Reflections on the Year at Muse
BY KERI O’MEARA
Well that went by fast. Oof, see ya later 2023.
The last few months have been really painful ones for the world. We have been really proud of you all, continuing to show up at The Muse and taking care of yourself. We know it's been heavy and hard to do so at times and we commend you.
As you have discovered, regular Pilates practice will regulate your nervous system, relax your mind (if even just for the 50 minutes of class), change neural pathways to help you move differently and connect to self - which in our opinion, helps us in relation with other people as well and; helps to put things in perspective. Keep it up folks, you are doing great things for yourself.
Speaking of great things… Muse Movement has had quite a year. First and foremost, the honour of all y’alls presence in the space. Watching our community grow and seeing the impact Pilates has had on your lives is really special for us passionate Pilates professionals.
We graduated some really special teachers in 2023 some of whom are now your teachers at the Muse. We welcomed Zainab, Dee, Jennifer, Carmen and Jess to our roster of fabulous teachers. We also welcomed Alexa back and introduced Kelly and Shawna to our Private Teacher and substitute roster. Not to mention all of our fab OG teachers: Leslie, Cait, Alwynn, Linds, Nicky, Kaylyn, Cynthia, Betsy.
We also welcomed Erynn, a Muse member since 2015, as our Member Support Specialist, and we could not be happier with the welcome and support she is giving to original and new members of our Pilates community.
AND, we cannot forget to shout out the fabulous (remote) Carly - the great OZ behind the Muse emails and all your Momence woes.
Speaking of fabulous teachers…
We just finished our biggest Mat Pilates Teacher Training yet and we are so excited about every single one of the teachers in this group who made our job enriching and delightful.
We are such learners around here. We love absorbing information and sharing it too. From the beginning, this has been a major tenant of our mission which has driven our goal of creating one of the most comprehensive Pilates teacher training programs there is.
Our vision has been, for some time, to have a widely recognized and reputable Pilates teacher training program and we are so happy to see this goal realized. All of our applicants say they are drawn to the depth of the program and how inclusive it is. They have said that Muse feels like it is a safe learning space and this makes us beyond thrilled. Beyond.
We are also spreading our brand of Pilates gospel. East Studio in Coburg will be hosting a Muse Movement Teacher Training in January, led by the lovely Leslie and Lindsay. I am in the process of working on bringing the Muse training over here to Lisbon, where there is a big need for Pilates teachers. We are taking over the world folks 😉
Muse is going to be 9 years old in January. In fact, the anniversary of a terrified yet determined Keri getting the keys to 204, 180 Shaw St has already passed. I had no idea Muse would grow to be what it is today. In fact, I really had no idea what Muse was going to be. I just knew I wanted a space where I could teach the way I wanted to teach and create the kind of Pilates community I felt was missing in Toronto. That is: one that rejected that a workout should be punishing and spaces exclusive.
The rest was like throwing spaghetti against a wall. Fast forward to 9 years later and I could not be prouder of the collaborative projects and collective achievements of all of the people involved in Muse Movement. It feels like this is just the beginning. Turns out the spaghetti stuck and we can say that Muse is a delicious bowl of pasta. LOLZ.
Speaking of Pasta. As some of you may know, Italy is my favorite place to travel. You may also know that a former client of Muse’s who became one of my nearest and dearest, moved to Italy and runs fabulous bespoke travel experiences for women identifying folks. I’m just going to leave that there. Well, I’ll also say that if you like Pilates, and love Italy (or it’s on your bucket list) and you love exciting experiences, meeting new people and amazing food then you should probably email me for more.
Folks, keep your eyes and ears open for all the other exciting new happenings at the Muse coming in 2024 - starting with a 9 Day Anniversary promo we think you will appreciate.
New partnerships, mentorship program, workshops, expanded Pilates Teacher Trainings and teaching staff, community outreach, retreats, and more is what you can expect to see from us this year. And folks, if all you are interested in is a f^&$ing good Reformer Pilates Class, you know where to find us.
Happiest New Year to our most valued community. We are beyond grateful for you.
With love,
Keri, Founder Muse Movement