Colleen Jorgensen, C.A.T., D.O
Owner, Osteopath, Athletic Therapist, Polestar Certified Pilates Instructor
Colleen's interest in fitness and medicine prompter her to pursue a degree in Exercise Science, specializing in Athletic Therapy, from Concordia University in 1995. She became a Certified Athletic Therapist in 1996 and has enjoyed working with many different sports teams over the years. While studying at Concordia, Colleen pursued certification as a Pilates instructor with Ann McMillan at the CPM and went on to become Polestar certified as well. Over the years she has ejoyed giving many lectures and courses on Pilates to allied health and fitness professionals. She completed the five year, post graduate osteopathy at College d'Etdues Osteopathiques de Montreal, in June 2002. In June 2005, she successfully defended her thesis entitled" The Effect of Osteopathic Treatment of the Kidney on the Strength and Flexibility of the Illiopsoas Muscle Group." It is through her own rehabilitation, following surgery on her lower back, that Colleen discovered how powerful and effective the combination of osteopathy and Pilates can been. Having experienced the benefits first-hand, she has opened this clinic in hopes of giving others the opportunity for the improved quality of life that she was lucky enough to find for herself.
Caroline Fleury D.O., T.R.P.
Caroline has always been athletic. As a teenager, she swam and cycled and played ice hockey. Her love for sports lead to her discovery of various forms of injury rehabilitation. She completed a program in physical rehabilitation at the Montmorency College in 1995. In order to further her knowledge, in 2002 she began the osteopathy program at the Montreal Osteopathy College (CEO) and successfully defended her thesis in June 2008. She has practiced physiotherapy for 10 years and in June 2005 she joined the CORE BASICS team so that she could focus on her new passion - osteopathy.
Ora Loeb, D.O.
Bio coming soon.
Michelle Sands, B.Sc., R.Y.T
Studio Coordinator, Certified Yoga Teacher, Pilates Instructor
Michelle completed her Yoga Teacher Training at 7 Centers Yoga Arts in Sedona, Arizona (now the home of the American Yoga College). Her background includes work in Classical Hatha, Ashtaga, Iyengar as well as several styles of dance, and of course Pilates. She started studying Pilates in 2003, mentoring under Colleen at CORE BASICS, and has been learning ever since. She believes deeply in the intelligence of the human body and works with care and respect for each of her clients. Above all she loves to move, and believes that movement should be fun! Her classes combine her love of physical alignment and sense of play. She is most passionate about the Pilates principals of balance, grace and moving from the centre, as well as Pilates' ability to help people connect with their body and lead happier and in many cases, pain-free lives. Michelle is also the co-owner of Ambaa Yoga and Little Lotus Yoga for Kids.
Sara Wiskar
Certified Pilates Practitioner
Sara is an independent artist - teaching, dancing and choreographing in Montreal. While at University her studies in dance and education facilitated her research in the domain of cognitive-motor development (the study of how body patterns relate to cognitive processing. However, it was her work with Autistic children that propelled her to look beneath the layers and read between the lines. Teaching Pilates has always been a fruitful outlet to Sara's professional dance career. Certified both in Mat and Machine work, her experiences teaching and working with severely autistic children, adolescents and the elderly, the blind and the mentally challenged have had a profound impact on her approach to teaching and learning a Body-Mind practice such as Pilates. Strongly influenced by the Osteopathic way, Sara is a melting pot full of approaches to the body and movement her approach to teaching Pilates is both unique and eclectic.
Shantal Nicole
Polestar Certified Pilates Instructor
Shantal posses a solid foundation in graphic arts, contemporary dance and Pilates. After pursuing a successul career in grahpic design she pursued a degree in contemporary dance at the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM). Her growing interest in movement lead her to explore different techniques from Feldebkrais, Tai Chi, Yoga, Tibetan rites, Thai Yoga Massage... and of course, Pilates. Her experience teaching dance, especially her work teaching creative dance to children, concreted her growing interest in a more holistic approach to the body and movement, as well as the relationship between the body in movement and the spirit moving through the body. After an injury and two pregnancies she rediscovered the potential Pilates holds and decided to complete her Pilates training with Polestar Education in Miami, Florida. Through Pilates, she works with sensitivity and creativity all the while creating a warm and constructive ambiance.