Biographies
Regan Hoerster is the owner and master instructor at Village Pilates Studio. Completing among the most intensive Pilates certification program of its kind in the world, she teaches with knowledge, creativity, and inspiration. Fulfilling over 1,000 hours of apprenticeship work in the classical Pilates Method and studying with the most highly trained and renowned instructors in the field, Regan continues to be committed and impassioned as a lifelong student. Her initial training consisted of a strict one-year 750-hour program under the tutelage of Fran Ahrens of Body in Balance, Hinsdale, IL. And Regan continues to train, traveling several times a year to Boulder, CO, where she studies with the renowned staff at The Pilates Center, including Amy Taylor Alpers and Rachel Taylor Segel. Regan Hoerster is dedicated to her own daily Pilates lessons and continues to take workshops, lessons, and observations from the leading Pilates instructors in the country.
In light of the Village Pilates Studio mission, Regan Hoerster is consciously creating a positive and unique place to practice the Pilates method. Hosting a creative and inspiring place to learn and an accessible and reliable place to do business is imperative in maintaining her own vitality and belief in the method. She is dedicated in being a trustworthy Pilate's teacher, one who is thorough, caring and careful, and keeps abreast on the complexity and depth of knowledge in the field. Regan is committed to living and working in a style that is directly in line with the values of fairness, respect, and appreciation for others.
New Scoop? In addition to her 750-hour certification and all the hours of continuing education that has followed, Regan has earned her Master's in Pilates at The Pilates Center in Boulder, Colorado! She is also excited to become certified with the Pilates Method Alliance by November 2011.
Stefanie Dockendorf
is a Pilates instructor at Village Pilates Studio. Having taken Pilates for 10 years, it wasn't until Regan Hoerster encouraged her, that she began to pursue teaching. She has completed intense certification programs under Regan, and has completed many continuing education workshops recognized by The Pilates Center. She has been teaching for over 5 years and will always continue to further her knowledge of Pilates and the body. Stefanie has extensive experience teaching people of all fitness levels, including those with injuries or limitations. She takes time to get to know each client, their body and their goals.
While living and breathing Pilates at night, early mornings and on the weekends, during the day Stefanie is a full time mom of two boys and a freelance graphic designer. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts with an emphasis in graphic design and jewelry and metalsmithing.
Pilates has changed Stefanie's body throughout her years of practice. After giving birth to her first child, she began to listen to her body more intently and thought she may not be able to regain her previous figure. Pilates has allowed Stefanie to regain and improve her fitness level while at the same time boosting confidence in her body and self. During her second pregnancy, Stefanie continued her Pilates practice until the end and was able to achieve an even stronger body post pardom. Stefanie feels she is in the best shape of her life.
Stefanie has a great passion for practicing and teaching the Pilates Method and hopes to share that passion with you. She loves the body's evolution within movement and will take you on a journey of physical and mental well being and improvement.
Laurie Nations
is a Pilates Instructor at Village Pilates Studio. Laurie was certified through Regan Hoerster’s intensive 750-hour teacher training program and teaches private lessons, group equipment and mat classes. For Laurie, Pilates has been a life changing endeavor. Suffering chronic back pain from a degenerative vertebral disc, Laurie turned to Pilates to help ease her symptoms and has strengthened her spine, abdomen and deep postural muscles to the point where she is virtually pain free. During the day, Laurie works in the fast-paced Chicago advertising industry but during the early morning hours and weekends you can find her at VPS where her goal is to make the Pilates method accessible and fun for students.
Ellen Teinowitz Taylor is a certified instructor at Village Pilates Studio, after completing a rigorous and thorough training under Regan Hoerster’s mentoring. She is proof that anyone, at any age, can change the way they look, feel and think. She credits all the positive changes to studying and teaching Pilates. Ellen was hooked on Pilates in her first week and knew she wanted to learn as much as she could, and eventually become a Pilates Instructor. She is particularly inspired by a quote from Joseph Pilates:
“To achieve the highest accomplishments within the scope of our capabilities in all walks of life, we must constantly strive to acquire strong, healthy bodies and develop our minds to the limit of our ability.
Ellen credits Regan Hoerster and all the other teachers at VPS with helping her reach for the “Pilates” stars. She looks forward to continuing on--- learning all she can, and teaching her students with skill, insight, creativity and compassion.
Angie Dalrymple Having always been enthusiastic about fitness, health and well-being, Angie began pursuing another form of exercise to supplement her daily running. Having been asked to be a case study for fellow Pilates Instructor Stefanie Dockendorf, she found something that would become her passion. She fell in love with Pilates immediately because of the way it made her feel, look, and act. Once the case study was complete, Angie decided to pursue training at Village Pilates Studio under Regan Hoerster to be a Pilates Instructor. She knew she wanted to teach others Pilates to help change their lives the way hers had been. Once she was certified, Angie continued to follow her passion for Pilates, leaving her full time job at Leo Burnett, one of the leading advertising agencies in the country, and teaching Pilates full time. When asked what motivates her, she says “my clients, their spirit, and their commitment. I love to see the amazing changes they undergo, both on the outside and on the inside.” You can catch Angie in her spare time with her 2 cats and huge Doberman Ty, as well as running, spending time with family and friends, and delving into the city’s vintage shops to find the best steals.
Len Palombi attended his first Pilates class in 2006 at a corporate fitness center and was immediately hooked. “I had tried traditional fitness routines, weight training, treadmill, aerobics, but nothing really stuck. Then I tried Pilates. I loved everything about it, the discipline, the consistency and especially the results.”
Looking for more Pilates than the fitness center could offer, he discovered the Village Pilates Studio and became a regular client. Several years later, when corporate outsourcing gave Len the opportunity to pursue his passion for Pilates full time, he decided to join the Teacher Training Program. The program, among the most comprehensive and intensive programs of its kind in the world, requires 750 hours of classes, observations, workshops, and student teaching, and covers the complete classical repertoire of exercises on all apparatus.
Len successfully completed the program in January 2012. “I have learned so much about the method and myself. It has been an incredible journey.” In addition to the program requirements, he has also completed over 400 hours of additional student teaching and training.
As an instructor, Len is very committed to his clients’ development. He is well versed in the Pilates fundamentals and principles, ensuring a strong foundation for beginners to build on as well as for experienced students to advance from. Len is also adept at working with older adults. Having achieved certification at age 60, he is able to draw on his own experience with learning the method to make Pilates accessible regardless of age or level of fitness. “Core strength is so important to mobility and flexibility, especially as one gets older. My goal as an instructor is to enable others, especially older adults, to reap all the benefits Pilates has to offer.”
In addition to teaching, Len inspects and maintains all of the studio equipment on a regular basis ensuring a safe studio environment.
Len and his wife Cindy live in Oak Park and have two grown children. When he’s not doing Pilates, you can catch him at the Oak Park Farmer’s Market, playing guitar with the Farmer’s Market band.
Julia Haptonstahl has been a practitioner of Pilates since it was introduced to her as a dance student in early high school. She attended Northern Illinois University on scholarship majoring in dance as well as studying anatomy of movement at Columbia College in Chicago. Julia has danced professionally in MOMENTA Dance Company in Oak Park and is also an independent Fire Dancer and Fire Eater performing in the Chicago area.
Julia began the rigorous 750 hour Pilates Teacher Training program at Village Pilates Studio in Oak Park, IL in May 2010. She has been classically trained in Pilates on all apparatus and all fitness levels under Regan Hoerster and Cameron Jarrett. Training with exceptional and experienced teachers in Pilates and dance, Julia combines her knowledge of dance and Pilates to teach people to move intelligently with a sense of purpose, while providing an understanding of how the body moves anatomically. Julia has a unique intuition and intelligence of visual and spatial understanding to see the body as a whole when teaching clients. With the practice of Pilates, Julia has been able to keep her body virtually pain free since having two car accidents which injured her back permanently. As a dancer and athlete, she believes Pilates is the best cross training for athletes of all kinds and greatly assists in preventing injuries. She has an extensive knowledge and special interest in training dancers and athletes in Pilates. Pilates for Julia has been a life saver mentally and physically. She hopes the good health and happiness she has experienced through her practice of Pilates will be a source of inspiration for her own clients. She will be finishing her program in early spring 2012.
Kay Harmon began the VPS Teacher Training Program in 2010 after five years of practicing Pilates under the inspiring leadership of Regan Hoerster. Luckily, Kay happened upon Pilates when physical therapy failed to relieve chronic low back pain from a serious back injury. She found that Pilates not only relieved her pain and decompressed her spine, but made her stronger and more confident. Kay's desire to deepen her understanding of the Pilates method and admiration for the teachers who became certified under the guidance of Regan inspired her to join the VPS Teacher Training Program.
Kay loves teaching and helping clients realize their fitness goals. She is empathic with those who are just beginning an exercise program or on the road to recover their physical strength. She also provides a challenging workout for those who wish to maintain or enhance their fitness level.
Kay's greatest joy comes from helping you become your best.
Catherine Ditto entered the 750-hour Pilates Teacher Training under Regan Hoerster’s tutelage in May 2010 after having been introduced to Pilates in 2008 by her older and wiser sister, Anne Ditto, also a teacher trainee.
“For many years I’ve enjoyed walking, long-distance cycling and various forms of aerobics. After 40, it seemed that I was falling out of shape even though I was exercising. Pilates is the perfect complement to my pursuit of fitness and wellness. The core strength I am building through Pilates makes everything I do easier and more fun.” Pilates also complements Cathy’s day job, teaching 6th grade in Chicago Public Schools.
Her background and degree in therapeutic recreation affirm her belief that a well-rounded leisure lifestyle, one that includes fitness, is closely tied to quality of life. Through Pilates, Cathy hopes to help others improve their quality of life by improving the way they feel.
