about Katie

Katie, originally from Media, PA, is a professional contemporary ballet dancer free-lancing in the NorthEast. She worked with Newport's contemporary ballet company, (formerly Island Moving Company) for 9 seasons. Moving from NYC in the fall of 2013 she was ecstatic to bring her knowledge and work of the Gyrotonic Expansion System with her to Rhode Island. As a professional dancer and teacher, she trained in Pennsylvania and Delaware before graduating with honors from the prestigious Kirov Academy of Ballet in Wash DC with honors. Besides Newport, Katie performed on numerous stages mainly along the east coast and throughout Europe. She was the first of two dancers to receive an Honorable Merit Diploma from the Tersiphora Foundation of St. Petersburg, Russia in 2004. For more on her dance credits a CV is available.

Katie is the first trainer to bring the Gyrotonic Expansion System to Newport, Jamestown, and surrounding areas.  Her extensive knowledge in the work continues to expand and she enjoys sharing it! Katie works with any individual regardless of age or state of health.  Locals and tourists alike are learning more about the benefits of this work.  She is a Pre-Trainer of Gyrotonic which offers others the opportunity to become a trainer. Her studio is the largest in the state offering classes, privates and semi-privates where the focus is always on having fun with a focus on integrity, timing, and alignment. Have questions? Contact today, all bodies and abilities are welcome.

What is the GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM®?
Within this movement system, we have two parts; with a machine’s guidance and resistance, known as GYROTONIC®, and without the machines, known as GYROKINESIS®. It comes from the combination of two Greek words “Gyro” to move to turn around an axis and “tonic” stretching referring to the healthy ability of the muscle (contracting and extending to the maximum).

When did you become a trainer of the GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM®?
I started trying Gyrotonic in 2009 in NYC and immediately starting working to become a licensed trainer. I knew I wanted to do this movement system forever, to help heal my deep old injuries and trama while understanding and education myself about my body for the future. My goal is to take this and support all other bodies looking in their own respective ways to do the same. Investing in the “BODY BANK” in forever.

What is your training background?
I took the Rejuvenation Course in Germany with the creator Juliu Horvath in 2013. Before that time I enjoyed my time with Authorized Master Trainers Erika Hassan and Lucrezia Caricola (Gyrokinesis), Billy Macagnone (Gyrotoner, Archway, Pre-Training, JSB), Sebastian Plettenberg, Clyde Rae Jolie-Ashe, and Young-ah Kim (Gyrotonic). There are so many wonderful top trainers across the globe and I felt it was important to have a variety in my training. I enjoyed my time with Master Trainer Emily Smith in NYC, Master Trainer Megan McLauren in South Africa, and the Gyrotonic application for Golf with GPA/Gyrotonic instructor Dave Rasmussen. Working with Alicia Head (Gyrokinesis Spinal Essentials) and Paul Horvath (Applications for the Shoulder Girdle) reminded me how valuable this work is for retraining old injuries and preventing future ones. I ask you, “What kind of life do you want to live? Life quality and the ability to move around are key. What we do and don’t do is an influence on that. If you haven’t given Gyrotonic a try, do it today.”

What do you love most about the work?
There is so much to love about it! From the studio’s perspective, I enjoy the expression on my client’s faces when they feel a positive shift. They generally always feel lighter, taller, happier. I can see changes in a client by how they move around the studio, even when they haven’t. They are generally ready for more explorations of the work and come to understand how the body works together. Many share how it is helping in their day-to-day life and life choices. From a personal perspective, I feel the changes in my body and therefore my life. This work guides me to work intelligence, working smarter not harder. To remind me how to be kind to myself and others. The sport of dance is very physical on the body and when I don’t cross-train with Gyrotonic my joints feel compressed and my muscles ache often. I can feel like I am working very hard but the progress is slow, with the Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis work, I gain deep and efficient connections so the progress is immediate. I am grateful to help as many clients as I can while also helping my body recover.

What’s your biggest challenge?
Get my clients to practice their “homework” or we say “home play”. Because you should have fun in your body! Nothing will happen without practice. However, I am increasingly impressed as more clients return to boast they have been adding and remembering and noticing a massive difference. Especially when the body releases pain it has held for years… it is worth it when I get to hear and see the difference in the clients!