Pilates Training with Gracefulfitness

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“As a Medical Massage Practitioner I believe in incorporating stability, mobility, & targeted muscle activation into your everyday life. Pilates is an amazing way to do this and Faith’s passion and knowledge of Pilates is astounding. Her gentle and graceful personality is intoxicating. Her professionalism and attention to detail keeps me loyal. Pilates is already Physical Therapy in motion and her dance background brings and fresh and needed prospective to the field. She’s seriously the best!”

-Ainslee W.
Hi, I’m Faith Levine. I love sharing my passion for health and physicality with anyone who will listen. 
Movement has always been woven within my life; I was running around the West Virginia farm where I was born, trying to keep up with my big sisters, as soon as I could walk. I started my formal dance training at 6 years old.
 I began working as a personal trainer and group exercise instructor in 2005 after graduating from the University of Utah with a B.F.A in Modern Dance.
Over the years I have taught Modern Dance technique, yoga, running, strength training, Mat and Equipment Pilates, and Dance Conditioning and incorporate any or all of those movement styles into my classes and sessions today, depending on what YOU need. I have taught in corporate gyms, independent gyms, community centers, community colleges, universities, boutique fitness studios, yoga studios, and am now operating independently, teaching virtually and in person in Charlottesville, VA.
Through decades of personal study and working with amazing mentors and clients I have seen time and time again that exercising with proper form is paramount to deriving absolute benefits from the work.
I incorporate dance and yoga principles, aspects of traditional strength training, and my knowledge of Interval/HIIT training into sessions that are primarily a Contemporary Pilates practice. My classes and training sessions emphasize working through correct posture and alignment and are individually tailored to suit participants needs.

I strive to be a “teaching assistant” along the path to you becoming the ultimate authority on your body. 

“I am so happy that I found Faith at the beginning of my Pilates practice! Faith is deeply knowledgeable about Pilates and other forms of movement and is a warm and encouraging teacher. More than that, she’s able to effectively apply her knowledge to an individual’s needs with a keen eye, perceptive cueing, and a holistic outlook on fitness. I’ve learned a ton about anatomy and the way bodies work just from taking her classes! Also, as someone who is more interested in functional improvement rather than changing the way my body looks, I *deeply* appreciate that I have not once heard talk of “beach bodies this” or “slimming that” in her group classes or in our private sessions. I’ve worked with Faith for just under a year and have made remarkable progress in my strength and movement patterns, and have experienced total abatement of my chronic back pain. This is particularly impressive because the majority of our time together has been virtual. You really can’t go wrong with Faith’s guidance!”

Christine s.

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BOOK VIRTUAL PRIVATES HERE

My body feels so strong! As an active person, I have struggled with lower back pain and lack of upper body strength in recent years. After focused pilates classes with Faith this fall I noticed a remarkable difference in my body on a recent scuba diving trip. I had to carry 45 pounds of gear on multiple shore dives: walking to the dive sites across parking lots, up and down stairs,  and uneven surfaces. No back pain or shoulder pain, and it was easy to take my equipment off and on. My body feels significantly stronger and able to tackle the many physical activities I like to do: diving, biking, hiking, skiing and even gardening! My heartfelt thanks and recommendation for Faith and her pilates practice.

Zu 2021

I just went on a 4-mile hike without upper back pain for the first time in 20 years – I am ecstatic!  Faith used a rare combination of analytical and intuitive ability to quickly figure out what was wrong and put me on a program to strengthen my body.  My back pain is gone, my whole body has become conditioned, and each class with Faith doubles as an exercise in mindfulness.  I am very grateful. 

Francesca 2021

I went to a yoga class last night for the first time in a while and throughout the class I noticed that my chaturanga has vast improved. I think it’s due to all the Pilates arm work we’ve been doing lately. Yayyy!!!

Naomi 2012

Faith is a fantastic instructor- she is patient and engaging, and her love for pilates is contagious! I’ve taken several different pilates classes before, but it wasn’t until this one that I really understood the purpose of what I was doing. More than just a good lesson, this also has helped me get more out of each exercise and I leave each class feeling stretched, toned, and refreshed.  

2012

Dear Faith,

I wanted to drop you a line and let you know what an amazing trainer you have been over the past 7 months! You have inspired me, encouraged me, and stood by me every Monday as Spring turned into Summer and now as Fall turns into Winter! I will miss seeing your smiling face and fantastic attitude but am happy for you and your next adventure.

You are truly talented as a trainer.  I have worked out on and off over the past 20 years and never have I enjoyed a trainer as much as you!  You are excellent at what you do.

If you return to Portland, please drop me a line, as I would be the first to sign up for any class or program that you will be leading.

Fondly and with much gratitude.

Maureen 2008

Check out Gracefulfitness on YouTube for examples of my teaching style

gracefulfitness@live.com