What We’ve Forgotten About Pilates—and How We Can Return

There are moments in life that don’t come from  strategy. They don’t arrive with spreadsheets or plans. They come from something deeper.

A whisper in your gut.

A vibration in your chest.

A knowing in your bones.

Maybe you’ve felt it too.

When I created what became the Innovative Virtual Academy, it wasn’t because the world needed another training platform. It wasn’t to stand out, scale, or “disrupt.”

It was a call I couldn’t ignore—and maybe, it’s one you’ve heard in your own way.

Why IVA? Why Now?

Because our industry is full of brilliance—and also full of burnout. Because too many teachers feel isolated. Because too much comparison has replaced real connection.

Have you noticed it, too?

Lineages divided.

Voices silenced.

Presence replaced with performance.

That’s why I didn’t build another system. I created IVA as a space to remember why we started—and to return to what’s real. A space where our differences aren’t threats—they’re gifts. Where we don’t compete—we co-create. Where each of us brings something essential to the table.

Yes, IVA stands for the Innovative Virtual Academy.

But really, it’s about this:

Can we return to the soul of our work? Together?

Pilates Is More Than a Method

Joseph Pilates didn’t just give us exercises. He offered a worldview. He taught that movement heals. That a connected body creates a connected life. That stillness has power. That alignment—physical and personal—creates change.

And yet, we forget.

Caught in the scroll.

Chasing metrics.

Craving visibility.

We start performing Pilates instead of embodying it. And in that forgetting, I heard a clear message: Why not bring all remarkable and soulful teachers back together. Unite the lineages. Create something that gives, not takes.

What IVA Is (and Isn’t)

IVA isn’t a program with shiny funnels or scripted outcomes. It’s a place for teachers to gather, grow, and be guided from within. We host conversations—not just trainings. We share tools—not just tips. We create space—for you to be seen, to share, and to lead with heart.

And yes—there’s curriculum.

There’s guidance.

There’s depth.

But none of it matters unless you feel called to teach from a deeper place.

Business Can Be Sacred, It Depends On You

I believe the way we run our business is a form of teaching. Not by selling harder—but by serving deeper. Because real success isn’t about algorithms.

It’s about alignment. About purpose. About meaning.  And the teachers who thrive now? They’re not just skilled.

They’re soul-led. They’re clear. They care. They are themselves and authentic with heart. 

IVA is for those teachers.

Maybe it’s for you.

What the World Needs Now

We’re in a time of noise, speed, and fragmentation. And the answer isn’t louder messaging. It’s quieter truth. Pilates teachers have an essential role—not just in bodies, but in lives. We help people breathe again. Stand again. Trust again.

But we can’t offer that if we’re disconnected from ourselves.

So this is your invitation—

Not to perfect yourself.

But to root deeper.

To teach from soul.

To lead with care.

If You Feel the Pull…

You don’t need to be further ahead. You don’t need to know how. You just need to feel it: That whisper in your gut that says, there’s something more. That your work isn’t about clients. It’s about contribution. That your practice isn’t about hustle. It’s about homecoming.

If that’s where you are—

You’ll find space here.

Visit ivapilates.com and our Inner Circle that is waiting for you with open doors. 

Learn. Connect. Be seen. Lead forward.

Let’s rise.

With care.

With clarity.

With each other.

With heart,

Iva

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