Gail Giovanniello/Owner Mind Your Body Pilates and GYROTONIC®

Gail’s love for Pilates began at SUNY Purchase while she was earning a BFA in dance. She has had an extensive dance career in NY, around the US and abroad. As one who has worked with her body all her life, Gail finds the Pilates method to be the most effective exercise for any physical level. Gail has an in depth comprehension of anatomy, movement, and a keen eye. She is a master in her craft and leaves her clients feeling well, looking tall and strong and moving with ease. Checkout a gallery of Mind Your Body clients. Gail is fully trained on all the Pilates apparatus, GYROTONIC® Pulley Tower, Jump Stretch Board and is trained in Thai Yoga body work.
Gail’s talents and energetic spirit have played an essential role in the success of Mind Your Body™. Established in 1995, it is one of the first Pilates and GYROTONIC® studios on the Upper East Side. When not teaching or managing the studio, you can find Gail cycling over the GW, downhill skiing, scuba diving or rhythm tapping! Once a dancer, always a dancer.

Rachel Harvest

Rachel Harvest was born and raised in Allentown, PA. A dedication and passion for classical ballet brought her to a professional career with the Cincinnati Ballet, Washington Ballet, and Ballet Theatre of Maryland. She received her BFA in ballet performance at the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. She was introduced to Pilates while dancing as rehabilitation and strength training to advance her work. Upon moving to NYC in 2006 and finalizing her dance career, Rachel chose to become certified at the Kane School of Core Integration, where Pilates is taught with an extra emphasis on movement study and proper usage. Rachel uses her ballet background, her love for athleticism and challenge, and her Pilates experience to create sessions that are individually tailored. Her classes are enjoyable and challenging and she never fails to add a little creativity, personality, and fun to her workouts. Rachel is currently working towards a Masters in Dietetics. She is most noted for her gentle execution of one of the toughest Pilates classes in NY. She has been teaching at Mind Your Body for over 4 years.

Ashley Maher

Ashley came to New York as a ballet dancer. She studied the Stott Pilates technique on all apparatus and has a grounded knowledge of movement. She demonstrates with precision, which makes her Pilates teaching easy to follow. With her lovely personality and strong technical abilities, Ashley’s classes are most enjoyable and popular! She has been teaching at Mind Your Body for over 2 years.

Dana Lynn Dlugosz

Dana Lynn Dlugosz hails from the small town of Sellersville, in Bucks County, PA. She holds a B.F.A. in Dance Performance from SUNY, Purchase College, NY. She has had the pleasure of performing with such dance companies as American Repertory Ballet and Terra Firma Dance Theatre, both of New Jersey. She currently continues to perform with Miro Dance Theatre (a collaborative dance and multimedia company in Philadelphia, PA) where she has been a member since March 2007. Recently, Dana performed at The Kimmel Center in Philadelphia and the Academy of Music with The Opera Company of Philadelphia in their production of Orphee & Eurydice. Dana began her Pilates practice in high school as a cross-training and strengthening tool for dance. After being injured in college she utilized it in her rehabilitative physical therapy work to regain strength and muscle mass. Dana caught the Pilates “bug” and knew she wanted to become certified to better understand her body, as well as pass the wonderful practice on to others through teaching. After moving to New York she studied and became certified in contemporary Pilates under Lawson Harris at The Fitness Guru Teaching Lab, in Brooklyn. Dana has taught many forms of dance over the past 6 years including ballet, modern, jazz and stretch to students ages 5 through adult. She currently teaches Pilates at The Yoga Room, in addition to teaching fitness classes and Pilates at The Greenpoint YMCA. She is thrilled to be an instructor at Mind Your Body and hopes to impart lots of enthusiasm, energy and movement knowledge to her clients!

Jenna Riegel

Jenna Riegel is certified in Stott Pilates Matwork, Reformer, and Cadillac, Chair and Barrels and has been teaching for over 5 years. Jenna has taught in Los Angeles, Chicago, Iowa and now New York. She has worked for large health clubs such as 24-Hour Fitness, X-Sport Fitness Club, and Gold’s Gym as well small, privately owned studios like Body Symmetry Studio and Twist Studio. In addition to teaching pilates, Jenna also dances professionally and has just completed her M.F.A. in Dance Performance from the University of Iowa. Recently, Jenna joined David Dorfman Dance and Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company. Jenna is thrilled to be teaching for Mind Your Body Pilates.

James Duus

James began his Pilates training in 1990 first with Fran Lehen and then with Romana Kryzanowska, a protege of Joseph Pilates. James worked with Sean Gallagher who is the physical therapist for many of the Broadway shows with dance in them as well as many modern and ballet companies. James worked with these injured dancers using Pilates as their therapy as well as clients who wanted to use it to keep there bodies fit. James has also taught bio-energetic work which is an exercise system to heal emotionally. He also does yoga, tai chi, and tap dances.

Melissa Ullom

Melissa discovered Pilates while studying ballet at the Houston Ballet Academy, where her Pilates practice completely reshaped her body and brought more strength and agility to her dancing and daily life. Melissa has performed with ballet and modern dance companies in Houston, San Francisco, Chicago, and Santa Barbara, CA. She earned her B.A. in Art History, with a Minor in Exercise and Sports Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and received her comprehensive Pilates certification from Body Arts and Science International. Melissa is thrilled to be in New York City dancing for Parsons Dance and teaching Pilates.

Allegra Lopez

Allegra Lopez was born in California where she began studying dance at her mother’s ballet school (Susan Lopez School of ballet) as soon as she could walk. While in high school, Allegra became a student teacher in the dance department, teaching dance to first year dance students and taught in her mother’s ballet school. In 2001 she moved to New York to continue her dance training at the Ailey School. While there she experienced her first Pilates lesson. After studying Pilates for two years, Allegra became fascinated with the changes in her body and dancing due to the Pilates training. Being a natural teacher, Allegra was inspired teach others Pilates. She was certified in January 2003 through Stott Pilates and began teaching shortly thereafter. She focuses her classes on alignment, body awareness, and developing core strength in her clients, enabling them to lead a pain free life. She enjoys challenging her clients and watching their bodies become stronger through Pilates. Allegra has had the pleasure of teaching at Mind Your Body since 2006.

Emi Komatsuzaki

Emi Komatsuzaki is a certified Instructor in Gyrotonic®, Gyrokinesis®, Gyrotoner®, Leg Extension Unit and Jumping/Sliding Board where she was trained under the Master Trainer Young-ah Kim. She received her early training in classical Ballet and Modern Dance since the age of 8 at Kanemitsu Ikuko Dance School and Matsuyama Ballet School in Japan. She started to teach Gyrotonic in 2006 at Movement & Beyond while dancing professionally touring nationwide with Parijat Desai Dance Company among others while finishing the Two Year Independent Program at The Alvin Ailey School. She is on the faculty at Ballet Arts teaching Gyrokinesis Class. Emi is always seeking deeper understanding of Gyrotonic System and further education.

Ragini Bhaumik

Ragini Bhaumik is an actress who is certified on all apparatus by Pilates on Fifth and has taught at various studios in New Jersey and New York.  When at drama school, she discovered the importance of connecting one’s mind to one’s body for current and future health. It was this experience that brought her to Pilates with a renewed vigor and sense of urgency: efficiency in movement is paramount, as is investing in oneself, both of which can be achieved through a continued study of the Pilates method

Angela Nafie

Angela Nafie graduated in spring 2008 from Chapman University in Orange, California. She received her B.A. in dance, accompanied by formal academic and departmental honors. Her formal dance education extensively explored various movement forms, and foremost, established a strong foundation in ballet and modern techniques. Angela unearthed a connection to Pilates in the midst of her university dance training. Through these years of experience with Pilates, she intuitively found a passion for the body aligning practice. In summer 2008, Angela pursued her professional Pilates teaching certification with Body Arts and Sciences International. She completed her studies to instruct using all the Pilates apparatus equipment, teach the full mat repertoire, and specialize in conditioning for dancers. Prior to moving to New York in April 2010, Angela instructed at various schools, gyms, and studios throughout Southern California. She became a Mind Your Body teacher last December.

Dianna Warren

Dianna Warren began her training in GYROTONIC® as a young ballet student when it was known as White Cloud.  She then went on to have a career in many ballet companies such as The Washington Ballet, Cleveland Ballet, BalletMet, and Das Berner Ballet of Switzerland.  She spent the past six years back in New York performing on Broadway in “The Phantom of the Opera.”  Years of heavy costumes, and a few injuries drew her back to GYROTONIC®, and she is now thrilled to be teaching. She is also completing her training in GYROKINESIS® and the additional apparatuses, as well as teaching ballet downtown at Peridance.  Dianna is happy to be back in her neighborhood working at Mind Your Body!

Danielle Gecht

Danielle has always had a passion for athletics and an overall healthy lifestyle. She found that Pilates was an excellent addition for a complete workout. After just a few months of taking lessons clients have found they have stronger and leaner muscles, as well as improved posture and more flexibility through strengthening their core muscles. Danielle loves helping people meet and exceed their individual goals in a fun and motivating manner. Danielle welcomes all levels to her classes, however she specializes in teaching beginners students.

Danielle received her certification to teach Pilates through Power Pilates in 2010. She is also a certified yoga instructor, through Yoga Works, and likes to incorporate the flow of yoga in her Pilates sessions. Danielle earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication from The University of Maryland.

Jillianna Richcrick

Jillianna was introduced to Pilates after sustaining a back injury as a dance student at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.  She trained with Brie Neff in Philadelphia and Teri Steele in New York before pursuing her certification through the STOTT Pilates program. Jillianna’s class draws from her vast experience in movement to offer insight and an informed perspective to pilates instruction. Through this she will help you develop better body awareness, increased physical strength, flexibility and focus.

Maggie Ronan

Maggie graduated with her BFA in Dance and minor in Business Studies from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. In addition to working as an administrative assistant at Mind Your Body, Maggie also works with TaraMarie Perri and teaches yoga and dance around Manhattan.

Nazarah Williams

Office Manager