Meet our teachers.
Elyse’s earliest memory of doing Pilates is from her teen years, following along to a Mari Windsor VHS in her living room. Fast forward to a sedentary job in her 20s and trying an in studio class to help her strength and posture. She was hooked!
Elyse has been teaching Pilates for over 12 years, having begun her matwork certification with Body Harmonics in 2013. She is also Body Harmonics certified on the reformer, chair and cadillac, and has taken many continuing education courses through the years. Elyse has experience, and success working with all types of clients: injured, seniors, prenatal and postnatal, athletes, those with back pain, and everything else in between. You can expect to be heard, guided and challenged toward any movement goals you may have. Her favourite exercise? Anything with rotation!
When Elyse isn’t at the studio, she loves to spend time with her family, exploring the outdoors and watching wildlife. She is grateful to live in such a beautiful place.
Elyse Stangl
Cheryle is an intuitive, passionate personal trainer. She received her certification from Poliquin Performance, and has been working with clients of all ages and body types for 12 years. She was first introduced to mat Pilates in the 1990’s and quickly realized the benefits. Many years passed and she heard of reformer classes being offered in Huntsville and was intrigued. In her first reformer class, she could see how much potential the reformer had to help her clients with rehabilitation, strength, mobility and flexibility. After learning the matwork and reformer repertoire, Cheryle wanted to offer a studio space for clients to come and enjoy both private sessions and classes. She teamed up with Elyse and together they created Pilates on Crescent.
Outside of helping clients to achieve their fitness goals, Cheryle likes to run trails, camp, cook and bake. She is most grateful for the people who share in her journey and love of fitness.
Cheryle Simser
Paige discovered movement while recovering from the demands of a fast-paced career in dental hygiene. What began as a way to reconnect with her body and build strength turned into a deep passion for mindful movement—and eventually, a new career as a yoga, Pilates and swim instructor! She fell in love with the way Pilates strengthens the body from the inside out and how it supports women through all stages of life. Her favourite muscles to target? The deep core and glutes—she loves helping clients feel strong, stable, and empowered.
Outside of the studio, you’ll find her spending time with her husband and two dogs, boating or paddle boarding on the Muskoka River, baking sourdough, and diving into women’s health books. She brings a grounded, encouraging energy to her teaching and believes movement should feel good, be functional, and support you in everyday life.
Paige Danforth
Vanessa has always had a love of movement. It was through her training in classical ballet and acro as a child that she was first introduced to Pilates and it became an integral part of her dance training. She continued to explore her enduring love for movement throughout her adult life however it wasn’t until she sustained significant injury that she discovered Pilates again and began to use it to recover and gain her strength back.
It wasn’t long before her delight in movement and natural talent as a teacher shone through and she began to get requests to teach Pilates. Certified in matwork and on the reformer, Vanessa now uses her talent to guide each student not only to a more balanced and stronger self but also to a greater connection with movement of their own body.
Her favorite muscle group to target? The deep core muscles, with emphasis on pelvic floor and deepening awareness to breath and the spinal column. The spine is the power column that carries you through the world. It governs all your movements and micromovements from standing to walking to running. A healthy pelvic floor and spine are essential for our overall health and wellbeing.
Outside of the studio you’ll find her wandering through the forest with her children, guiding breathwork and women’s wellness workshops, or sipping coffee in cozy little cafè with her nose in a book.
Vanessa Mahon
Movement has always been Natasha’s medicine—but it wasn’t until she was diagnosed with a chronic illness that she truly discovered the healing power of Pilates. Drawn to the practice for its slow, intentional movement and ability to build strength, she quickly realized it was exactly what her body (and mind) needed.
Now back in the studio after her first maternity leave, Natasha brings a new layer of understanding for what the body is capable of. As a reformer and mat Pilates certified instructor, she’s passionate about helping others tap into the magic of mindful movement. Her goal? To guide you toward feeling strong, empowered, and just a little more you each time you hit the reformer. Having spent years at a desk, then months hunched over a baby, Natasha has a special place in her heart for the upper posterior chain. Expect moves that open up the chest, strengthen the back, and bring that oh-so-satisfying postural reset.
Outside the studio, you’ll find Natasha in full-motion-mom mode—chasing her toddler around town with a cappuccino in hand and her mini goldendoodle close behind.