SPRING Sessions · Page One Pilates, IL
The Page One Pilates teaching team leading clients through a group Reformer Pilates class.
Building Better Teachers
In Conversation with Page Barker, Founder of Page One Pilates and Co-Founder of Class Choreography
By Kimmy Smith
Hi to our growing SPRING community and welcome back to SPRING Sessions.
One of the things we love most about working in Pilates is that the longer you're in the industry, the more you realize how many incredible people are quietly and beautifully shaping it behind the scenes.
Sometimes they're studio owners creating spaces where people feel stronger and more confident in their bodies. Sometimes they're educators helping instructors refine their craft. And sometimes they're the people building the tools, resources, and systems that make teaching easier for everyone else.
Page Barker happens to be doing all three.
Many of our students will already be familiar with Class Choreography, the planning platform we provide graduates with access to as part of their SPRING certification journey. What many people may not know is the story behind it, or the person who helped bring it to life.
Based in Chicago, Page is the owner of Page One Pilates and co-founder of Class Choreography. Over the years, she's built a career that sits at the intersection of teaching, entrepreneurship, and education, always with a clear focus on supporting instructors to do their best work.
As we welcome Page One Pilates as our Chicago partner studio, we wanted to spend some time getting to know the person behind the business.
We talked about opening a studio, building something from scratch, the realities of wearing multiple hats, and what she's learned from spending years helping instructors navigate the beautiful, messy, rewarding work of teaching Pilates.
Let's meet Page.
Page Barker, Founder of Page One Pilates and Co-Founder of Class Choreography
How did Pilates first find you?
I started taking mat classes in Birmingham, Alabama over 20 years ago. It was the first time I really loved my workouts and couldn't wait to go back to every class.
I loved it so much that I dropped out of grad school and signed up for my comprehensive Pilates teacher training program. Never looked back!
What led you to open Page One Pilates?
I wanted to create the kind of Pilates class that I was craving but couldn’t yet find in Chicago - one that was creative but also very grounded.
My favorite thing about Pilates is the mental refresh that it gives, so I wanted to build classes designed around helping people find that flow state during class. I believe we need to change up our classes from time to time to help our clients stay focused, and my passion is creating class plans that do this - where your group is completely in the zone and doesn’t feel time go by in class. Pilates can be therapy for people when this happens. I also knew I eventually wanted to share these class plans with other instructors, but that didn’t solidify until I met my co-founder, Olivia.
Page One Pilates, SPRING's Chicago home for teacher training.
What problem were you trying to solve with Class Choreography?
Teachers get bored with saying the same thing over and over again, and clients get tired of this as well. I don’t think that’s a bad thing - it’s natural for the brain and body to want novelty and changing challenges.
Some instructors really love the creative work of building classes that achieve that delicate balance of enough change to keep the work interesting, but not so much that it becomes confusing or moves too far away from the original Pilates repertoire.
We wanted a way for Pilates teachers all over the world to be able to benefit from this creative work. It makes for such amazing Pilates classes.
Page One Pilates has built a reputation for creating classes that are both creatively programmed and deeply grounded in Pilates principles.
What separates a good instructor from a truly great one?
The ability to connect with clients, first and foremost. After that I would say someone who can pace a group class well. Pacing is the hardest skill to fully master in my experience.
What's something you wish every new instructor knew?
You absolutely can trust your own instincts when it comes to cueing and helping with modifications. You don’t need years and years of teaching to be a good teacher - you can use your own eyes and instincts. Building a sense of trust in yourself will allow your clients to trust you as well.
What are you currently learning, exploring, or feeling inspired by?
I’m really interested in understanding how Pilates affects the nervous system. I think this may be the most important thing that Joseph Pilates was onto. I would love to understand this from a contemporary perspective.
What made partnering with SPRING feel like the right fit for Page One Pilates?
I’ve been searching for years for a teacher training program but never felt good about one until I met Kimmy and Talia. I love that SPRING is female founded, and that it was created out of a real-world studio environment understanding the dynamics of a successful studio. I also wanted a program that was informed with updated movement science and anatomy and trains teachers to teach all kinds of clients. SPRING cares so much about the success of its trainees. We can’t wait to bring this to our community.
The more we learn about the people shaping our industry, the more we're reminded that the future of Pilates is being built by educators, mentors, and leaders who care deeply about the people coming after them.
That's what drew us to Page in the first place, and it's what makes this partnership feel so special. Her work extends far beyond the walls of a studio. Through Page One Pilates, Class Choreography, and her commitment to supporting instructors at every stage of their journey, she's helping create a profession that is more thoughtful, sustainable, and accessible for the next generation.
As we welcome Page One Pilates as SPRING's Chicago home for teacher training, we're not simply celebrating a new partnership. We're celebrating a shared vision for what Pilates education can be when it's built on mentorship, curiosity, generosity, and a commitment to helping instructors thrive.
Page, we're honored to be building our global community alongside you.
Chicago, you're in very good hands.
Here's to the next chapter. 🌱
Inspired to start teaching with confidence?
SPRING’s Pilates Teacher Training is hosted across our global partner studios and online.
Begin with our Mat Certification to build confidence and a strong foundation for teaching.
[Explore SPRING Movement’s Mat Pilates Teacher Training Certification →]
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