Classical Pilates Teacher Training in Portland
Movement is the medicine of life
“Change happens through movement and movement heals.” – Joseph Pilates
A classical Pilates training program and certification designed the way that it was meant to be taught: as an integrated system, with hands-on mentorship. This way of teaching is time tested and proven, as it is the way teachers have become teachers, since its inception (until recently).
We, like you, are believers. We believe in the power of Pilates to transform because we have seen and experienced it. With over 40 years of teaching experience combined, we have seen the confidence blossom, the injuries heal, the symmetry return, and the power become renewed. We know the power of Classical Pilates to change your life, and want to help you change others’ lives for the better. Here’s what sets us apart:
Our comprehensive Pilates certification is a rigorous one year program – no separate registrations for different levels that need to be completed as prerequisites for other courses. You will be ready to teach the Pilates method to anyone at the end of the program. We provide the framework and tools, and teach you the system in the same way that we learned it, and thousands of Pilates teachers have learned it from their teachers. The hallmarks of our teacher training are:
- Classical Pilates
- Comprehensive training
- Embodied anatomy
- The art of teaching
- Integrated, connected system
Space is limited — only 6 spots are available.
OUR APPROACH
We believe that Pilates is about finding your strength, not simply forming your body into a mold. Pilates allows us to discovers layers of ourselves that we did not know before, and to uncover our unique power. Change begins with connecting inside.
Our approach is about connection – first to ourselves, then to the apparatus. Once established, we see the ripples of connection flow outward; it is this ability to find connection that enables us to go out into the world and do what we are meant to do. This is how movement changes lives, and why a lifetime as a movement practitioner is a life well-spent.
Pilates Certification | PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
This is a 600+ hour in person (in Portland, Oregon) Pilates training course comprised of 5 Levels | Space is limited, 6 spots only
– 8 weekends, May 2026 – April 2027
– 3 online workshops (recorded) + quizzes
– Case study presentation
– 3 Teaching Tests
– NCPT testout**
– Biweekly apprentice hour
————————— including —————————
- 140 contact hours
- 80 hours observation
- 200 hours of personal practice and study
- 100 hours of practice teaching
- 10 hours assisted teaching
- 90 hours of classes/ semi-privates*
*Privates can be semi-private (duos or trios). They are not included in the cost of the program, but we do offer a student rate.
**Exam fee not included in program cost.
Because we feel strongly about increasing diversity and equity in the Pilates space, we are offering special pricing for BIPOC students. Please inquire by filling out our interest form below .
Tuition & Application Process
Please inquire for our 2027 program via our interest form below.
THIS TRAINING PROGRAM IS FOR YOU IF…
- Your enthusiasm for Pilates is infectious – it has changed you, and you can’t wait to share this with others.
- You are a lifelong learner; wanting to continue to grow and learn is second nature.
- You are a systems thinker: you find connections between principles of Pilates and other aspects of life
- You want a skill that you can take with you anywhere in the world to make a living, doing something that you love.
- You want to learn the entire system, using your head, heart, and hands.
- You want to be the healthiest version of yourself physically, because you understand that the connection of body, mind, and spirit means physical wellbeing helps you thrive in your entire life.
- You want to learn the art of teaching, not simply memorizing exercises
- You want to be a part of a cohort for a deep learning experience, developing friendships with other students of the method who are just like you (and at the same time so very much themselves), rather than simply rotating faces in a program on a screen that you may or may not see again.
- You enjoy helping others, and want to share with them all that you know.
About Us
Together, we have nearly 50 years experience in the Pilates world, and are dedicated third generation teachers:
Angie Clifford, LAc (she/her)
Angie completed her comprehensive certification in 1996 from Amy Halaby De Sa at Balance Body Studios in Chicago. Amy studied under Romana Kryzanowska who studied directly with Joseph and Clara Pilates. Angie went on to become Studio director and teacher trainer at Balanced Body. She completed her Pilates Post-rehab certification through Polestar Pilates in 1999.
Angie moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2002 and continued to offer workshops for local teachers through Alotapilates until co-opening Align Pilates with Adrienne Guse in 2004. Align became the premier teacher training studio in Minneapolis, both running annual comprehensive training programs and hosting workshops from master teachers across the country.
In 2012 Angie completed her Masters of Chinese Medicine and added Acupuncture to her toolbelt. She continued to teach workshops for teachers and consult with studios on developing training programs. In 2022, she met Heidi at Lemon Tree in Portland, Oregon, and immediately thought, “You should have a training program”.
And here we are.
Heidi Janes, MPH (she/her)
Heidi has found Pilates to be the greatest teacher and companion. Joseph Pilates’ mantra that “movement heals” has been a guiding principle through the seasons of her life. Using that wisdom, Heidi has helped many students learn the Pilates method. She believes this unique form of movement does more than simply align the body physically; by doing so, it also brings us to our body’s innate intelligence – our center.
Heidi loves helping her clients connect with this natural sense. She aims to help them enter into a deeper conversation with their bodies and themselves through movement – by learning the language of balance, deep strength, and ease. She considers it an honor to be able to help people move through the world with more awareness and presence, and to witness how Pilates changes lives.
Heidi completed her comprehensive classical certification with Peak Pilates in 2005 with second and third-generation teachers Jessica Talisman, Kimberly Barrett and Ana Caban. She opened Portland Pilates Collective + Wellness Center in 2006. In 2011, Heidi earned a Master’s in Public Health Education with a focus on Integrative Health. Heidi established Lemon Tree Wellness in 2021 as a center for both Pilates education and whole body health, where students can address other aspects of their health in-house through acupuncture, bodywork and nutrition services.
Interest Form
Please fill out this form to be considered for the Classical Pilates Teacher Training in Portland. We are looking for committed, well-rounded individuals who are dedicated to the process of becoming comprehensively certified. Practitioners will be able to commit to the training schedule, be physically able to perform rigorous Pilates exercises, and be at an intermediate level by the time the program begins.