The Method

Twice we have gotten people calling the studio asking the same question:
What method do you teach in your studio?
I hold myself back from saying, "The Pilates Method" because I think that would be a little cheeky.
My response to them is that we are a mixed method studio, and that unfortunately is never the answer that they are looking for.
In both occassions, they have responded with "but what method?!?"
So, I list the certifications that are held by different instructors: BASI, STOTT, PMA, etc and hope that the person on the other end will find something to cling to.
In both cases, none of this information was satisfying.
The first time the woman on the other end of the phone asked with horror, "But with so many different backgrounds how do you teach?" ...as though without some stringent identifiable format that every instructor adheres to people would be falling off of the Reformers and leave the room with their heads on backwards.

I explained that we all adhered to the same fundamental principles and that we met once a week to work out together and share ideas and our understanding of different exercises, and that doing so we all develop a deeper comprehension of the work.

She still said, "but I don't understand how that works."

I told her the one hundreds are still the one hundreds, the roll up is still the roll up.

She wasn't buying it. I think that she wanted me to say I was certified by a certain person whose name I won't mention at risk of starting a stupid back and forth that I've seen elsewhere in the Pilates community regarding this woman, but if you're in the industry you know who people like this are most easily associated with.

The second phone call of this nature was similar in tone, very terse and aggressive. So, I even asked her what method she was looking for so I could tell her which of our instructors might best suit her, but she refused to answer me. She just insisted that I list the programs my instructors  have attended, and as I was doing so, she hung up. Yes, hung up. Very mature.

These convarsations just make me shake my head for the rest of the day. There is no one way to teach Pilates. I believe in the talent and intelligence of our instructors. Not one of them would trash another instructor or their abilities, especially with regard to anyone's certification. I feel sad for students who are indoctrinated to believe that a "label"of a certain method or the teachings of only one person surpass the wisdom and understanding of others. They are missing out on a lot of great knowledge by clinging to one ideal. Perhaps in both of these circumstances, the person on the other end of the phone chooses to be so stringent in their thinking on their own. However, if that single minded line of thinking came from their instructor, shame on them for perpetuating the mythology that only one person or "method"  could know how to teach Pilates.

The next time someone calls, I am just going to come out and say it.
What method do we teach? The Pilates method.