welcome about services ara pilates + movement contact

welcome about services ara pilates + movement contact

Missoni Lanza

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Follow Missoni Lanza on Instagram: @missonilanza

A thought on posture...
This seems to be an ongoing discussion in this industry: the importance of alignment. This topic alone seems to rattle up such emotional responses as any political conversation does today. Yet, does your alignment matter? I’ve read many highly educated responses to this question, taken courses with people who have had polar view points. Yet, I definitely find myself always returning to my solid view point: yes, alignment matters. Yes, form matters.
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Why? Your body is designed to respond with one another in a certain way. How you set up your body and how you practice your movement sets the intention of how you will hold yourself in your day to day life. Our time we set aside for movement and training should be productive and intentional, because this sets the foundation on how we carry our bodies in our life. Encouraging bad habits with disregarded form starts to unravel the integrity on which we carry our body, especially if we have poor postural habits to start with. •
Will you be perfect the first time you do something? Absolutely not. But setting yourself up with the tools to execute certain movements well will set you up for success rather than just diving straight into it. Being mindful about each little movement will lead to more effective patterning rather than just training your brain to poor movement patterns.
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This is such a touchy topic in this industry. With this said, I do respect my peers and their opinions and thoughts on the importance of form. I suppose when it comes down to it, it depends on the intentions of the Instructor and the practitioner. What are your goals? What is of value to you? The discussion can forever go on. But I’m definitely in the boat of do your movement well and with full awareness. You don’t need to do much to make a lasting and productive impact on your body. It’s all about the journey and the solidity of the building blocks you provide to get you there. •
Art: Matisse

For the last two years, I have really been enjoying exploring as an instructor. When I first received my certification, I was all about anything Pilates. The first two years I invested quite a large amount of money participating in various workshops and receiving CEC’s from nearly every company out there recognized by the PMA. When I was younger, I just wanted to know everything about Pilates and be the best Pilates Instructor I could be. •
Pain is always an eye opener and was the abrupt slap in the face that something has to change. When I first started my teaching career, I was certainly passionate, but I was not equipped to really make that much of a difference.
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Anytime anyone gives me a compliment about my teaching today, I always credit Heidi Byrnes. For anyone who resides in Seattle, you truly have a gifted wealth of knowledge in your presence. Heidi shifted my teaching, broadened my perspective, and challenged me to think more critically in the fitness industry. •
This weekend I am going to be in Seattle at @backfitpro The Gift of Injury Course. I’m looking forward to being exposed to something completely different than previous trainings I have had and to continue to broaden my perspective as a movement educator and to gain additional tools to share with my clients. •
The more I dive into this world, the more it becomes clear to me how I want to help people and what I would like to offer them. When people ask me what it is I do, I often pause, for I am not necessarily “just” a Pilates Instructor, nor a self-proclaimed Movement Specialist. No, I consider myself a Body Counselor. I provide guidance and educated feedback while the client takes on the journey of self-exploration and enlightenment. I’m there to safely lead a client to become stronger and arm them with tools that they can apply to their day-to-day lives that will last a lifetime.
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This work is so intimate and special, and nothing is more rewarding than a client coming in totally exuberant because they were able to do something they have never done before without pain. I can’t say it enough, I truly love what I do.
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Photo: @jennavanzantphoto

I took a short posting hiatus, placing all my energy and focus on @arastudiopilates and different affairs relating to my business with my business partner. One of my friends, @jennavanzant , came down to take a few photos of the new space for us and to enjoy a week of girl time. We also had our glass partition walls finally installed and our Private Clientele has been picking up. Words can not express how much I enjoy teaching in that space and how much I truly enjoy what I do.
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Currently, I am sitting at the Palm Springs airport listening to George Benson over the radio while I wait for my flight to Seattle to partake in @backfitpro The Gift of Injury course. I’ve been waiting impatiently for this course and I am so excited for this weekend.
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Photo by @jennavanzantphoto

I am so excited to be part of @momentumfest this year and to have the chance to move with some fantastic instructors. Momentum Fest is having an Instagram challenge and the winner will win a Free 3-day pass! Are you in the Greater Palm Springs area? Join me at @arastudiopilates and take your pictures at the studio for a chance to also win a free monthly unlimited package! Check out the rules below to join in on the fun.
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Join the Momentum Fest Instagram challenge February 11-15 and be a part of our celebration of movement, community and fun! •
Here are the rules:
You will post one picture or video per day showing us how you interpret each of these words in your movement practice and lifestyle:
Monday - EXPLORATION
Tuesday - FUN
Wednesday - CONNECTION
Thursday - STRENGTH
Friday - CELEBRATION
You must use the hashtags #momentumfest and #momentumfest2019 so we can see all the fun you are having!
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Follow @momentumfest on Instagram and tag @momentumfest on every picture or video you post for the challenge.
Get some friends to join you for the Instagram fun!
We will announce the winner of the three day Momentum Fest pass in March!
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Join me at @momentumfest June 21-23 in Denver, CO, for this movement celebration! Tickets for Momentum Fest 2019 can be purchased at momentumfest.com

We finally did it, we created the dream studio! I have no words... thank you to everyone who came out and who celebrated this special moment with us.
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Special thanks to Chris Norman, @sal_val49 , and @shimmimartini for helping us load everything in and clean! Thank you Christine Pratt for catering our event. Thank you Dei Lanza, Linda Robertson, Brian Nova, Bill Healey and @natalietaylor33 for sending us beautiful arrangements for our opening. Thank you Richard and Ann-Britt Schlein for the lovely gift. •
Thank you @skyvalleyridge , Jane Skogen and @kennanvorwaller for being part of our dream team!!!! This is just the beginning. Thank you for being part of our journey.
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Dress + Necklace: @anthropologie
Tan: @shannonspraytans

At the end of the day, it’s about the work and the impact you make on others. Whatever it is you do, whatever ignites your passion, keep that as your main focus. Do not worry about what someone else is doing or how they are doing it, that is not your journey, it is theirs. Stay inspired and never stop dreaming of what you want to give back to the world. Focus on your skills, your craft, and being the best you can be. Create something new and your own path. Be fearlessly and authentically yourself. •
Clothing: @contrologyactive
Photo: @jessacarterinstant

Night out with my domestic business boo celebrating @natalietaylor33 and Brad’s engagement! 💕

It feels so good to be back home in the Desert, rolling up my sleeves and getting back to work. However, this doesn’t necessarily feel like work... To be intellectually and creatively challenged is always thrilling to me. Especially when this challenge is coupled with the high I get with helping others out of pain or to discover something new within themselves through movement. •
We are now less than three weeks away from opening. To be so close is quite surreal... we have been fighting for so long to get to this point and it’s just on the horizon. I have been going to the space every day to keep an eye on the progress with construction and to just soak in every moment. I’m still in awe we were able to pull this off, that the vision of our dream studio we put together in a business plan this time last year is actually becoming a reality. And better yet, our team is awesome and I’m so excited to walk in the studio every day to be surrounded by such stellar people. They are all such special spirits, I can not gush about them enough.
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I just want to remind all of you, that if you have a dream, never give up on it, even if someone tries to deter you from your vision. Hold on to that spark and keep cultivating that fire. Do not lose faith when doors slam in your face, just find another one or bust right through it. When we started @arastudiopilates , Marlys and I each purchased a reformer to get for the studio. I had bad credit from an unfortunate situation from a family member and was not approved for any loan, let alone a credit card. Did that stop me from trying? No. I went to my bank every single day with my business plan and asked for a credit card or loan. I heckled the poor bank teller daily till he got tired of seeing me, found a loop hole, issued me a card and gave me a limit for the amount of the reformer. Let me tell you, they told me no so many times, I just didn’t like their answer.
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Do what you love, live your best life, and never give up. 💕
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Photo: @ruthmariephotography
Shirt: @zara
Necklace & Pants: @anthropologie

Throw back to last week when Brian took me to see @seattlesymphony performing Beethoven’s 9th. Definitely was one of the top highlights of the year: amazing!

designed by darling think lightly
photography by ruth marie photography