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Ellie Herman Studios has been a San Francisco Mission establishment since 1993. It all started in the “Old Sears Building” on the former Army Street in Ellie’s live/work loft (Studio 225). With only a second-hand gymnastic mat and a reformer, Ellie opened up shop. After a few years, Ellie accumulated more equipment and decided to offer teacher trainings. Being immersed in the dance community for years, Ellie recruited mostly professional modern dancers to her initial teacher trainings. To this day, the lion’s share of EHS teaching staff is working modern dancers who teach Pilates to support their art (fortunately dancers make excellent Pilates trainers). Ellie became bicoastal in 2005 with the Brooklyn studio in the heart of Park Slope.
Ellie Herman Studios resides in the old Greenblatt Metal Shop, a barn-like building in the heart of the mission. Ellie bought the building and renovated it in 2003, laying down blonde bamboo floors, adding as many windows as law would allow, and painting each area in a different color scheme. Now EHS has two full floors; downstairs has the mat and springboard classroom and a fully equipped student room, and upstairs houses the sunny and gorgeous “private session” and equipment area as well as the Wellness Clinic.
EHS has a fantastic staff of experienced and committed Pilates and rehabilitation specialists. The atmosphere is bright and sunny and the people who work there really like each other. Ellie tries to bring a feeling of community to the studio, a place where people can share their knowledge and learn from each other. The education program brings in new blood every year that infuses the studio with life and the beginner’s mind is ever-present.
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