From Big Tech to Movement Professional

1. Tell us a bit about yourself — where you’re based, and what you were doing before Pilates Teacher Training came into focus.

My name is Kelly Stevenson, a Connecticut native now living in Hoboken, NJ.

I grew up as a competitive athlete (soccer, basketball, track) and dancer (ballet, lyrical, tap, jazz) performing in Arthur Fredric’s The Nutcracker every winter around Christmas time.

Eventually there came a point where I couldn’t be in the studio, on the pitch, and on the court at the same time and had to choose one. I chose soccer because of the endurance it demanded, the fluidity of the game, and the camaraderie that comes from working as a unit toward something bigger than yourself. It’s a strategic game that requires reading the field, anticipating the next play, creating space, timing runs, and trusting your teammates to see what you see. 16 years of dedication led to playing collegiately at the Division III level at St. Lawrence University, where I earned a double major in Business & Economics and a minor in Statistics.

After graduating in 2018, I began my corporate career in NYC working in SaaS Sales for a tech startup. In 2020, I joined MongoDB, where I spent six years as a founding member on teams across Customer Success, Professional Services, and Go To Market organizations partnering with Senior Leadership to design, launch, and implement executive-sponsored programs for strategic enterprise customers.

Alongside my corporate career, I was searching for a new form of movement that challenged me both mentally and physically without leaving my body in pain afterward. I wasn’t injury-prone per se, but over two decades, I fought through an LCL tear, plantar fasciitis, sesamoiditis, and glass ankles. Add a better part of a decade of sitting behind a desk, and my body was suddenly talking differently.

Then, I discovered Reformer Pilates in 2022. I felt invigorated after my first class, but skeptical of how long that sensation would last. So naturally, I tested it.

I kept coming back, consistently, three times a week. Not just for the next few months, but for the next few years, and the transformation that followed was unlike anything I’d experienced before. The more I practiced, the more the movement patterns felt familiar, like muscle memory from my years as a dancer returning.

My posture, strength, and flexibility improved, reconnecting me with the precision and control I once knew through dance and soccer. I was reminded of muscles I’d forgotten existed, leaving me humbled, stronger, and perhaps most importantly, pain-free after every class.

In April 2026, I made an intentional decision to leave corporate tech to become a movement professional. Becoming comprehensively certified through Balanced Body is the first step!

2. What first drew you to Pilates Teacher Training?

Pilates had such a profound impact on me that I want to share it with others. The more I practiced, the more I wanted to understand the method at a deeper level, not just experience it. That curiosity, combined with a lifelong desire to build something of my own in the movement space, made teacher training feel less like a choice and more like a logical and natural next step.

The turning point

3. What made you decide to go from practicing Pilates to wanting to be an Instructor?

What started as a practice to keep myself grounded gradually became a genuine fascination with movement and the human body. The more I practiced, the more I wanted to understand the why behind each movement and how everything works together as a system. Pilates has had such a meaningful impact on me that I wanted to understand it at a much deeper level and help other people experience the same to understand their own movement patterns and better themselves.

4. Why did you choose Balanced Body Education® over other options?

I chose Balanced Body because of the quality of its education, educators, equipment, international recognition, and its foundation to prepare me to work with a wide range of people.

I was seeking out a program that would help me understand the why behind the most complex system there is. The human body. Movement isn’t choreography to memorize, rather it’s an interconnected system to understand. I was also drawn to Balanced Body’s combination of honoring the original classical roots while incorporating evolution as our understanding of the body has evolved with modern science.

The people were also a big part of my decision. I’m fortunate to be training and learning under Master Instructor Ann Toran alongside others who have gone through the program, found success, and whom I genuinely aspire to emulate.

I also made sure to do my due diligence before deciding on Balanced Body. This process was more challenging than I anticipated, mostly because there are too many options. Every other studio now has their own in-house training program. I spent months researching, evaluating, and figuring things out firsthand. This meant going into many new studios, meeting the educators, asking questions, and training with them to understand all that’s out there.

Ultimately, Balanced Body was the clear choice, and I haven’t looked back.

5. What was your biggest fear or hesitation before you started your teacher training?

Not being good enough, simply because I’ve never done this before.

Starting something new can be intimidating, and sometimes that voice in the back of your head tries to creep in and convince you that you shouldn’t do it. You have to ignore it.

It’s called neuroplasticity. When doing something new, our brains can initially perceive the unknown as a potential threat, which is why new things can feel uncomfortable at first. But the brain has an incredible ability to adapt and rewire itself through experience. With practice and repetition, new things become more familiar, competence builds, and with competence comes confidence.

Before I officially started this journey, a C-Level corporate mentor reminded me that you don’t go into something with a plan B. You play to win. And to always keep attacking.

And every time I walk into Ann’s studio, I’m reminded by a sign featuring a quote from Buddha: “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”

These mindsets have stayed with me throughout this process.

Inside the experience

6. What’s surprised you most about your teacher training so far — anything you didn’t expect?

The people! I didn’t expect to meet such an interesting mix along the way. From local NYC local professionals, current and former corporates, people on career breaks, artists, dancers, and people traveling halfway across the globe and country to learn under esteemed educator Ann Toran. It’s been incredible!

7. Has there been a moment where something “clicked” and you thought, “okay, I can really do this!”

Yes! Self-practice and practicing on others has been where these little moments have emerged. Like when a concept I’ve been studying suddenly makes sense in my own body and I can recognize what I’m feeling and why, I get a little glimpse of “Okay, yes, that makes sense.”

I’ve also picked up on the feeling when my cues are accurately translated to another person, seeing them move with proper form. So far, those little moments are reminders of “Okay, I can do this.” It’s nice validation.

8. What’s been the hardest part of teacher training so far, and how did (are) you work through it?

The hardest part has been absorbing so much new information so quickly. I naturally want to understand the why behind it all at once, so I’ve been getting more comfortable giving myself grace for not fully understanding everything overnight.

I’ve found that practice and repetition has been the most helpful. Minimizing filler words, being more direct with cues, and practicing with beginners have all made a real difference.

I also plan to start organizing study sessions with others in the group to learn out loud together.

Looking ahead

9. Is there a special population you see yourself teaching or a niche you are drawn toward?

I’m learning pathology is important. Naturally, I’m curious and want to be able to reach a wide range of people, so I’m intentionally keeping my perspective broad for now.

That said, I’m interested in niching down into pre/post-natal, athletes, corporate employees, and NeuroPilates. Each of these groups is near and dear, so being able to help these specific populations would be meaningful.

10. Where do you hope Pilates takes you — in the next year, and the next five years?

This time next year, I hope to be in the final stretch of my comprehensive training and preparing for my final test out.

Within the next five years, I hope to run a business of my own, whether that’s a studio or an independent private practice. Either way, my goal is to meet every unique body where it is today and help it get to where it wants to be tomorrow in an environment where the results are real, and so is the relationship we build along the way.

I’d also love to give back by helping others who are making an intentional transition into this profession and be surrounded by a community of like-minded, curious, driven people who are committed to becoming a little better every day.

And always, continuous learning!

The takeaway

11. What would you say to someone who’s on the fence about starting their own Pilates teacher journey?

First, I’d ask them to imagine it’s December 31st, and finish this sentence: “I just completed the best year of my life because…” The rules:

1. Be specific. Write down as much detail as possible. What you’re doing, what you’re wearing, where you are, how you feel, etc. 2. Let the work marinate. 3. Read the narrative daily. Obsess over it. 4. Rewrite it if needed and run toward your vision with intentionality. It will happen!

If helping people move better is part of that vision, I would highly encourage them to take the leap, knowing it’s a serious commitment.

It’s an intensive program that requires time, passion, commitment, self-discipline, energy, and willingness to be a beginner again. Based on conversations I’ve had with other trainees, and depending on the track, it could take anywhere from one to a few years to test out and earn your Balanced Body qualification credential.

Like anything worthwhile in life, there are no shortcuts. Especially when you want to do it right. Give yourself grace, keep showing up, and trust the process. In the end, it will be so worth it!

12. Finish this sentence: “Pilates has taught me…”

How to move mindfully, with control, intention, precision, and proper form. How you move matters just as much, if not more, than the movement itself. The breath helps create greater awareness of how the body is moving. And as the exercises become more advanced, the practice challenges the brain as much as the body. Proper form and consistency create results over time while making the practice sustainable for a lifetime. To me, that’s what makes Pilates so closely linked to longevity.

Wrap-up

13. Anything else you’d love people to know about your journey in teacher training?

I’m only getting started, but I have the utmost confidence that this is one of the best decisions I’ve made.

I’m excited to see where this journey takes me and will be writing about it on Substack as Intentionally Kelly. I’d encourage anyone to follow along and not hesitate to reach out! https://substack.com/@theintentionallykelly

All ideas and assertions expressed in The CORE are those of the individual contributors, offered to spark conversation, enrich understanding/inspire growth and share diverse perspectives within our community. They may not necessarily reflect the views of Balanced Body®.