BALLET CAREER

Megan Johnson was a professional ballet dancer with New York City Ballet for 10 years. Early in her career, she suffered a debilitating lower back injury that caused her loss of strength and feeling in one of her legs, and threatened her ability to continue dancing. After one year of doing many different therapies, but seeing little improvement, she was introduced to Pilates teacher Marimba Gold-Watts, whom she began to work with weekly. Megan finally started to feel improvement, and was able to successfully return to her dancing career. It was after this experience that she came to fully appreciate what a positive effect the right Pilates teacher and training can have on the body and spirit.

PILATES CERTIFICATION

Upon her retirement from New York City Ballet in 2018, Megan began her training to become a Pilates teacher. She completed her Anatomy and Mat certification through The Kane School in 2019, and her Comprehensive Reformer and Apparatus certification through Balanced Body in 2020, under the guide of renowned teacher Lesley Powell. She has remained up-to-date with her Continuing Education credits, completing a “Movement Analysis & Retraining of the Dancer” course taught by Andrea Zujko (PT, DPT) and Marimba Gold-Watts, and she is currently completing the Neuro Studio’s course, “Pilates for Neurological Conditions.” She looks forward to being able to help those affected by neurological conditions, such as MS, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Following her ballet career, Megan was a full-time ballet faculty member at the School of American Ballet from 2017-2023. She very much appreciated her Pilates education, which greatly informed her ballet teaching. She also taught Pilates mat classes to students at American Ballet Theatre, and private Pilates sessions at Westside Dance Physical Therapy. She has worked with clients ranging in age from 12 to 75.

CURRENTLY

Megan relocated to the Pittsburgh region in 2023 with her young family, and is excited to be offering private Pilates sessions from her home studio, both in-person and virtually, as well as private ballet lessons.

©Paul Kolnik