Kateryna Topol –
For a few years, Nice Day Pilates lived on King Street East, but the petit corner studio quickly outgrew its space. “We were constantly waitlisted and it was impossible to get in,” says founder and Pilates instructor Jennifer Winter. The new space, located at 8 Eastern Avenue, allowed Winter to expand the studio by 4 reformer machines.
Nice Day stands apart from most Pilates studios with its futuristic design. The studio is large and open with temple-like ceilings accented by curved white pillars and a chrome wall. Everything is white and silver with abstract large-scale art placed to the side of the exercise floor.
The theme of “space age retrofuturism” continues in the studio’s app, aptly named Planet Nice Day. Each on-demand Pilates session is set in a surreal environment, consciously taking participants out of the daily mundane.
“Pilates is a holistic movement method created to promote alignment of the mind and body,” Winter stressed. As a professional ballet dancer, her love affair with Pilates began in a New York dance school, launching a life-long interest in body mechanics. “I wanted to learn more about the signs behind how we move, how we live our lives, and how we can create better and healthier habits and patterns.”
As a practice, Pilates dates back to the late 1920s when Joseph and Clara Pilates opened a studio in New York. Dancers were early adopters but today, with the advent of functional contemporary techniques, Pilates is a stream of healthcare commonly recommended by healthcare practitioners.
“Grounded in technique, controlled movement sequences, and regulated breath, Pilates encourages ergonomic postural alignment, core strength, and balanced musculature.”
Nice Day Pilates emphasizes biomechanics, functional movement, form and flow. The overall holistic approach of the practice also facilitates alignment of mind and body through controlled breath and movement. Regular practice (twice a week) can result in improved strength, awareness, joint stability, posture and balance.
The reformer machine can appear intimidating, Winter concedes, but “we take a lot of care in our beginners.” Newcomers will receive a detailed briefing on the equipment from the Nice Day team, elaborating on tension and movement range before the class begins.
“We move very, very slowly, which is very important for beginners because they can find a tempo and get the gist of [the practice more easily].” The machines are modifiable so each participant can adjust the experience to their own physical needs.
Winter and her team made an “active choice” to not have mirrors in the studio. “We wanted to take a holistic approach, to prepare you for real life” where there are no mirrors on the sidewalks. The absence of mirrors also removes doubts and distractions.
Nice Day Pilates offer on-demand mat Pilates classes through the app, and in-person reformer classes throughout the week. See www.nicedaypilates. ca
