Renee Engmyr Featured Teacher June 2018
The Essentials
Name: Renee Engmyr
(Pronounced Ing-meyer)
Place of birth: Danville, CA
Birth Date: April 18th
Education: UC Irvine - Dance & Psychology
The Pilates Life
Pilates Training: STOTT - John Gary Fitness and Pilates in Long Beach 2013
Renee's Pilates Love Story: I began my professional dance career at the age of 18 - started training as a tiny-tot about 4 years old! I became a professional dancer with my firs paying gigs at 18 years old, but officially joined my first professional company at 21 after graduating college. I have spent the bulk of my performance career with Diavolo Architecture in Motion based here in LA.
A few years later I discovered Pilates. The Pilates Method I found to be so closely in tune with dance technique. One can only compliment the other. I knew the first moment I tried it that it aligned with the sensibilities I had trained with since the beginning of my dance career. I love detailed technique and Pilates has never-ending details for me (and you) to focus on!
Renee's Favorite Pilates Move/Sequencing: Leg Circles. No contest. Only reverse leg circles are better!! I’ll usually move into a short spine right after and can be happy for the day.
Renee's Trouble Spot: Low back/sacrum/rotator cuffsAs a young gymnast, I experience my first back injury, and I never really fully recovered – because, unfortunately, I never really did anything about it! I have some issues with my pelvis shifting and pulling on EVERYTHING. I also spent years working with aggressive overhead shoulder movements that have worn out my rotator cuffs. I’ve separated both shoulders and fully dislocated the left one. It’s been many years, and they are mostly OK now.
Renee's Ideal Client: Anyone who wants to feel a deeper connection to their body and finds magic in movement! I really enjoy those who want to get into all the nitty-gritty of nailing down technique specifics and can enjoy some of the sequences that have more choreography. That’s the dancer in me talking. ☺
Renee, is there anything else you would like our Zen community to know?
I spent many years doing very athletic acrobatic dance shows. We were a small company with no understudies at the time.
As the saying goes; "the show must go on” - so we frequently continued to work on injuries and never got enough rest. In addition to the physicality on stage, hours spent on planes, in cars or sitting around airports and theaters only added a different dimension of challenge to our bodies I have no regrets and feel very lucky to have toured and performed all over the world, but I intend to use Pilates to spend the rest of my years NOT being in pain. :)
I am serious about how beneficial Pilates is, but I think our time working out should be a joy, not a slog. While I may love the details, I don’t think it’s necessary to get too caught up in them. I want everyone to be happy to move and love what their body can do each day
You can take Renee’s classes at:
Monday/Wednesday/Friday 1:30PM -Level 1
Wednesday 12:30PM- Level 2
Renee is also available to work with you one-on-one. Her availability is:
Monday/Wednesday 11:00, 11:30 and after 2:30 is good!
Checkout our past Teacher Features: Ava Comissiong, Alexandra (Alex) Gordon,
