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about

Body Balance

We use classical and contemporary Pilates, the TRX Suspension Training System and Yoga to help our clients feel better inside and out. These time-tested, full-body systems improve posture, increase strength and stamina, and support long-term health and wellness. Pilates is a form of whole body, core-focused exercise that works with the principles of focus, breath, control, centering, coordination, rhythm and flow. Regardless, of body type, injuries, or fitness level, these forms of fitness programs can help you find greater strength and ease!

 

Services we offer: Pilates Reformer, Tower and Wunda Chair, as well as Functional Fitness sessions, TRX Suspension Training System, Private Power and Therapeutic Yoga sessions.

 

We are a team of professionals who are among the most innovative and well-trained mind body instructors in Greensboro.  Collectively, we have undergraduate, graduate and post graduate degrees in Exercise and Sports Science, Physical Education, Dance and Physical Therapy.  We are certified in multiple fields and subsets of fitness.  Most importantly, we all share a common mission to use our skills and hearts to improve our clients’ lives.

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Get to Know us

Shannon Rooney - Managing Partner

Pilates: Balanced Body University Comprehensive Certification, PMA Certified, Polestar Pilates teacher training  Yoga:  500 E-RYT

Shannon Rooney is a certified yoga and Pilates instructor with over 15 years of teaching experience. Her dance background and love of movement and running instantly connected her to the mind-body element that yoga and Pilates brings to overall health. She personally has found strength, balance and healing from past injuries, and she loves the way that these modalities create symmetry in the body and a strong connection with the core. She believes this connection is accessible to everyone from first-time beginners to highly experienced students. In Pilates, she is comprehensively trained through Balanced Body University, PMA certified and recently Polestar Pilates trained. In yoga, she is an E-RYT 500 level yoga instructor with a prenatal certification. Her classes and private sessions will be strong, core-focused, fun, and encouraging!  She likes to teach creative classes blending yoga and Pilates while connecting students with their breath and working towards supporting clients’ individual goals. Shannon has experience working with all different ages and abilities as well as helping clients in their rehab process after an injury. She likes to incorporate a sense of humor and playfulness, as well as deep alignment based cueing to beginner and advanced students alike.


Molly Markham Lipp - Partner

PMA Pilates Certified since 2009, Pre and Post Pregnancy Pilates Certified, TRX Certified, MS in Exercise & Sport Science

Molly is an exercise enthusiast with a passion for helping others with their bodies, self-esteem, and improving their quality of life. Molly has always been involved in sports, gymnastics, and teaching. Pilates restored balance and wholeness in to her exercise routine in 2002 when she first started taking classes, essentially looking for something that would strengthen her core and create long, lean muscles. Little did she know that Pilates does way more than just that! Molly loves challenging her clients and bringing creativity into her sessions.  Developing lessons, figuring out a solution to help someone move more efficiently and pain free, and inspiring her clients to live their best life with movement being in the forefront are a few of the reasons why she absolutely loves teaching Pilates. 

 

Molly loves teaching group classes!  She also specializes in working with women before, during and after pregnancy.  Molly has a positive and motivating approach to teaching, and is available for group classes, semi-private, and private sessions on the Pilates equipment and on the TRX system.

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Erica Thornton - Instructor, MS,LAT,ATC

General Pilates, Rehabilitation, Sports Performance

Entering her fourth year on faculty at High Point University. Erica is an assistant professor in the Department of Athletic Training. Erica's introduction to pilates started with a lunch time mat class taught by none other than Judy Frederick in 2004. She immediately saw the potential benefit to any individual who would commit to practice. Erica graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree from SUNY Brockport in 1996 and a Master’s of Science degree from the University of Florida in 1999. She is set to graduate with her Doctorate of Athletic Training in 2020, Erica completed her comprehensive Pilates certification through the PhysicalMind Institute in December 2009, and now maintains her certification through the Pilates Method Alliance. Erica teaches mat classes and equipment classes for all skill levels and goals. The benefit of increased body awareness and functional breathing patterns finds pilates fundamentals in many of the injury prevention and treatment plans that Erica plans for those recovering from injury. Erica enjoys working with clients recovering from injury, those that are looking for a new fitness challenge, as well as those that are anxious to re balance their bodies. Erica lives in Greensboro with her husband, Kevin, daughter, Braedy, and Siberian Husky, Ginger.

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Shannon Hoffmann - Instructor

Contemporary Pilates, Personal Training

Shannon has enjoyed a passion for exercise since she was very young. As a former competitive gymnast and Division I diver, she has challenged herself through many forms of exercise. Her childhood passion for sports drove her to study Exercise Sport Science at East Carolina University. Upon graduating with a BS in Exercise Physiology, Shannon was first introduced to Pilates while completing her internship at a physical therapy clinic. There she used Pilates to help in the design of pre and post rehabilitation exercise programs. Shannon went on to become a certified personal trainer and enjoyed working with high level athletes while living in the mountains of Colorado. It was there that Shannon experienced her first true Pilates class and realized the challenge of working the core muscles. Over ten years ago, Shannon became Studio Certified through Polestar Pilates. Shannon enjoys teaching Pilates to a diverse population. From the amateur athlete to post rehab patients, Pilates is a highly effective method to helping each individual achieve their goals. Shannon strives to bring creativity and fun to each goal driven Pilates session . The mind-body connection associated with the Pilates method resonates with her and she believes that connection will help each student of Pilates reach their full potential. Outside of the studio, Shannon is co owner of Triad Diving Academy, and has been a springboard and platform diving coach for over twenty years. Shannon and her three children reside in Greensboro.

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Cindy Barbour - Instructor

B.S. ESS, RCAA, AFAA, YMCA certified

Cindy has an extensive background in the wellness industry.  She started out as a competitive runner and quit competing only to find herself gaining weight quickly.  She joined a gym in Maryland and starting attending classes most days of the week.  On a stormy night, the instructor scheduled to teach couldn’t teach and Cindy was asked to step in.  The rest, as they say, is history.  Cindy went on to get certified in teaching group exercise, personal training and a certification as a running coach.  As an adult, Cindy went to UNCG and finished her degree in Exercise Science and Sports Studies.  She has worked in numerous gyms in Maryland, Illinois and settled in North Carolina in 1993.  She has been with the YMCA many years as a wellness director as well as a former columnist for the News & Record.  For a while Cindy was on the WXII Channel 12 morning news leading the 12 minute workout segment.  Cindy has also been a guest writer in numerous publications.  Her passion is clearly helping people achieve their goals through lifestyle changes.  Cindy is currently retired as the Fitness Director at Starmount Forest Country Club and is spending time racing & pacing running races of all distances from the track (Ultimate Runner) to 202 miles (Tahoe 200)

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Katie Teal - Instructor

DPT, Pilates Certified

I started my Pilates journey in 2009 while I was a student at UNC-Chapel Hill. I fell in love with mat and did not know how I was going to fill that void when I graduated in 2011 and moved back to High Point. Then I found the reformer at the Sportscenter that fall and loved it immediately. I began training to be an instructor in 2013 and finished comprehensive training on the chair and barrel in 2020. I recently moved to Greensboro in the summer of 2020 after living in Hawaii on the beautiful island of Oahu for 2.5 years. I started my career as a physical therapist there and incorporated Pilates on a daily basis. I am so excited to be teaching again! I have loved exercise from a young age, playing soccer and basketball, and trying any sport I can! From various injuries and knee surgery for ACL repair in 2006, I have rehabilitated many times. Form is everything when I teach, and I tend to approach Pilates as a PT, in that safety is first and you have to achieve proper alignment before you can fire the muscles you want to work. Pilates should not only give you a workout but make you feel good and balanced. You should carry that feeling and increased body awareness with you outside of the studio. That is my goal with all of my clients, and I often prescribe some “homework” to maximize this effect. 😆 There is no greater joy for me than watching my clients “click” with Pilates, making new connections in their bodies, getting stronger and feeling better or seeing it translate into their daily life. I am looking forward to working with you!!

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