Presenters
Grand Master Instructor Trainers
SARI MEJIA SANTO
Sari really needs no introduction. Romana’s daughter was introduced to Joseph and Clara Pilates as a child and grew up in the Pilates Studio learning from Joe and Clara Pilates. Sari also shares her mothers life long passion for teaching others the original true Pilates method.
After being introduced to Pilates through her alignment, Sari required a talent for it. She first admired it because it had helped her so much and then she saw what she could do to help other people physically and mentally Sari, along with her brother Paul were called the original “ Pilates babies” at the insistence of Joseph Pilates who asked them to call him Uncle Joe. While Romana was mainly Joseph’s protégé , Sari studied deeply with Clara, bringing another sensibility to this wonderful work.
CYNTHIA LOCHARD
Born in New York City, Cynthia began learning The Pilates Method in 1976 as a young dancer with the New York City Ballet. During this time she practiced Pilates at Joseph Pilates’ studio with Romana. By the end of 1987 Cynthia moved to Sydney and from 1990-1992 she continued her dance career with the Sydney Dance Company and later with Bangarra Dance Theatre. In 1994 she returned to New York to study as an instructor under the guidance of her teacher and mentor Romana Kryzanowska.
Returning to Sydney later that year as a certified instructor of the true Pilates method, Cynthia opened The Pilates Method Studio and Training Centre in Surry Hills, Sydney Australia. Cynthia started instructor training in 1998 and in 2009 Cynthia became one of only four Grandmasters. Cynthia has trained all the true Pilates instructors operating in Australia today and continues to travel the world, sharing her vast wealth of knowledge visiting studios and conducting seminars.
DARIA PACE
Daria is the granddaughter of Romana, daughter of Sari and has spent her life working alongside her mother and grandmother. Today she is the Principle Officer of RPI and continues to teach with her mother at the Romana’s Pilates International home studio in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. When Daria was three, her grandmother developed a ballet and movement class incorporating Pilates through imagination. She has been practicing Pilates ever since and is proud to be called a “Pilates baby.” She has since taught with Romana and Sari throughout Europe, Australia, Central/ South and North America.
JUANITA LOPEZ
Juanita “studied at Romana’s feet” from 1988 until Romana’s death in 2013. Juanita began her study long before there was a program, soaking up Romana’s wisdom through her intuition, imagination and sharp intelligence. Juanita continues to honor Romana’s legacy by adhering closely as she can to the many things Romana taught her directly. She has since taught throughout the United States and Europe and at all the International Conferences of Romana’s Pilates International. Juanita continues to work closely with Sari and now Daria, Romana’s granddaughter who leads the Romana’s Pilates International organization.
Presenters
Grand Master Instructor Trainers
SARI MEJIA SANTO
Sari really needs no introduction. Romana’s daughter was introduced to Joseph and Clara Pilates as a child and grew up in the Pilates Studio learning from Joe and Clara Pilates. Sari also shares her mothers life long passion for teaching others the original true Pilates method.
After being introduced to Pilates through her alignment, Sari required a talent for it. She first admired it because it had helped her so much and then she saw what she could do to help other people physically and mentally Sari, along with her brother Paul were called the original “ Pilates babies” at the insistence of Joseph Pilates who asked them to call him Uncle Joe. While Romana was mainly Joseph’s protégé , Sari studied deeply with Clara, bringing another sensibility to this wonderful work.
JUANITA LOPEZ
Juanita “studied at Romana’s feet” from 1988 until Romana’s death in 2013. Juanita began her study long before there was a program, soaking up Romana’s wisdom through her intuition, imagination and sharp intelligence. Juanita continues to honor Romana’s legacy by adhering closely as she can to the many things Romana taught her directly. She has since taught throughout the United States and Europe and at all the International Conferences of Romana’s Pilates International. Juanita continues to work closely with Sari and now Daria, Romana’s granddaughter who leads the Romana’s Pilates International organization.
CYNTHIA LOCHARD
Born in New York City, Cynthia began learning The Pilates Method in 1976 as a young dancer with the New York City Ballet. During this time she practiced Pilates at Joseph Pilates’ studio with Romana. By the end of 1987 Cynthia moved to Sydney and from 1990-1992 she continued her dance career with the Sydney Dance Company and later with Bangarra Dance Theatre. In 1994 she returned to New York to study as an instructor under the guidance of her teacher and mentor Romana Kryzanowska.
Returning to Sydney later that year as a certified instructor of the true Pilates method, Cynthia opened The Pilates Method Studio and Training Centre in Surry Hills, Sydney Australia. Cynthia started instructor training in 1998 and in 2009 Cynthia became one of only four Grandmasters. Cynthia has trained all the true Pilates instructors operating in Australia today and continues to travel the world, sharing her vast wealth of knowledge visiting studios and conducting seminars.
DARIA PACE
Daria is the granddaughter of Romana, daughter of Sari and has spent her life working alongside her mother and grandmother. Today she is the Principle Officer of RPI and continues to teach with her mother at the Romana’s Pilates International home studio in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. When Daria was three, her grandmother developed a ballet and movement class incorporating Pilates through imagination. She has been practicing Pilates ever since and is proud to be called a “Pilates baby.” She has since taught with Romana and Sari throughout Europe, Australia, Central/ South and North America.
MARJORIE ORON
As a professional dancer, Marjorie studied at the Rotterdam Dance Academy and went on to dance with the modern jazz dance company “Djazzex”. Four years later she moved to New York, to join the world-famous classical ballet company “Dance Theatre of Harlem”. During her time in New York she was introduced to Romana and True Pilates as she had a serious ankle injury. In this process, Marjorie discovered her inner fire for Pilates, and learned the system inside out, working side by side with Romana to become a Pilates instructor. Once certified, she opened the first recognized Pilates studio in Europe in 1994, receiving Romana’s blessing for the opening. Marjorie continued to study with Romana Kryzanowska and was hand-picked to become an instructor trainer. She started the first Pilates instructor training program in Europe.
Senior Master Instructor Trainers
CYNTHIA SHIPLEY
Cynthia became a student of Pilates in the late 1980’s when referred by the Dance Theatre of Harlem where she was dancing. Cynthia first became a practice body for students and eventually became an instructor herself. Cynthia remained working with Sari and Romana until they departed NYC. She opened her own studio Lifespan Pilates in NYC with Tasha Norman also a former gymnast and dancer. Sari and Daria continue to travel to NYC and frequently work at Lifespan Pilates.
PHILIPPE TAUPIN
Philippe is from Paris, France and is graduate of the Pilates Method of origin, the Romana’ School of New York, since 1995. Having practiced sports such as martial arts, figure skating, and fencing, he started the Pilates method during his first stay in New York in 1991. But in 1993 he returned to the United States and devoted himself seriously to learn the Pilates method at Drago’s Gym in NYC with Romana Kryzanowska.
Philippe then stayed in NYC continuing to teach and learn at Drago’s for 2 years with Romana and Sari. In 1997, he introduced Pilates in France (there was no Pilates Studio at all at this time) by opening his studio in Paris, the Studio Pilates de Paris. He has conducted numerous workshops in the USA, north Africa and Europe, as well as at Stutggart Vienna with dancers and at the Hospital de Banburry in England. He became a level III trainer in 2003, then named level II in 2007 and level X in 2017. For over 18 years he has trained more than 260 Pilates teachers who have taught since then in France and abroad.
ANTHONY RABARA
Anthony was introduced to the Pilates studio and to Romana in 1979 because of a dance injury. Later, Romana asked him to help her teach at the studio then located on West 56th street in NYC. It was a time before Pilates videos and books, when each teacher learned the Pilates Syllabus on all the equipment. “Romana ran the studio, paid our salaries, taught and the time to teach each of us Joe’s work.” Anthony opened his own studio in Princeton , NJ Rabara Pilates in the late 1980’s. He continued to work with Sari and Romana when they were in NYC.
RHONDA CELENZA
Had her first lesson with Romana in 1993, and was certified in 1995. Rhonda continues to take weekly lessons with Juanita since 1993 and has been working with her since. At the request of Romana, Sari and Daria, Rhonda opened her own studio, Pilates Connection in Evanston in 2003. Romana frequently enjoyed going to Rhonda’s studio. Rhonda continues to run the training program after she sold it Dawn Friedman in 2023.
Master Instructor Trainers
ROXANE RICHARDS HUANG
Roxane started teaching in 1989 in New York City with Romana Kryzanowka and Sari Mejia Santo. Roxane earned a M.A. from New York University in Performance and Choreography in Dance, and a B.S in Dance from Shenandoah University. Roxane graduated from the Swedish Massage Institute in New York City as a Licensed Massage Therapist. In 1989 Roxane became a certified Pilates Instructor and few years later one of the first handpicked instructor trainers by Romana Kryzanowska. Roxane studied and taught alongside Romana and Sari Mejia-Santo at Drago’s Gym, in NYC for 10 years. She also worked at JRW Physical Therapy in New York City for 10 years where she had clients with a wide range of injuries and disabilities as well as with professional athletes. Since 2003 she has ran her own Pilates Studio in Vancouver, WA near Portland, OR. Roxane continues to travel nationwide training students and teachers from all over the world.
TRISH GARLAND
Trish Garland was hand-picked by Romana Kryzanowska to carry on Joseph Pilates’ legacy. Now a world-renowned Romana’s Pilates Master Instructor Trainer, she oversees clients and instructors at the Los Angeles training center and teaches internationally at seminars and symposiums.
Before Pilates, Trish starred in the original Broadway production of A Chorus Line, creating the role of “Judy Turner” and earning the Drama Desk Award. The musical won nine Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. This year marks its 50th anniversary celebration.
Trish lives in Los Angeles with her husband George Drucker and continues to share her passion for Pilates and Buddhism around the world.
MICHAEL LEVY
Michael has a BFA and MFA in dance. He became an instructor under Romana’s guidance 34 years ago. For 21 of those years he owned and operated one of the first Romana’s Pilates studios in Southern California, in which he hosted Romana and Sari numerous times. Michael was frequently Romana’s demonstrator and assistant. He is one of only three men Romana chose to be featured in the DVD: Romana on Pilates, the Legacy Edition.