Our Certified Pilates Instructors

Elise Moore, LMT

(541) 465-1680
Contact Elise

Owner of Midtown Pilates Center and a former dancer, she has been teaching and practicing Pilates since 1999. She originally started Pilates due to a back injury and after rehabilitation fell in love with the work. Elise decided to sell her prior business (Southside Athletic club) and pursue a massage license and Pilates certification and opened Midtown Pilates Center. Elise has been living in Eugene since 1985 and in the fitness industry for over twenty years. She is a Stott certified Pilates instructor, certified Gyrotonic^® instructor, certified in the Egoscue^® method and a Licensed Massage Therapist. Elise has 3 DVDs on the market and internet for home use called "Pilates for Life" with Elise Moore. She enjoys sharing her vast knowledge of these different methods with her clients and the growth they experience from the work. She finds that this mind-body transformation has a profound effect on her clients well-being.

Mary Henzie

A resident of the Pacific Northwest since 1973, became a fitness instructor in 1992. She has an extensive background in Hatha yoga and other fitness work. After practicing Pilates for several years she became a certified Stott Pilates instructor in 2005. She has traveled extensively throughout latin America, and also enjoys gardening and meditation. She has a bachelors degree in fine arts.

Walter Kennedy

Walter has been teaching Pilates since 2003 at the Midtown Pilates Center. Walter was a professional dancer for over twenty years touring internationally with the Lewitzky Dance Company based in Los Angeles. He was drawn to Pilates to help with injury prevention and to increase flexibility, and it has helped him to prolong his dance career. His teaching of Pilates is based in the Stott method and also utilizes his breadth of knowledge about the body from almost 30 years of teaching and studying dance and related somatic practices. Walter is also an Associate Professor in the Department of Dance at University of Oregon specializing in technique and composition.

Jessie Newell

Jessie moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2000 to attend the University of Oregon and graduated in 2005 with a degree in human physiology and dance science. At a very early age Jessie discovered dance and movement and has experienced many injuries as a result of poor training techniques. Through the rehabilitation process, Jessie discovered the many benefits of Pilates. Her passion and dedication to wellness and efficient movement has encouraged her to share her Pilates training. In her free time, Jessie enjoys spending time with her three kids, chasing waves, climbing hills, making crafts and cooking.

Janell Riedl

Janell discovered pilates while studying music, theatre, and dance at the University of Oregon over 10 years ago. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree, she relocated to Chicago and then Los Angeles to become a musician. After some years of recording and performing, she returned to the Eugene area, and trained at Midtown privately. Realizing the benefits and wanting to help others make discoveries within, she decided to study at the Stott training facility in Portland, Oregon. Janell began teaching at Midtown in 2008. Janell enjoys an active lifestyle that includes pilates, dance and Bikram yoga.