Natasha Madel spends her life in pursuit of physical challenges and longevity.

At an early she started dance classes and by the age of fifteen was already dancing lead roles in the Johannesburg Youth Ballet and had travelled as far afield as London and Scotland as a member of the American San Jose Youth Ballet. In spite of these commitments, she achieved Highly Commended or Honors for all her Ceccheti examinations. A great achievement, as experienced dancers tended to shun these examinations. She also completed examinations in modern, national and Greek dancing, achieving excellent results. Elected head prefect in her final year at the Johannesburg Art Ballet Drama School, she matriculated with honors and several distinctions.

Natasha then accepted a position with PACT (Performing Arts ....), South Africa, and danced with the company for two years. She began as a member of the corps de ballet and progressed to a senior dancer in the corps in the space of a few short months. Thereafter her desire to travel could not be contained and she left South Africa for the United Kingdom.

It was in London’s Pineapple Studio, in 1990, that Natasha was first exposed to the Pilates Method. She trained with Romana Kryzanowska and in 2000, was certified as a 2^nd Generation international trainer. The next few years were spent, amongst other things, as an entertainer aboard luxury liners, a personal trainer in Johannesburg and training to become one of only 50 master Gyrotonics teachers in the world who studied with Gyrotonics founder Juliu Horvath.

Natasha eventually returned to South Africa to open her own studio in Johannesburg to teach the ‘pure’ method of Pilates. She continues manage The Pilates Studio, an extremely busy and successful studio, instructing and certifying 3^rd generation trainers and offering a range of post certification courses.

Pilates Background

• 1987  Matriculated Head Girl of Johannesburg School of the Arts,5 distinctions, distinction for Anatomy
• 1988 Joined PACT Ballet
• 1990 Introduced to Pilates at Pineapple Dance Studio, London
• 1991 Danced Chandris Cruise line: South America, Miami, Mexico, Caribbean
• 1993 Personal trainer for Seawind Cruise line
• 1994 Qualified as a Fitco Personal Trainer
• 1995 Teaching Pilates in Johannesburg
• 2000 Certified as 2^nd Generation International Pilates Instructor under Romana Kryzanowska, New York
• 2000  Helped set up a Pilates studio in Sydney, Australia
• 2001 Continual education with Sean Gallager
• 2001 Certified Gyrokenisis under Juliu Horvath, Germany
• 2003 Master Trainer Gyrotonic, introduced Gyrotonic to South Africa
• 2004 Certified Gyrotonic Ladder, New York
• 2005 Certified Gyrotonic, New York
• 2006 Presented: Pilates training for physiotherapists under Hitech,
• 2006 Teacher training in Hong Kong
• 2007 Basic yoga course
• 2008 Presented: Pilates on the roller course
• 2009 Presented: Rolling the body course
• 2010 Presented: Pilates for Children course,
• 2010 Continual Pilates training Singapore
• 2010 Presented: Pilates for Golfers course

When the mobilizers and the stabilizers work together in the body, the body is balanced. All the different muscle groups work in synergy and joints are held in their most favorable position. One can see this in a person with a perfect posture. When such a person moves, with good muscle recruitment and the stabilizers working correctly, there is minimal wear and tear on their joints and the body is in perfect harmony.

On the other hand with bad posture the stabilizers stop working and the mobilizers take on a stabilizing role. What you then end up with is the wrong muscles doing the wrong jobs, substituting and cheating to get  movement – eventually leading to pain and injuries.

Pilates exercises however concentrate on strengthening the stabilizers and restoring the balance in the body. Pilates also provides a greater focus and understanding of positioning of the body during exercise. Certain muscle groups are isolated – so no unnecessary energy is expended. In this way maximum performance is being achieved through focused effort on specific muscles. Weak muscles are strengthened and bulky muscles are elongated. The Pilates Method trains all of the muscles of the body to gain strength in the manner they are designed to perform. Everyone’s body has certain weaknesses inherent to that individual. A particularly useful feature of the Pilates Method is that it will make those places that need more work obvious. In turn, specific workouts can be designed to target imbalances and weaknesses specific to one’s body

• Your body becomes firmer and sleeker, with better shape
• You can move more easily and quickly perform many tasks, acquire many desired physical skills and better prevent injury
• The mind becomes the body’s master, increasing self-confidence and courage.
• Most back pain is relieved
• Muscle flexibility and joint mobility are improved
• Strength is added to the body without bulk
• The body’s coordination, posture, balance and alignment are correct.
• Fatigue, discomfort and pain are lessened

• improved flexibility
• increased muscle strength and tone
• balanced muscular strength
• enhanced muscular control
• improved stabilisation of your spine
• improved posture
• rehabilitation or prevention of injuries related to muscle imbalances
• improved physical coordination and balance
• relaxation
• safe rehabilitation of joint and muscular injuries
• increased lung capacity and circulation through deep breathing
• improved concentration
• increased body awareness

• No free play or quick/jerky movements
• No heavy weights
• Not many repetitions and sets
• No straining to the point of exhaustion
• Not physical therapy — but body conditioning or rehabilitative exercise
• Not boring

Joseph Pilates encouraged a long, straight spine supported by the girdle of abdominal strength he called the ‘power house’. Today Pilates instructors have expanded this to include the entire inner unit of core control, including pelvic floor, transvers abdominus and gluteals.