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Our Affiliates
Guest Instructors | Educators

Pilates Performance & Rehab has been able to have unique and special relationships with  many Pilates Educators and Mentors over the years and are exited to offer the expertise and education to our staff, clients and community.

Sarah Armbrister
Owner-Aligned Pilates,
Balanced Body Educator

 

Sara was originally introduced to the Pilates method to help her body keep up with the physical demands of an orchestral cellist. After Pilates helped her recover from an overuse injury, she became inspired to help others, and has been teaching since 2004. Sara initially completed her Pilates education through Centerworks® Pilates, and has received additional comprehensive training and continuing education through Balanced Body®, Fletcher® Pilates, Polestar, and many first-generation and master teachers. She has also received research grants and presented numerous lectures on injury prevention for musicians and dancers.

Sara served as lead instructor and studio manager of Pilates Performance & Rehab’s satellite facility for many years and has now transitioned to the role of owner and director of Aligned Pilates in Lawrence, KS. She is also on the faculty of Balanced Body Education. She teaches the Balanced Body Pilates and Barre instructor training programs, as well as specialty workshops, at her Lawrence studio and as a guest presenter across the country.

A dynamic, inspiring presenter, Sara aims to make Pilates accessible to all. Her diverse clientele includes athletes, dancers, fitness professionals, musicians, pre/post-rehab clients, and men & women of all ages and abilities.

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Dr. Tamara Neff,
DPT, BA
 

Educational Background: Tamara graduated with her BA from Washburn University while earning her Physical Therapist Assistant degree, practiced for a few years and then went on to receive her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She has been practicing in the field of physical therapy since 2000, with experience in the outpatient setting as well as inpatient rehabilitation. Since graduation Tamara has pursued extensive training in neurological rehabilitation with training in Neuro-Developmental Technique, Body Weight Support Treadmill Training, and vestibular rehabilitation. She is also a LSVT BIG® certified practitioner specializing in treatment of individuals with Parkinson's disease. As a physical therapist with extensive clinical experience and specialty training, she brings a comprehensive approach to the care of her patients and clients.

Pilates: Tamara began studying Pilates in 2000 with Polestar Pilates Education. While attending graduate school she worked at the Polestar Pilates Center in Coral Gables, Florida. This education and experience has allowed Tamara to implement Pilates based rehabilitation into the inpatient rehabilitation setting to facilitate motor recovery with neurological patients and utilized Pilates practice in outpatient settings to decrease pain and restore movement. Additionally, Tamara has presented on utilizing Pilates in rehabilitation to local organizations including the Kansas Occupational Therapy Conference. She understands and implements the philosophy and principles of Pilates and sees it as a vital tool that empowers the patient to manage and reach her/his maximum potential in a wide spectrum of neurologic and orthopaedic conditions.

Neurological Rehabilitation: Tamara specializes in the evaluation and treatment of individuals with movement impairments due to disease or injury to the nervous system. She has a strong desire and passion to work with individuals with neurological impairment such as stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, Parkinson's, Guillan-Barre, balance deficits, and multiple sclerosis. With years of hands on clinical experience, Tamara is able to help patients achieve motor recovery with facilitation techniques that improve their quality of life.

Sports Medicine: Tamara enjoys working with the novice to experienced athlete. As an athlete and runner she is able to relate to individuals with a strong desire to compete and stay active. Tamara is able to identify faulty movement patterns and improper mechanics and enjoys helping athletes improve their motor control to further enhance their athletic skills.

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Noelle Dowma, DPT, BFA, NCPT, CMTPT

Educational Background:  Noelle graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ballet Pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma and then received her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.  She has been working in outpatient orthopaedic settings since 2002.  Since graduation, Noelle has pursued extensive continuing education through Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (has taken ALL of the offered courses), Kinetic control, Pilates based coursework, C1 and C2 BSPT Schroth certified, and is Dry Needling Certified through Myopain seminars.  Musculoskeletal injuries of the spine and all extremities are her main realm of experience.  In addition, her areas of specialization include: osteopathic based manual therapy, Pilates based rehabilitation, dance medicine, craniosacral therapy, dry needling, osteoporosis, hypermobility syndromes, and scoliosis. Noelle is the owner of Kinesphere Physical Therapy LLC.

 

Pilates:  Noelle began studying Pilates when rehabilitating a dance injury in 1992.  Since that time, she trained through the Physical Mind Institute, Polestar Pilates Education and is Nationally Pilates Certified.  She is a Principal Educator for Polestar Pilates Education, where she teaches fitness and rehabilitation professionals how to use Pilates with their clients and patients.  Having taught across the United States, Caribbean, and Mexico, Noelle is a regular presenter at courses and conferences.  Pilates was a part of Noelle’s life before becoming a Physical Therapist and it continues to be an essential part of her success with patients.  Noelle developed the Pilates program at the Kansas City Ballet school. Noelle also teaches for Oov Education and is trained in the Konnector.  

 

Dance Medicine:  Noelle continues to dance today, but the professional training of her Bachelor of Fine Arts allows her the understanding of a dancer’s career, body and injuries.   The Miami City Ballet and Broadway shows were Noelle’s past dance medicine experience before moving to Kansas City in 2006.  Noelle teaches at local dance schools, including the Kansas City Ballet School and has been invited to teach at dance schools in the US and Mexico.  As a sought after dance medicine physical therapist, Noelle works on touring Broadway shows coming through Kansas City and also served as the dance medicine specialist at Children's Mercy. She most recently presented in the 2017 International Association of Dance Medicine and Science conference.

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Aliesa George
PMA-CPT
Founder of Centerworks®.

Aliesa George is a healthy movement habits expert, author, Pilates teacher-trainer, mentor, and workshop presenter, focused on Pilates, foot fitness, and functional movement. Aliesa holds certifications with the PMA (Pilates Method Alliance,) American Council on Exercise (ACE), and has a BFA in Modern Dance. Author of Fantastic Feet! Exercises to Strengthen the Ankles, Arches, and Toes, and creator of the Pilates-Walk® system, as well as numerous other wellness resources... Aliesa loves problem solving to develop safe, effective, creative training programs while staying true to “working the Pilates system” to help keep challenged clients safe, and healthy clients focused, to improve form and function, develop better whole-body health, and ultimately achieve wellness success.

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Kyria Sabin, NCPT
Director Fletcher Pilates, Inc.
Director + Owner  Bodyworks Pilates Studios, Inc.

Recognized as a Master Pilates Teacher, Kyria Sabin founded Body Works Pilates in Tucson, Arizona in 1993. She is also founder and director of Fletcher Pilates®, an international Pilates school. A graduate of Duke University and the Desert Institute for the Healing Arts, Kyria is also a Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher (NPCT). She also developed the Pilates Program at The University of Arizona School of Dance where she serves as Adjunct Faculty. She is an international presenter and has served on advisory boards for the Pilates Method Alliance, The University of Arizona School of Dance, the Foundation for Expanding Horizons, The Haven Center for Women and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southern Arizona.. She currently chairs the National Pilates Certification Program Board of Directors.

 

Kyria initiated her studies with Pilates Master, Ron Fletcher in 1991 at a workshop in Denver and was immediately drawn to Ron’s teaching style and approach to the Pilates method. As a result, Ron in turn took her under his wing. In the years to follow, Ron became Kyria’s primary teacher, her mentor and eventually her dear friend for the next 2 decades until he passed away in 2011. It is now Kyria’s responsibility – and gift – to direct Fletcher Pilates International and its affiliate campuses around the world. The Fletcher Pilates program is continuously refined to develop the very best Pilates teachers in the world. Kyria feels incredibly fortunate to teach along-side a gifted and experienced group of Fletcher Faculty, in preserving and disseminating this amazing body of knowledge and work.

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The staff at Pilates Performance & Rehab is very grateful to have Kyria as an Educator and Continuing Education provider of the Ron Fletcher Method, and also for bringing the brilliant Fletcher Percussive Breath™, Fletcher Fundamentals™, Fletcher Towelwork®, Fletcher Floorwork®, and Fletcher Barrework™ licensing courses to Kansas.

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Sherri Betz
PT, DPT, GCS, PMA®-CPT, CEEAA,

Physical therapist and director of TheraPilates® Physical Therapy, in Santa Cruz, CA, specializing in geriatrics and osteoporosis. Dr. Betz is an APTA board certified geriatric clinical specialist, 1991 graduate of LSU Medical Center's Physical Therapy program and received her clinical doctorate in physical therapy from EIM Institute of Health Professions in 2017.

As a bone health exercise expert, Sherri serves as the Chair of the American Physical Therapy Association's AGPT Bone Health Special Interest Group and serves on the National Osteoporosis Foundation's (NOF) Exercise and Rehabilitation Activities Council as the APTA Liaison and American Bone Health's (ABH) professional education committees. Sherri also serves as Chair of the PMA Research Committee and is the past Chair of the PMA Certification Commission and Board Vice-President. She is the proud recipient of the 2017 PMA Deborah Lessen award for her many years of dedication to forwarding the mission of the PMA.

Dr. Betz has published numerous articles, book chapters, and videos, speaks internationally, and consults on the topic of exercise for osteoporosis. She has conducted and participated in research on exercise for osteoporosis. She is passionately devoted to improving awareness about geriatric exercise, bone health and safe yoga and Pilates-based exercise through professional and consumer education as well as through promotion of low-cost community exercise programs for fit and frail older adults.

The staff of Pilates Performance & Rehab had greatly benefited from Sherri's teaching and training courses since the year 2000.

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