent years for these reasons. Pilates Space is not like an ordinary gym. The classes are small, and the instructors give you lots of individual attention to make sure that your technique is correct.

I have to travel a lot for my work, and I find that Pilates is a great way to recover from a long flight. Also, if where I am going doesn't have a gym, I just pack my Fletcher towel and am able to have a good workout anyway. (My towel has already traveled thousands of miles.)

Blair Hodgson
Director, Fisheries and Oceans Canada

I'd read about Pilates in magazines. It was described as the workout for the stars. It seemed out of reach for someone who isn't graceful and prefers high impact sports. Over the years, I've been in and out of physiotherapy clinics and acupuncture therapy for muscle strain/sprains. Finally, my physiotherapist recommended that I check out Pilates as a form of strengthening/conditioning my muscles without bulking up; as I had in the past with weight training.

Four years after my first date with a Reformer, I still marvel at Jackie's joie de vivre, her sense of humour and her ever-improving ability to challenge her students! Regardless of my mood when I walk in the door, Jackie's classes leave me exhausted and revitalized at the same time. Her teaching methods combined with her knowledge of Pilates and dancing have helped me improve my posture, balance, strength and body awareness, which in turn has made me a better and more resilient athlete. I highly recommend Jackie as an instructor for anyone striving to improve their overall health and fitness, including flexibility, muscle strength and in the process, improve their self-esteem.

Sincerely,
Kate Fleming
Manager of Projects
Sustainable Development Technology Canada

After 17 years of chronic aches and pains from injuries sustained in a 1988 car accident, I have finally begun to experience pain relief as a direct result of what I am learning at the Pilates Space.

Jacqueline Ethier and her team of qualified, enthusiastic and incredibly supportive Pilates instructors provide customized instruction to meet my needs. I am given modifications to compensate for my limitations so I am able to exercise safely, effectively and without triggering debilitating pain. Unlike traditional exercise, I am able to take what I learn in my weekly mat class and apply it outside the studio, enabling me to move through each day with greater physical comfort.

Pilates is helping me progress beyond the limitations of traditional physical rehabilitation. It helps rebuild and rebalance muscle strength and realign posture. All of this improves function, reduces pain, and reduces the chance of further damage that can be caused by misalignment and imbalance.

Jackie and her Pilates Space team provide an environment of support, encouragement and fun where everyone is welcome. They have male and female clients who come in all shapes, sizes, ages and abilities. You are encouraged to work within you own level of ability and your progress is always recognized and supported.

If you are looking for a relaxed and welcoming place to explore whether Pilates is right for you I strongly recommend visiting the Pilates Space. You are sure to find a Pilates Space instructor who is able to meet your specific needs and help you achieve your personal goals.

If I can make this kind of progress I truly believe anyone can.

Susan McDonald
MVA Survivor and Dedicated Pilates Space student

After some thirty years of intensive physical activity coupled with a sit down job; my body was starting to show real damage. I had worked the Pilates mat exercises into my normal routine, but was having a hard time finding a teacher and a studio where I felt both comfortable and challenged. The Pilates Space provided just such an environment and its founder, Jacqueline Ethier, is a superbly trained teacher who couples her technique with a gentle spirit, an awareness of the psychological needs of her clients, and a sense of humor. I have been working with her for two years and during that time she has managed to reverse much of the difficulty I was having from overworking in the gym. Most importantly, she has encouraged me to work out on my own and equipped me with good technique so I can. She has also made sure that each of the instructors in the Pilates Space shares her values and philosophy. She is a coach in the best sense of the word and I leave her classes with a relaxed body, a calm mind, and renewed energy for other aspects of my life. I do not hesitate to recommend the Pilates Space to my friends, colleagues, and clients.

Pat Gervaize, Ph.D.
Women's Health Psychologist

I could tell from the moment I met Jacqueline that she has a passion for what she does. I could also tell she genuinely cares about the health and progress of her clients. Her enthusiasm is infectious. One cannot help but succeed under Jacqueline's' tutelage. Her knowledge and attention to detail guarantees you will progress safely, gradually within your limits but continually challenging those limits.

In my 30 years of training and lifestyle management coaching there have been but a very few people who have left an impression such as Jacqueline does. It is a rare and refreshing experience to cross paths with one who is passionate and knowledgeable at their chosen profession.

Jacqueline - may you succeed in all you set out to accomplish.

BELIEVE ---- ACHIEVE

Marshall

Jacqueline Ethier of The Pilates Space has been my Pilates trainer since I began Pilates training about two and a half years ago. I had previously done yoga and began training on the Reformer and Cadillac with Jackie shortly after I began the mat work, doing this about twice a week.

She is a marvelous trainer and person, very careful in watching every move I make and correcting my postures; she is always cheerful and upbeat and I look forward to each session with her. We have become friends despite our huge age gap (I am 65).

I have a shoulder prosthesis in my right shoulder, which limits movement in my right arm. This had been a depressing factor in my life and exercise routines after an accident in 1991. With Pilates, I have not only a new, strong arm -- and barely realize that there is a prosthesis inside anymore -- but also a new body. My lower body strength has increased tremendously and I can run up and down stairs like a child. I went on a hike with my 25-year-old daughter and her friend last summer and had no trouble keeping up with them to the top of the Algonquin trail.

I strongly recommend Pilate to anyone who wants more energy, control over their body and fun. Jackie's training, wisdom and encouragement will give these to you.

Marguerite Rose Dove
Cultural Affairs Officer