20 years of Studio AnnaMora

Hi Anna, it’s so nice to meet you! Thanks for taking the time to sit with us. This year, it’s your studio’s 20th birthday. Congratulations! That’s a huge milestone and achievement. In honor of Studio AnnaMora’s 20th anniversary, we would like to present your story to our OneFit members. Therefore we have prepared some questions for you!

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do in daily life?

“Movement has been my passion in life since the very beginning. Coming from a background in professional dance, I understood early on the major impact which movement can have on your life, not only on your body. As like many other professional dancers, injuries were the cause of my decision to stop and focus on my second passion, teaching. Seeing my students connect to, understand and develop awareness of their bodies is what brings me joy.

My focus in day-to-day life is about creating a very personal approach to my students, in both group & private Pilates training. It is an honor to host a space, such as Studio AnnaMora in Amsterdam, where I have the opportunity to empower others every single day, so they become inspired to also follow their own passions and dreams.”

You were one of the first real boutique studios in Amsterdam, why did you start your studio all those years ago? And what was your vision?

“Giving our clients a variety of options to understand their body is what excites me and pushes me to keep on innovating the concept of my studio.

When I started, there were few Pilates studios in Amsterdam which offered a personalized experience. I also didn’t find a place which contained the variety of movement methods which I wanted to do, so I thought, why don’t I make it myself!

My vision was to create a high-quality, holistic movement center which would prioritize the client experience, offering them a personalized touch in top tier movement methods. Pilates was always the main focus, but I wanted people to also be able to explore more restorative training options such as MUNZ FLOOR & GYROTONIC®.

Today, Studio AnnaMora is not only a home for movement classes, but also specialized workshops, which offer a chance for our students to go deeper into understanding important movement topics, wellness retreats (1-day city retreats & longer international opportunities), and in-house therapies (Physiotherapy, Ilan Lev Method, Acupuncture and more).”

You personally know and have even trained several of -now- well-respected yoga and pilates trainers, some of whom have also started popular studios in Amsterdam. How is the contact between all of you? Do you still learn from each other?

“One of the true benefits to being among the original pilates studios in the Netherlands has been getting to know so many fantastic professionals over the years. Now that several of my students have gone on to create their own successful studios, we discovered the importance of maintaining our network as Pilates professionals.

We can help each other to negotiate what we find important in the field, while also keeping each other sharp, never stopping the process of questioning, and developing the latest methods and techniques.

I am a founding member of a new foundation called the Pilates Professionals of the Netherlands (PPN), which is precisely designed to connect all of the Pilates trainers around the country (and soon to be the entire Benelux area!). The PPN aims to create a recognised standard so that the profession can maintain its high level of certification for all future and current teachers.”

It’s your studio’s anniversary in September, can OneFit members celebrate with you?

“Yes, certainly! We have something special for the OneFit community. What’s a better way to celebrate than with movement? Therefore, we would like to give away 4 free spots to two of our classes.

• 2 spots Barre Burn (class of 03/10 at 18:30)
• 2 spots Springboard (class of 25/09 or 29/09 – both at 9:00am or 30/09 at 9:15am)

How can you win one of these spots? Go to OneFit’s Instagram page, find the post about our anniversary, like the post and comment why you would like win one of the free classes with AnnaMora. We hope to see you there!”

What is your best memory of the past 20 years of Studio AnnaMora?

“In 20 years of teaching there are way too many highlights to choose only one! The real highlight is that every single day I get to see my dream coming to life. I can witness this every time I see the studio filled with such a diversity of people and classes, and to see the joy that the classes bring to my students.

But if I have to name an example, it would be an incredible rehabilitation story, working with my client Pieta, until she could walk & move freely after doctors told her she will never be able to have a full range of motion again. Over the years, I have ended up going on to teach her ballet and choreography. Pieta continues her practice with us every week!”

What are you most proud of achieving with AnnaMora?

“I’m the proudest to know that what we offer people positively impacts their lives every time they step in/out of the studio! We work with and across several generations of people. It is so inspiring to see that no matter your age or background, Pilates has proven positive effects, and we get to be a part of that legacy.”

Why did you decide to start working with OneFit? And what has it brought the studio so far?

“I believe everyone should have the possibility to access the Joy of Movement. OneFit allows us to reach a wider range of clients, such as students or young professionals, who maybe have a smaller budget for training but still want to benefit from the personalized experience of a boutique style studio.”

Pilates is very much booming in the bigger cities, why do you think that is?

“The amazing benefits of Pilates have been known within the community of dancers for ages. Luckily, this information has started to become more widely known to the public. The development of the education centers, such as Polestar Pilates, has been growing in the major cities as well. This creates a wider access for aspiring Pilates teachers to get a strong education. The combination of increased supply (new strong teachers) and the increased demand (Pilates benefits are more widely known) has created a booming Pilates industry in major cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam & Den Haag. As Joseph Pilates said, “you are as old as your spine.” You can feel the truth behind these words as soon as you experience a good Pilates class for yourself.”

What still keeps you motivated?

“What keeps me motivated are the continuous discoveries I can make about the endless possibilities the body has to offer. Everyday I meet people with individual needs and goals, and it’s my passion to help them. I love to see how huge the impact of movement can be. My team shares this passion with me, making the studio environment one of constant development & motivation to push each other forwards.

As my motto says, “the joy of moving” is what has always kept me motivated. I will never get tired of sharing that JOY with others.”

Can we expect another 20 years of AnnaMora?

“The beauty lies in the fact that over the last 20 years I have been lucky enough to build the studio into a creative movement container which holds many possibilities. Studio AnnaMora will certainly continue for at least another 20 years, but it will also certainly shift and transform as it needs to. As long as I have a good team around me, I know I want to keep teaching until I am very old.”

Lastly: why should OneFitters definitely join an AnnaMora class soon? Is there a specific class that you would recommend?

“For all the above reasons, if you are a committed mover, you will find all the tools you need to create your ideal movement routine here within the studio. Learn from our inspiring roster of trainers all with a unique style & train in our beautiful central location. You will definitely experience the joy of movement, leaving you with a sense of lightness and pride for taking care of your body & mind.”

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