At Pilates Center of Rockville, our teachers are classically trained, have completed a comprehensive training program of 600 hours or more, and many are Nationally Certified Pilates Teachers. Collectively, we have tens of thousands of hours of teaching experience and complete over 100 hours of continuing education each year. In fact, Pilates instructors from around the country attend our workshops for their continuing education.
What makes PCOR teachers truly exceptional? Besides our remarkable teaching abilities and high-quality Pilates education, it’s our ability to work with every client who walks through our doors, meet their unique needs and goals, and exceed their expectations. In addition to teaching Pilates for fitness and wellness, we have a unique expertise in working with clients with injuries, pain, and chronic conditions. Learn more about our team of professional teachers.
Aliyah Hatcher, Owner, Senior and Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher
Aliyah believes that true health and well-being are achieved through a conscious collaboration between the mind and the body. Through more than 17 years of Pilates practice, in-depth study, and hands-on teaching experience, she has demonstrated that it is possible to systematically transform and rehabilitate the body. She believes that our bodies should be efficient, aware, strong and connected, and that it is never too late to tap into the power of the body. This belief is the foundation of her teaching.
Aliyah began practicing the Pilates Method while working as a structural engineer and strategic planner. Years of dance training, track and field, and other physical activities laid the foundation for her love of movement. She immediately connected to the structure, dynamics, mindfulness and integrated approach of Pilates. This connection and her belief in the Method led Aliyah to leave her corporate career to pursue a career in Pilates.
Aliyah is a graduate of the world’s foremost teacher training school for Pilates instructors – The Pilates Center in Boulder, Colorado. She is also certified through the Pink Ribbon Program to work with breast cancer survivors. In addition to completing over 900 hours of comprehensive training, Aliyah has had the opportunity to study with many master Pilates teachers, and she is the former Director of Pilates at the American Dance Institute.
Aliyah’s knowledge of dynamics and structure intersect with her love of movement and the human body. She brings a unique perspective and a warm energy to her teaching, and has experience working in an environment focused on integrated health, fitness, and rehabilitation. Aliyah’s love of teaching and desire to help people improve their health and well-being inspired her to open Pilates Center of Rockville in 2011.
Jen Ambrose, Front Desk Administrator
When you walk through our doors, you’re likely to be greeted by a warm smile from Jen. Helping others is what motivates her most, and it’s what led her to join our team. Jen is a 5-star when it comes to customer care. Her experience in real estate gives her the ability to quickly identify clients’ needs and concerns and help them find the right solutions. Her goal is to be a trusted resource for every single client. In her free time, Jen can be found popping into Pilates classes and spending quality time with family, including her 3 children.
Agnieszka Antczak-Chung, Certified Pilates Teacher
Agnieszka’s journey with Pilates began in 2005 when she was seeking movement and exercise to help her relieve tension in her body from hours of practicing musical instruments. Through her Pilates practice, she began to discover how a healthy body should move and how consistent Pilates practice engages the whole body in learning that has long-lasting, holistic effects. It can transform the body, alleviate pain and allow us to better navigate our daily lives at work, home and in leisure.
In 2015, Angieszka enrolled in the world-renowned Pilates teacher training program at The Pilates Center in Boulder, Colorado. In addition to completing over 600 hours of comprehensive training, she has completed hundreds of hours of additional study with several master Pilates teachers. Agnieszka grew up in Poland and moved to the United States in 2001. She has Masters degrees in Music and Performing Arts, a Bachelor of Arts in Music Therapy and a background in teaching music that has translated to her Pilates teaching. She believes that Pilates is an invaluable investment in oneself that has lifelong benefits, and she is dedicated to helping her clients discover a path to greater strength and wellness through Pilates.
Lydia Badra, Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher
Lydia has been a practicing physical therapist in the Washington, DC area since 1999. She has extensive experience in treating patients with musculoskeletal, orthopedic, sports injury, post-surgical and spinal pathologies. Lydia was first exposed to Pilates by a co-worker who was a physical therapist and Pilates instructor. She was immediately struck by the unique functionality of the movements and how they help clients build, not only strength and mobility, but also self-awareness and self-confidence. She has found Pilates to be very valuable in contributing to her clients’ overall wellness. Lydia enjoys the creativity and variety that Pilates offers, allowing her to create engaging exercise programs based on the specific needs of her clients.
Lydia graduated from the internationally-respected Polestar Pilates for Rehabilitation Teacher Training Program in 2010. The comprehensive program is based on a scientific foundation of anatomy, physiology, biomechanics and motor control, and integrates scientific research findings in the areas of orthopedics, sports medicine and movement science. Lydia received her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with a biophysical emphasis from the University of Maryland at College Park in 1995. She then attained her Master of Science in Physical Therapy from Marymount University in 1999. In addition to maintaining a full practice as a physical therapist, Lydia continues to develop her knowledge and expertise in Pilates through ongoing continuing education.
Angilique Campbell, Certified Pilates Teacher
Angilique’s passion for movement and teaching has led her through a journey of teaching Pilates for over 15 years. Her background as a track and field athlete, professional dancer, and fitness model taught her the importance of maintaining a high level of fitness. She began her teaching career as a group fitness instructor and personal trainer, but once she discovered the Pilates Method, she found it to be the most beneficial form of training for everyone – the young, the elderly, the athlete, and people with pain, injuries, and physical limitations.
Angilique completed her comprehensive Pilates Teacher training through Physical Mind Institute and Power Pilates. She has extensive experience teaching in classical Pilates studios throughout NYC, studying with Master Pilates teachers, and working in a physical therapy setting. She is a graduate of the Potomac Massage Training Institute, with specialized studies in anatomy, physiology, arthritis, and working with prenatal and sports clients. These experiences cultivated her expertise and shaped her teaching philosophy. Her goal is to inspire and help others to be active, healthy, dream big, and live their best lives.
Beth Davis, Movement Specialist
Over the course of 40 years as a movement educator and 25 years as a Licensed Therapeutic Massage Therapist, Beth has developed and teaches a transformative self-bodywork practice that empowers individuals to release tension and discomfort in their bodies, relieve aches and pains, and unwind their minds. Her work is a unique combination of stretching, foam rolling, myofascial release, self-massage, and breathing techniques. It is a perfect complement to Pilates, which she has practiced personally for over a decade, and it is essential for the holistic wellness of your body and mind.
Beth has had a lifelong love affair with movement, mind, and body. She was a professional dancer and choreographer from 1976 to 2003, and she has taught a variety of movement and flexibility techniques over the years. She studied yoga with Maria Hamburger and Suzie Hurley, and she practices Qigong. Beth brings her love of movement, anatomy, and kinesiology and her explorations with energy and flow to all of her endeavors. Her classes are conducted with each student’s health and needs in mind. She truly enjoys creating a community of well-being and healing along with her students.
Shasha Halipa, Studio Manager
The superior customer service that our clients love starts with Shasha, who manages the day-to-day operations of our studio with a calm energy and a smile. She enjoys working alongside and supporting our dynamic team of teachers, and she loves the positive energy of our clients. Shasha moved to Rockville from abroad. She has an educational background in political science and law, but it’s her years of experience in business management that shaped her skills in operations and client services and led her to Pilates Center of Rockville. Since becoming Studio Manager, Shasha began her Pilates practice to improve her health and well-being. She sees everyday as an opportunity for growth – for herself, PCOR, and all of our clients.
Judith Jankowski, Certified Pilates Teacher
Judith, a lifelong fitness enthusiast, started her journey with Pilates in 1999. She loved the whole-body approach of the Method and believed in its focus on functional movement. She wanted to share it with others, so she began her Pilates teacher training in 2003. Judith was 20 weeks pregnant at the time, and she found that Pilates kept her strong and helped her recover quickly from her cesarean sections. She graduated from the Peak Pilates Comprehensive Teacher Training Program, completing more than 500 hours of classical Pilates education. She continues to develop her knowledge and expertise through ongoing continuing education and training with several master Pilates teachers.
Judith is an insightful teacher who is highly attuned to the needs of her clients. You will appreciate her in-depth instruction and cueing and her ability to guide you to the right place in your body. She brings great variety to her lessons and classes combined with a bit of humor and fun.
Rashida Marshall, Certified Pilates Teacher
Rashida is a graduate of Classical Pilates Education, having completed over 600 hours of comprehensive training. She is a fitness and wellness professional with a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from Florida State University. Rashida’s lessons and classes are fluid, powerful, and evenly paced, deeply working the entire body. She creates a space to continuously advance the body through challenging yet attainable movement combinations. Her goal is for her clients to leave a session with new insights into how their body moves and works and discover what works best for their body. She helps her clients develop an arsenal of exercises that they carry with them to improve how they move and feel, and even provide a form of healing. Rashida meets the high level of expertise and professionalism set by Aliyah and her team of exceptional Pilates teachers. You will absolutely love working with her!
Susana Mendez, Certified Pilates Teacher
As a biomedical scientist, Susana understands and appreciates the science behind the Pilates Method and how it merges the connection of body and mind. She believes in training the body as an integrated whole and giving clients the awareness and ability to move from the center of the body outward for greater strength, control, and mobility. Susana has always had a passion for an active lifestyle, including running, cycling, and triathlons. That passion led her to obtain certifications in many different forms of group exercise, but she really fell in love when she began her personal Pilates practice.
Susana inspires and teaches clients how to be strong, active, and mobile for a lifetime. She is skilled at teaching people of all ages, abilities, fitness levels, and body types – whether you’re in need of pain relief and rehabilitation or increasing your overall strength, conditioning, or athletic performance. Susana is comprehensively trained and certified through Peak Pilates, completing more than 500 hours of training and education. She is also a trained ACE (American Council on Exercise) Orthopedic Exercise Specialist.
Susan Roth, Senior and Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher
Susan’s journey with Pilates began in a mat class in 1999. She was immediately hooked by its unique combination of power, grace, strength, and subtlety. As her practice developed over the years, so did a deep desire to become a teacher and help others improve their lives through Pilates.
Susan is a graduate of the world’s premier Pilates teacher training school, The Pilates Center of Boulder, Colorado, having completed their most rigorous 950-hour Advanced Teacher Training Program. In addition to many hours of study with master Pilates instructors and movement specialists, she is also certified through the Pink Ribbon Program to work with breast cancer survivors, and she has special training in working with Parkinson’s disease patients. She brings a rich background in movement, including a lifetime of dance training and more than 20 years of yoga practice.
Susan firmly believes in the transformative and healing power of the Pilates Method, having witnessed it with so many clients. Her own Pilates practice helped her recover from injuries over the years and kept her healthy and strong during and after her pregnancy.
Susan brings a genuine personal connection, humor, joy, and sense of fun to her teaching. She loves working with people of all ages and skill levels, injured and healthy. Susan knows that everyone can benefit from Pilates, and she seeks to empower each person to get the most out of every lesson and class.