Who is team Soma Lux?
We are currently a team of six based out of southwest Austin, Texas. At our Belterra studio, we serve clients from the Austin, Oak Hill, Dripping Springs, Cedar Valley, Driftwood, Johnson City, Blanco, and Kyle areas. We also teach virtually to clients both in the United States and abroad.
We are excited to be hosting in-person events & Pilates retreats soon! To stay in the loop, please join our email list to receive updates. We look forward to connecting with you soon!
Mary
Owner & LEAD pilates INSTRUCTOR
Mary was introduced to Pilates in 2008, and like many others, was hooked immediately as she experienced her posture, strength, and body awareness being transformed. She started teaching mat Pilates in 2011 and completed her comprehensive certification through Balanced Body's 520 hour Pilates training program.
As a trainer, Mary is excited about helping her clients develop more body awareness and strength, so that the exercises become foundational for informing and transforming everyday movement. She believes that movement can and should be both fun and functional, and that core value is reflected in her sessions and workshops. Mary has worked with all ages and fitness levels, including children, seniors, those rehabilitating from surgeries, expectant mothers, athletes, and those with degenerative conditions.
Mary’s additional background in healthcare and spirituality help inform how she approaches movement and wellness. She believes the body can be a surprising and effective way to reach the deeper parts of ourselves.
Mary has additional training in the following areas: Pilates Athletic Conditioning, Pregnancy & Postpartum Corrective Exercise, Barre Endurance, Osteopathic & Structural Techniques for Pilates, Pilates for Neurological Conditions, and Animal Flow Level 1.
Katie
CERTIFIED pilates INSTRUCTOR
Katie has a love for Pilates dating back over 15 years, and enjoys sharing this passion with clients while helping them achieve their mind and body goals. Katie grew up in Maryland and studied at Georgia Tech University. She worked for the federal government while pursuing her graduate studies at Johns Hopkins, where she received an M.A. in Government Security Studies. Soon after, Katie relocated to the west coast in 2013 and found her way to the renowned EHS Pilates studio in San Francisco. She received her comprehensive certification from Balanced Body.
Katie was always active and started sports at age 7. She played competitively at the collegiate club level; this mindset influences her teaching style. She can be challenging, but encouraging, and always wants clients to have a goal to work towards. Katie is married with children and enjoys exploring Austin on the weekends. She has a passion for good coffee, travel, and unique cuisine. Her love for life and health is centered by a healthy and balanced mind and body.
Krysten
CERTIFIED pilates INSTRUCTOR
Holistic health & wellness, as well as fitness, have been a long time passion and lifestyle for Krysten that have healed her on many different levels: mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. She believes that when these align, we can be more connected to our higher self and body. Krysten’s mission is to help others successfully do the same so they can feel good in their bodies, applying the core Pilates principles (control, precision, centering, breath), as well as intention, movement, and meditation. She has been certified and teaching Pilates since 2019 in both Beverly Hills, California and Austin, Texas.
Krysten’s approach to teaching is to guide her clients to be present, focused and connect with their body; all while releasing any stagnant energy through movement and breath. This helps realign structural anatomy and bring grounding, allowing healing energy to flow.
melody
CERTIFIED pilates instructor
Melody has been a lover and lifelong student of movement beginning with dance at the age of 5. Consistent years of multiple dance genres gifted her with early roots of body awareness, became her childhood solace, and led her with confidence into cheerleading, fitness and watersports through high school. She followed the call to deepen her knowledge of movement with an Associates Degree in Physical Therapy in 2002.
Feeling drawn to the wellness world and a flexible schedule as a mother of two, she was led into personal training and fitness instruction. Melody discovered Pilates in 2003 after her 2nd child and immediately noticed different sensations of strength within her body. This curiosity began her journey of reconnection to her body and self with mind-body-spirit movement. In 2007 she became comprehensively certified through Pilates Mind Institute. She obtained a 200 hour RYT yoga certification the following year, along with becoming a Thai Yoga bodywork & Reiki practitioner. With a passion for knowledge and understanding of the body and self, she has gone through hundreds of workshops and trainings pertaining to the body, mind, spirit and alternative healing.
In 2014 she began her studies of somatic movement, embryology and fascia. This 21st century anatomy perspective gives rise to new ways to think and experience ourselves as a whole living beings in continuity with our environment and each other. As a seeker of knowledge, truth and play, Melody is more than just an educator of movement. She lives what she teaches, expressed by her love of surfing, climbing, outdoor natural movement, and connection to community through these portals.
MAUREEN
CERTIFIED pilates instructor (SUBSTITUTE)
Maureen has been a health and fitness enthusiast her entire life. While living on a small island in the Caribbean, where sailing, kayaking and hiking were her primary source of fitness, Maureen hit the gym and added weight training to her fitness regime. There she was also introduced to Pilates and has been hooked ever since. After many years of island life, she relocated to Manhattan in 2010, pursuing a career as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor. She received her Pilates mat certification in 2013 followed by her Pilates comprehensive certification in 2016 through the Pilates Academy International.
Maureen uses the precision of Pilates to teach people how to move safely and effectively, and approaches her instruction with the understanding that every person is an individual with different needs. While she sees her clients as an "ageless population", she is experienced working with seniors and is adept at working with students who have post-rehabilitation needs. Maureen has devoted herself to helping people change their bodies, their lives, and their health. She is a firm believer that movement isn’t just in the gym or the Pilates studio, and works to give her students the tools they need to incorporate the Pilates principles into all forms of exercise, as well as everyday life.
AMANDA
CERTIFIED pilates INSTRUCTOR (substitute)
Amanda started her Pilates journey in 2013 by taking her first class, having no idea what Pilates entailed. Within the first week, she was hooked. Prior to this, long distance running and yoga were her main forms of exercise. She found that Pilates added countless benefits not only to her running, but her overall life, and she wanted to share this with others. In 2015 she began her formal Pilates training through a local studio, and then went on to complete her training through STOTT (Merrithew). By day, Amanda is a full time statistical programmer for medical drug trials, and teaching Pilates allows her to use creativity with her technical skills to help clients. She loves working with clients throughout their own Pilates journey, helping them discover their strength both in and out of the studio. She likes and appreciates how Pilates can mean something different to each person, meeting her clients at both a place of comfort and also guiding them through challenges.
Alexis
CERTIFIED pilates INSTRUCTOR (substitute)
MELT METHOD INSTRUCTOR
Alexis is a Pilates Professional, Licensed Massage Therapist and MELT Instructor living in Austin, Texas. Originally from Newington, Connecticut, she grew up participating in several sports and eventually committed her time to competitive Irish Step Dancing, Ballet, Modern and other dance genres. In 2015, she graduated summa cum laude with a BFA in Modern dance from Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus.
After school, Alexis found a calling in fitness and wellness. Her own journey through movement and overcoming injury created a passion to help others better understand their body. She hopes to guide students in a way that improves their mind body connection and builds awareness of their body in space, to function in a safe and efficient manner so they can live a joyful life doing what they love!
Alexis’s teaching style is form focused, versatile to support the body in front of her wherever they are at, challenging and flow-oriented. When she’s not teaching, you can find her baking, outdoors with her dog, working out herself or seeking adventure somewhere fun!