our pilates instructiors
Barbara Hoon is the owner and founder of Six Degrees Pilates. Barbara began practicing Pilates as a dancer at The Juilliard School, and continued training while performing as an original member of the renowned company, Twyla Tharp Dance. She also performed in various Broadway shows, television, and films, all while nurturing her passion for Pilates. Barbara continued her formal training of the work with NYC Pilates instructor, Patrick Strong, first generation Pilates protégée of Romana Kryzanowska, and continues working closely with Pilates master teacher Kathi Ross-Nash. Barbara attributes Pilates to preventing any injuries and maintaining her physical and mental strength during her many years as a dancer.
Barbara brings a wealth of knowledge and experience with over 25 years of teaching clients from all different ages and backgrounds– teens to seniors, corporate professionals to professional football players, and celebrity actors. Her keen eye from her dance training allows her to find and properly address any problems or ailments, instilling better body awareness, a freedom from pain, and a heightened mind-body connection to her clients. Barbara believes that everyone has the ability to find more strength, flexibility, and confidence through Pilates, regardless of age or physical condition. Take a session with her and you’ll realize what you’ve been missing!
Most recently, Barbara has partnered with the wonderful program, Dance for PD®, an empowering, revolutionary program at the Mark Morris Dance Center and replicated around the world, that provides free dance classes for individuals living with Parkinson’s disease. Serving thousands of individuals, their families, and care partners, the breadth and global impact of Dance for PD® continues to develop each year. Affiliate programs and partners now exist in more than 120 communities, 42 states, and 16 countries across six continents.
Michelle N. Leach : Michelle has practiced Pilates for the past fifteen years and became a Certified Pilates Instructor after developing a sincere passion for the practice. She studied under the notable and highly respected instructor, Linda Farrell, who trained at the Pilates Studio in NYC under Joseph Pilates’ Protégé Romana Kryzanowska. Michelle continued her education at re:AB with renowned Instructor and New York Times Best Selling Author Brooke Siler and Master Teacher Cary Regan, both of whom have studied extensively under Romana Kryzanowska. A native New Yorker, Michelle was raised in Brooklyn and completed her Bachelor’s of Science at Baruch College. With an extensive background in Real Estate, Michelle decided to leave it all behind to fulfill her desire to help people of all different ages and body type become their very best selves and she aims to achieve this through Pilates. Her art is her passion as her patience and knowledge exudes through her teaching, positively motivating her clients to reap the benefits of Pilates mentally, physically and spiritually. Michelle is fully committed to keeping the integrity, principles and authenticity of Pilates, “just as Joe intended”.
Julia also enjoyed an active career as a modern dancer and choreographer in New York City, touring and performing for over 10 years. She believes that her dance background has enhanced her teaching, and likewise, pilates strengthened her as a dancer.
She has been so inspired by her clients over the years. She loves seeing clients do things that they weren’t able to do when they first started taking Pilates. She is just amazed by how much her students grow and progress every day!
Julia moved to Rockland County, NY in 2016 and has enjoyed teaching on this side of the bridge ever since
Elisa Romeo has been in the health and fitness industry most of her adult life. She was an avid athlete competing in biathlons and triathlons and was a group fitness instructor. She is a dental health professional and certified integrative health coach. She has a passion for the health and wellness world and it shows in her teaching and enthusiasm to help clients achieve their goals.
After years of participating in many forms of exercise, Elisa started to feel some discomfort in her low back and an old gymnastic knee injury began to limit the type of exercise she could do without pain. She was familiar with Pilates from years of attending different Pilates programs. She knew classical Pilates was what she felt most comfortable with and wanted to explore it more deeply. She also knew she wanted to find the right form of exercise that made her feel good in her own body. She also wanted a form of exercise that she would be able to do well into her later years.
Once she started doing Pilates on a regular basis, she noticed a big improvement in her low back pain and her knee discomfort. She took her teacher training program at Authentic Pilates Learning Center because she wanted to share the same results with others who are not only experiencing some discomfort in their own bodies but with people who want to get healthy, stay healthy way into their adult lives and get fit.
Marisa Roberto: After practicing as a local veterinarian, Marisa decided to take a break from her profession, focus on family life, and raise her two young children. It was during that time that she discovered her love for Pilates. Marisa first decided to try Pilates in hopes to find balance and restore muscle strength after suffering from a neck and shoulder injury. Pilates did just that, and more. She quickly became hooked on how empowered Pilates made her feel, both physically and mentally. The experience was so positive that she decided to pursue her Pilates certification in hopes to teach others this wonderful technique of personal fitness.
Marisa earned her bachelors from the University of Notre Dame in psychology and subsequently went on to earn a masters degree in Speech Language Pathology from Harvard’s MGH institute of Health in Boston. A few years later, she followed her love of animals by earning a doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Pennsylvania. She completed her classical pilates education through Authentic Pilates Learning Center in Mahwah, New Jersey.
When Marisa is not at the studio you can find her at home reading a book, playing with her three Goldendoodles, watching her kids on the sports field, or at the beach in South Carolina with her family!
Jordana Marsa: Jordana found her love of movement and exercise with gymnastics from the age of six to early teens. Soon after leaving gymnastics, her mother introduced her to the world of classical pilates. While training for a few years she grew so fondly of the practice that she decided to become a pilates teacher as well. Jordana went through the Authentic Pilates Learning Center in the beginning of 2021. She hopes to spread her joy of movement and hard work with as many people as possible.
Tara Ward: Tara is a dedicated nurse who earned a bachelors and masters degree from St. Elizabeth University. She currently works in pediatric pulmonary at Atlantic Health System caring for children and adolescents from birth through 21 years of age.
Amid her hectic work schedule Tara found solace in the healing power of Pilates nearly 18 years ago and has remained dedicated to the discipline since, even practicing through her pregnancies. Juggling long shifts and a passion for health, she blended her nursing expertise with the grace of Pilates.
Driven by desire to empower others beyond the hospital walls , Tara is pursuing a Pilates teaching certification through Authentic Pilates in Mahwah New Jersey. Her dual commitment to Nursing and Pilates reflects in her compassionate care and innovative approach to wellness. Both her patients and students benefit from her holistic approach.
Outside the hospital, Tara is busy raising three sons, taking long walks around the lake at sunrise and inspiring countless individuals to embrace movement as a path to wellness.
Claudia Cutler is a native of Brazil where she graduated from the Institute Maestro Fego Camargo in Ballet and danced for nine years with Russian modern choreographer Nina Verchinina in Rio de Janeiro. In 1988 she received a ballet scholarship at Ballet Arts at Carnegie Hall in New York City, where she performed in videos, commercials and Brazilian dance shows. She lived in New York City as well as New Jersey for thirty two years where she started her own dance studio, The Art of Dance School, and coached and choreographed dance works.
Claudia has been teaching with New Jersey School of Ballet for twenty five years. She holds a bachelor degree in Physical Education/Psychology and a Certificate of Teacher of Arts and Vocational Arts for the state of New Jersey. Claudia moved with her husband to Montreal in 2021 where she currently resides.