Founder

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Philosophy

Leslie Clayton

Founder and owner Leslie Clayton was a professional dancer and has studied numerous different disciplines related to traditional Pilates and fitness. Her objective was to combine less traditional practices with Pilates to create a more comprehensive, whole-body, mind and spirit workout.

Owner of Body Awareness Studios in Atlanta since 1993, Leslie has a professional ballet and modern dance background. She combines her knowledge of dance, Pilates, Yoga and gentle body therapies to create effective programs for all therapeutic and fitness levels. Leslie studied with master teachers at well-known studios from San Francisco, Santa Fe, Boulder, Miami and New York.

Body Awareness Studios is a respite where every Instructor and Student can release, relax and embark on their own journeys.

My intention with creating the Body Awareness Studio is to provide clients and teachers with a safe environment to explore their own range of motion, and safely move to new levels of conditioning and evolution.

I believe with everything we do in life, there is an intention whether we realize it or not. If we choose to focus with intention on creating positive change, whether physical, mental, emotional or spiritual, our spirit will guide the process, and the process will be quickened.

Body Awareness is an ongoing process. The more we learn and feel in our physical body, the more we can make conscious changes to balance all of our bodies – emotional body, mental body, spiritual body.

Every person that I’ve met has been a gift to me to learn more about life. The true teaching for my own inner journey was to explore old beliefs, stories, or judgments that kept me in struggle with life. It was in this awakening that I began to see the reflection of the outer world and the inner world, and how important that reflection is. I believe that this earth walk is a sacred journey. I have learned that we are all a part of nature, and through this connection we are never really alone.

Journey

Leslie studied ballet in Atlanta as a child. One of her many teachers, Fiona Fairrie, was trained at the Royal Ballet in England. She fondly remembers the unique floor exercises used during these ballet classes. Later in her career, Leslie realized those classes had been her introduction to the Pilates method.

Leslie spent more than 20 years teaching children and adults ballet and creative movement. While performing with the Carl Ratcliff Dance theatre and teaching modern dance with the Atlanta School of ballet, she experienced the crossover between physical therapy and Pilates. Leslie experienced the impact that Pilates could have on healing the body.

Leslie began to seek out greater knowledge of the healing arts and bring these teachings to Body Awareness Studios. She studied reflexology and different forms of Energy Medicine along with the Pilates method. She learned about the practice of Pre-Pilates with Jennifer Bury from the St. Francis Memorial Hospital, Dance Medicine and Science department. Leslie expanded her mastery of traditional methods from Michael Miller, graduate of Boulder's Pilates Institute. Michael taught instructors how to guide students to the edge of their comfort zone with gentle intensity.

Leslie brings Pilates trainers, fitness professionals and health care practitioners together for continuing education at Body Awareness Studios. She hosts world-renowned Pilates masters to train instructors and has expanded class offerings.

1. Michelle Larson, one of the founding members of the Pilates Institute in Santa Fe and founder of the Core Dynamics Pilates training
2. Elizabeth Larson, talented expert in movement therapy
3. Mari Windsor of Winsor Pilates who revolutionized the mind body work out
4. Mary Bowen, a Pilates elder who studied directly with Joe Pilates

Today, thanks to Leslie's dedication to maintaining the highest standards of fitness, health and well-being for her instructors and her students, Body Awareness Studios is the premier Pilates training facility in the Southeast.