November 21, 2018
The Order – Learning from Romana
By Tricia Dean O’Donnell
In 1997, none of us realized we were observing history, while undergoing our teacher certification for The Pilates Method of Body Conditioning under the supervision of Romana Kryzanowska and Bob Liekens.
There were many apprentices, sometimes nearly twenty, at Drago’s gym coming and going at all times. We were never allowed to sit and simply observe. We had to keep moving or teaching on all apparatus, never staying in one place for long. When Romana thought we were not being productive, we were told to do “the Reformer on the Mat”, a very difficult mat sequence to keep our brains and bodies alert.
As apprentices, we spent many hours together remembering the order, finding acceptable cues, and practicing being the body or the instructor. The day started early for Romana, as early as 7am, maybe earlier. It ended at 1pm. Many of us stayed on longer or headed over to Sean Gallagher’s 74th street studio to observe Bob. On Fridays before Romana left for the day, Drago brought in a bottle of champagne. We toasted Romana. We toasted “Mr. Pilates”. We toasted to preserving the work we were being handed down.
In rare moments during our time at Drago’s Gym, Romana would let us sit and observe her work with one of her clients. How she worked with her clients was different than how she worked with the apprentices. The order was the order with the apprentices regardless of background, anatomy, level of experience, or size. As I understand and appreciate, Romana had to form a program where all of the principles and exercises were strictly followed. We, the apprentices, were being handed down Mr. Pilates’ work. If we did not understand the purpose of each exercise and how each exercise was the foundation to more challenging work, we could not pass on the method from generation to generation. It is similar to the game of telephone; the message gets hard to understand and lost in translation.
When we were fortunate enough to observe Romana with her personal clients, we learned she created specific programs for them and their issues. She adapted to her client. The “order” from the manual was less important. As I understand it, Joe’s clients were given their own program as well. They would receive a new exercise once they had mastered and remembered their order. As I was told, he would ask his clients to leave if they did not remember the exercises he had taught them as that indicated they lacked the discipline and focus he required. I was also told Clara would run after them and offer to teach them.
I have a Classical Ballet background – Balanchine trained, as was Romana. Never once did I feel I was in a ballet or modern dance class doing Pilates. I did feel Romana had a militaristic approach to movement, molding bodies into shape. It was physical and hard work, nothing delicate about it. The classical exercises were much more athletic than anything I had ever done. Women were asked to do the same exercises as men, pushups and all. The 6 foot 4 inch apprentices were asked to do the same as the 5-foot apprentices. There had to be energy and attack in the exercises. Nothing was about the line of the body, the periphery or aesthetic as in ballet. Pilates taught me to move from a much deeper place than I had ever known as a dancer. If only I discovered this inner strength and control, my ballet career would have lasted longer.
When I think back to what I refer to as Romana’s “real” clients, Mr. Glick with his couch pillows or Hank the tennis player with tennis elbow, I understand this is when the true learning occurred. Hank had worked with Romana for 8 years. He had a double hip replacement. The first four exercises Hank completed in his workout were: Footwork, The Hundred, Leg Circles, and Long Spine Massage. I never saw this order given to anyone else. Romana would say, “He is advanced”. The last exercise Hank would complete would be standing on the wunda chair, elbows pointing out, rolling a bar up and down with his hands and forearms while it was attached to a string with a sandbag at the bottom. Not in the manual!!
When Romana thought we were ready and had passed our 400-hour exam, we were given some of her clients. Ironically, the very first client Romana gave me was Suzanne Farrell, former Principal dancer from the New York City Ballet. Yikes! I quickly learned Suzanne was one of the “real clients” who needed to discover her “powerhouse”. She had her own order* (see below) and came to learn how to move from her center. She spent her entire life on stage, yet Romana was willing to put me, a humble apprentice, in charge of Mr. Balanchine’s muse (who was also Romana’s daughter-in-law). Suzanne had retired from the stage and had had a hip replacement, a few years prior to my meeting her. Romana’s words of wisdom to me: “She will want to do short spine and stomach massage, try to talk her out of it.” Suzanne did stick to “her order” and continued to do short spine and stomach massage. However, Romana had long ago changed the order to accommodate her hip issues. The changes were not random and were for Suzanne only.
As an instructor 21 years later, I have great respect for the order. It is what I pass on everyday, but I realize not everyone will do every exercise. There is a progression when teaching and how and when a new exercise is introduced. There are many tools we have been given: the wunda and high chair, the Cadillac, the matwork, the barrels, the reformer, pedipull and more. Each part of the Pilates system lays a strong foundation for the next layer of movement. There is no reason to give a client an exercise they are not ready for, mentally or physically. Romana’s words stick in my head every day, “If they cannot get their feet in the foot straps for short spine, they should not be doing short spine.”
*Suzanne Farrell’s order on the Reformer (1997)
Footwork
The Hundred
Coordination
Rowing w/stretches
Swan on the Barrel
Long Box (all)
Shortbox
Long Stretch Series
Elephant both regular and single leg
Semi-circle
Chest expansion
Thigh stretch (small)
Arm Circles
Leg Circles
Stomach massage few reps
Knee stretches all
Short spine
Running
Pelvic lift
Ballet stretches
Tricia Dean O’Donnell is a former Balanchine trained professional ballet dancer who studied at the School of American Ballet from 1979-1985. She danced as a soloist for Pennsylvania Ballet from 1985-1992. She was certified in 1997 by Romana Kryzanowka and Bob Liekens through the Pilates, Inc. Teacher Certification Program. Prior to her Classical certification she had studied Pilates with Brenda Anderson and Mary Kasokove who had studied with Carola Trier, Karen Carlson who had studied with Mary Bowen and Kathy Grant, and then Mejo Wiggin who encouraged her to join Romana’s program. Tricia is the studio owner and co-founder of Pilates in Port located in Port Washington NY, established in 2000 on Long Island. She has been teaching for over 21 years. Tricia has trained both Sarah and Emily Hughes, 2002 Olympic ladies figure skating gold medalist and 2006 USA Olympic ladies figure skating team member. In addition, Tricia is an adjunct professor at Adelphi University for the past 7 years bringing Classical Pilates to the dance majors. She will forever be a student, continuing her studies with Bob Liekens, Marika Molnar and more recently with Deborah Lessen.
Her favorite recent Joseph Pilates story took place approximately 5 years ago. A young woman was walking her dog in a park in a neighboring town of Port Washington. The woman was telling her friends how her back hurt. An older gentleman stopped her and told her, “This is what my friend Joe told me to do…” The older gentleman got down on the grass and started rolling like a ball. The young woman not knowing at all who or what he was referring too, later was referred to Tricia by a chiropractor for her back issues. When Tricia used the term “rolling like a ball” they both put it altogether! Unfortunately, we never found the man in the park!