InsideOut Body Therapies’ BIPOC Scholarship
In collaboration with The Pilates Center of Boulder, InsideOut Body Therapies launched our Pilates Intermediate Teacher Training Program BIPOC Scholarship in 2024.
This scholarship supports our mission to “empower the healing wisdom of the body in a safe and inclusive space through movement-based practices and bodywork”, and is one way we support increased diversity, inclusion, and equity in the Pilates field.
Since launching our scholarship program, five awardees have entered our teacher training program, and our very first scholarship cohort – Dana and Tammie – will graduate in late 2025!
Here are what some of our scholarship trainees have said about their goals and experiences in the teacher training program:
What drew you to the teacher training program at IOBT?:
Jessika: “I’m excited to change up the Pilates landscape as a teacher, because many of the studios I began practicing Pilates at did not feel inclusive or welcoming. I want to create space for people who look like me to feel comfortable and do Pilates. I also want to introduce the Pilates system to people who deal with PCOS and Endometriosis, because it has helped me a lot.”
Jasmyne: “My goal is to create space for mothers to help them feel strong and confident in their bodies. The Pilates world opens up strength in your mind and body. It’s good for helping people balance the mind, body, and soul.
Dana: “I started Pilates about 3-4 years ago. I’ve done yoga, barre, HIIT, and regular weightlifting throughout my life, but Pilates was the modality that really stuck with me. It has helped transform my mind and body.”
Tammie: “I love Pilates!!! It’s by far the best thing I’ve ever done for myself and the gift that keeps on giving.”
Did receiving a scholarship for the teacher training program affect your decision to participate in the program? If yes, how so?
Tammie: “I was toying with the idea of teacher training for a while. Though it had crossed my mind many times, I kept putting it off. I took Cadillac classes at IOBT regularly, and had been receiving their newsletters for quite some time. When I saw a call for trainees and a link to their scholarship program in a newsletter, I clicked on it right away. I already knew IOBT was a special place, but the information I learned about the training program took it to another level.
I loved that the Co-Owners of InsideOut were investing in this scholarship program to increase diversity and access in Pilates… a field that traditionally does not have much of that. The scholarship created a reason to stop putting it off and do some research. After talking with Mischa (co-owner), I was all in — she helped me understand that this was an opportunity that I did not want to miss out on!
Pilates Teacher Training at IOBT was the best thing I could have ever done for myself. It has been a little more than a year since that initial conversation, and it’s definitely surreal looking back and seeing how far I’ve come in that time. I’m a different person in mind, body, spirit, and I’m on a lifetime journey… exactly what Joseph Pilates would have wanted.”
What has your Teacher Training Program experience been like?
Dana: “I had an awesome experience with the teacher training program. I came into this experience not really knowing what to expect, but with an eager learner’s mindset to absorb everything I could. It was daunting looking at all of the hours and videos and readings that needed to be completed with I first started. Having an encouraging and supportive studio and instructors made it so much more manageable.”
Tammie: “The teacher training is top-notch! IOBT is an affiliate of The Pilates Center in Boulder, Colorado. TPC’s Founders are second-generation Instructors under Joseph Pilates. They were taught by Romana Kryzanowska, Joseph Pilates’ protégé, and they stick to the classical Pilates method. This is an intense, comprehensive program that will leave you feeling very confident about your knowledge and the skills you develop. Deborah Matthews and Mischa Decker (Co-Owners of IOBT) both learned under Amy Taylor Alpers and Rachel Taylor Segel, the founders of TPC. Their lineage is direct, and Mischa and Deb stay to the original work. You will not find a better training program.”
In what ways do you feel like the scholarship impacted your overall experience in the teacher training program?
Dana: “Having the scholarship took a lot of pressure off financially and allowed me to jump into my training journey much faster.”
Tammie: “The scholarship program got me in the door. Once in, the training is the same for all trainees, whether on scholarship or not. I’m very grateful for the scholarship. Everyone wants to save money, and without it, I’m not sure I would have enrolled in the program. Procrastination is a beast! But knowing now what I know… the money is actually well spent and worth every penny. I would encourage people to apply for the scholarship, but if you don’t get it, don’t let that stop you. The training program is worth the full price.”
Would you recommend this teacher training program to others? Why or why not?
Dana: “I would definitely recommend this training program to others. Learning the fundamentals and exercises seems like it would be cut and dry, but TPC gets all the nuance and depth into the online lectures. In coordination with awesome mentors and a beautiful studio to practice in and learn, the program has my highest recommendation.”
Tammie: This program been life-changing for me in the best ways, and it has my highest recommendation. Now that I’m finished, I feel ready for whatever comes my way! Once you are in the field, you start to talk with other Pilates Instructors who’ve done their training in different places. I have heard many complaints! Any comprehensive program will give you the basics of what you need, but they are not all the same. Talk to graduates of those programs to get a clear picture of the strengths and weaknesses of each one. Finding the right fit for you is important!
Learning classically was essential for me. Joseph Pilates was a genius; he had a vision of what the human body could do and saw a way to optimize that person for whole health. IOBT training teaches you that classical method. Once you finish, you can add any contemporary Pilates moves you want, and there are some great ones! It is not as easy to go the other way around. I am reassured knowing that my Pilates foundation is very secure. I’m super happy with my training!”
What are you looking forward to after graduating the Teacher Training Program?
Dana: “I’m excited to share my skills with people who may not have found Pilates accessible, whether financially or physically. I want future clients to know that I’m their biggest cheerleader! 📣 We are celebrating every new skill and every extra millimeter of upper ab curl!!”
Jasmyne: “I’m excited to provide an outlet, resources, and knowledge, for women to feel balanced – mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.”
Tammie: “I’m excited to delve deeper and deeper into this work for my clients and for myself. I want my future clients to know I am all in! I believe in the power of the work and the transformations that are inevitable if you stick with it, and I am here to help my clients reach their goals!”
Learn more about InsideOut’s BIPOC Scholarship.