Dee Reid
How did you get into Pilates?
My first experience with Pilates was a class I attended twice weekly 25 years ago at a local gym. As enjoyable as it was, looking back, although some exercises were from what I now know to be the Pilates repertoire, quite a lot of the class had more in common with aerobics and strength training!
I found Pilates again twelve years ago while being treated for atypical sciatica, which showed up as numbness from my lower back all the way down my left leg. After many investigations—including an MRI—failed to provide answers or treatment options, my physiotherapist suggested Pilates. He said it couldn’t hurt and might do some good. He was right—it didn’t hurt, and it did me the world of good. Through regular one-to-one sessions, Reformer and Mat classes, my symptoms disappeared. More than that, I discovered a new level of connection to and understanding of my body that had been missing from every other form of exercise I’d tried.
What do you love about Pilates?
I love the space Pilates gives me in my mind. It’s both restorative and energising, and the sense of calm it brings is just as powerful as the physical movement itself. I feel truly privileged every time I’m trusted to create that same experience for someone else.
Your experience with Pilates:
I began my Mat teacher training with Polestar to deepen my own understanding of the method. At the time, I had a full-time, demanding job and wasn’t sure I’d ever teach. But during my apprentice teaching hours, I found such energy and satisfaction from being part of someone else’s Pilates journey that I was hooked. So much so, I began my Reformer teacher training just days after passing my Mat exam.
Now a fully qualified Polestar Mat and Reformer teacher, I bring curiosity, care, and lived experience to my sessions. My approach is about creating a supportive space for people to move with confidence and discover what their bodies can do—especially if they’re navigating pain or reconnecting after time away from movement.
