Club Pilates

Bios

• Julia Depaoli

  Instructor

  Julia was born and raised right here in Santa Barbara. She started her certification process for Pilates while completing her degree in Dance Performance at UC Irvine. She was so excited to return to her hometown to share all the positive impacts that Pilates has on the mind and body with her community. Since receiving her certification, Julia has been teaching small group reformer classes at a number of studios around Santa Barbara county. She strives to help everyone in her class feel better than when they came in and leave feeling positive and energized. When she’s not teaching, you can find Julia taking courses at Santa Barbara City College as she works towards her degree in Physical Therapy.

• Natalie Harper

  Lead Instructor

  Natalie was first introduced to Pilates at ten years old. Growing up as a competitive gymnast, mat Pilates was a crucial part of her training regimen. At the age of 18, Natalie was first introduced to the reformer machine and instantly fell in love. With her strong passion for wellness it was no surprise that she would pursue a teaching career. Natalie has now been teaching Pilates for over 8 years - starting first in NYC, then moving to Toronto, and now here in our Santa Barbara studio. When Natalie isn't teaching you can find her kite surfing, hiking, or writing songs!

• Natalie Rydell

  Instructor

  A Southern California native, Natalie holds a global classical certification in Pilates mat under Power Pilates. She teaches a mix of traditional and contemporary for all bodies and fitness goals. Natalie fell in love with the breath and coordination that Pilates provides, and found that it helped her throughout her career on stage in musical theater and as a vocalist. She is pre/postnatal certified, and as a mother herself she finds joy in keeping mommies safe while working out. To her, there is nothing greater than health and wellness, and when her clients have their “Ah hah” moment. In Natalie’s class, get ready to dig deep into your powerhouse for a challenging and fun session!

• Alissa DiSalvo

  Instructor

  Hailing from Pismo Beach, when Alissa moved to Santa Barbara she knew she had found her happy place. She discovered Pilates as an endurance athlete and quickly learned that she didn't have to push herself to exhaustion everyday with running, cycling and hiking hours at a time. With Pilates, her body became stronger in an effortless way. Alissa has our accredited Pilates teaching certification, as well as TRX, Spin, and Personal Training certificates. She believes that fitness is to be used as fuel for the mind and body. When she isn't in the studio you can find her hiking, practicing yoga, or enjoying a spa day with one of her favorites green juices

• Sylvia Hoffman

  Instructor

  A Southern California native and UCSB alum, Sylvia is delighted to be back in Santa Barbara after raising her beautiful family in Colorado. Her love of group fitness drove her first to yoga, then Pilates - and she’s certified in both! She ran her own studio for many years and loves helping others discover their potential while building healthy communities in body, mind and spirit. As the newest addition to our team, Sylvia is excited to be able to teach with the wide variety of props and apparatus we have at Club Pilates. When she isn't teaching at the studio, you’ll find Sylvia enjoying being in nature or indulging in a massage.

• Cynthia Tortolani

  Owner

  As a Los Angeles native, Cynthia, grew up with ballet as the center of her life, and it was there that she was first introduced to Pilates. After graduating from Chapman University with degrees in Business and Performing Arts, Cynthia began a 25-year career in corporate America. Working for various large corporations, she rose to the level of a senior executive with many of her clients being leading national franchisors. After spending many years working long hours and being away from her family while traveling for work, Cynthia knew that she wanted to do something more meaningful with her time so she began looking into new business endeavors. Franchising made sense to Cynthia and after a lot of research, she finally found a company that aligned with her personal objectives of finding a career where she could do what she loved and providing a service that the local community can benefit from. She had done Pilates as a dancer as another means of physical therapy to heal from her injuries. Her parents also did Pilates well into their 80s so she saw first hand the benefits this workout can have and is excited to open this studio to the Santa Barbara community.