Issue #454
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
How Embodiment Makes Pilates “Holistic” by Wendy LeBlanc-Arbuckle
As one of the Pilates teachers who received a cease and desist call in the early 90’s which led to being involved in the Class Action suit that freed up the Pilates name in 2000, it was interesting to witness the conversations about “classical and contemporary” Pilates that emerged after the trademark cancellation.
(My first business card)
The Pilates industry was launched at that time, even though most people could not spell Pilates, let alone know its roots. And there was a front and back to opening the door to anyone being able to use the name “Pilates”, as there were no teaching standards till we established the Pilates Method Alliance (PMA). It was an honor to be on the original role delineation committee with 11 other colleagues, establishing the first third party credential exam in 2005. It was a beginning, as we established the basic standards for a certified professional in our field, which is now the NCPT credential.
At our first gathering of the PMA in Miami, Kathy Grant was on a panel, and she was asked “what do you teach, classical or contemporary?” Kathy looked at the person quizzically and said “classical or contemporary, what is that? I just do what I do”. That changed everything for me, as I saw what was important was not a right/wrong approach, but how are we meeting the person where they are.
My journey in Pilates began in 1991, studying with Romana Kryzanowska at TPC, when she was creating the first teacher training program for Amy and Rachel, and then I continued studies with Romana at Drago’s in NY, Kathy Grant, Ron Fletcher, Mary Bowen and Lolita san Miguel to explore how they each taught their version of Joseph Pilates’ legacy. What was important when I began my Pilates studies, is that I “paused” my 20 year yoga practice in order to experience “what is Pilates?”
( Teacher Training with Romana)
For over four decades, Wendy has been a holistic coach and embodied movement educator and mentor who is deeply inspired by the wisdom of the body, fascial matrix awareness, and personal transformation. Her vision has come to life through studies with pioneers in yoga, Pilates, the somatic arts and sciences, Rolf Structural Integration bodywork, embryology, embodied breathwork and perceptual ontology, which inspired her creation of the unique 3CoreConnections® Embodied Awareness.
As founder and former director for Pilates Center of Austin, est. in 1993, her embodied approach to our living architecture empowers practitioners of any movement or bodywork discipline to shift from a biomechanical, pieces and parts, body as machine to be trained and fixed approach to a biointelligent, body as a living process, whole person approach. This seismic shift evokes an awareness of wholehearted listening and fluid intelligence, cultivating one’s authentic voice and vision, through the portal of innate biointelligent wisdom.
Wendy is currently writing a book for Handspring Publishing on her embodied approach to movement and bodywork, scheduled for publication in February 2026, entitled: MOVING BEYOND CORE: A Somatic Exploration Through Whole Body Relationships.
A founding member of the Pilates Method Alliance (PMA), the Fascia Research Society and International Association of Structural Integrators, (IASI), she was on the original role delineation committee for the creation of the PMA exam, is an NCPT, a presenter for Pilates Anytime and FusionPilatesEDU , and honored to be a Second Generation Passing the Torch Mentor, Continuum Teacher and Registered Somatic Movement Educator (RSME).
Contact Information:
Wendy LeBlanc-Arbuckle
512-554-8560
Website: 3-core-connections