About Bodyline™ Pilates

---

Maria Leone, the driving force behind Bodyline™, has been teaching Pilates since 1989 and training teachers for well over a decade. She first discovered Pilates at New York University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the prestigious Tisch School of the Arts. Maria left New York to pursue her dance career in Los Angeles where she danced and choreographed for some of the most respected luminaries in the business including Debbie Allen and Paula Abdul. Bodyline™ was created in 1994, and in 1999 Maria became the certifying teacher in Los Angeles for the PhysicalMind Institute, the first national organization to offer Pilates education. In 2013 Maria became part of the faculty for Balanced Body University, the education branch of Balanced Body, the largest Pilates equipment manufacturer in the United States.

Maria is internationally recognized for her holistic, integrative approach to the Pilates method. She strongly believes Pilates is a mind-body discipline and is greatly influenced by her love of dance and movement. She holds a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and enjoys integrating aspects of her martial arts mastery into her training sessions. Maria's expertise in rehabilitative training makes her highly sought after by clients with hip replacements, spinal fusions, and other debilitating ailments. She has spent extensive time in Saudi Arabia rehabbing clientele and also worked with Olympic snowboarder Louie Vito post surgery. She has been a guest teacher at wellness spas such as the Golden Door and Cal a Vie, and has presented workshops at the Pilates Method Alliance and Body Mind International. Maria enjoys working with a diverse clientele that includes athletes, philanthropists, Octogenarians and celebrities which include Jennifer Aniston. She maintains a philosophy that highlights working with clients as individuals, and teaches instructors from a platform that emphasizes education in conjunction with dynamic movement.

Maria and the DVD series she created, Pilates on the Go, have been featured in Allure, Elle, and Fitness Magazine. She has written numerous articles and workout features for Pilates Style magazine and the Huffington Post. Maria holds Pilates certifications from the Pilates Method Alliance, Balanced Body, PhysicalMind Institute and the Pink Ribbon Program. Her years of experience and extensive knowledge has also led her to be sought out to testify as an expert witness on specific cases involving Pilates. Although recognized as a master trainer in her industry, Maria still considers herself a student and continues to hone her craft.