Pilates Education is not only very important it is critical for your safety and peace of mind. At Pilates Santa Fe we have been Certifying Teachers since 1993. All Pilates Santa Fe Teachers are certified and undergo rigorous Continuing education courses. This way you will be receiving the some of the best Pilates teaching in the world. Many of Pilates Santa Fe Teachers are also Licensed and Certified in many of the Wellness and Healing Arts and hold Degrees in Higher Education.

Founder and Director Raymond Kurshals: Began Teaching Pilates in New York City in 1973. His first teachers were Romana Kryzanowska, Bruce King and Carola Trier later working with Kathy Grant and Mary Bowen. He worked closely with Eve Gentry creating some of the first Pilates Teaching Videos. He has also been influenced by his long friendship with Ron Fletcher.

He moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico in1993. The Institute for the Pilates Method (the first Pilates organization) hired Raymond to be Vice President of Education, Video Media Supervisor, Senior Teacher and Equipment Consultant. While with IPM he Produced, Directed and stared in some of the first Pilates Education Videos. As well as helping with the first Certification Syllabus, this has since been used by Physical Mind Institute and the Core Dynamics Training. Mr. Kurshals was the teacher and consultant for the still popular QVC mini reformer.

Raymond is the first Pilates Teacher to be asked to be an Olympic Coach working with  Gymnastics, Diving, and Swimming, Track and Field, Fencing, Ice Skating and Ski athletes. This was a life long dream for Joe Pilates to be able to get recognition with the Olympics for his work. It is very humbling and a great honor to be fulfilling his legacy.

In addition to overseeing the very popular Pilates Santa Fe in Santa Fe, NM, He is the Director of Education certifying some of the best Pilates teachers in the field. The Pilates training is held in Santa Fe. He also travels throughout the world teaching Pilates and Wellness for Health Clubs, Private Clients, Sports Teams and Corporate Clients.
Raymond is a guest speaker at many Medical and Sports Conferences. The Pilates Method Alliance asked Mr. Kurshals to be a contributor for the International Pilates Certification test.

Since 2001 his current work has included working with all of the Equestrian Arts. From Dressage, Jumping, Three Day Eventing and Barrel Racing, Vaulting and Reining. Raymond is now treating both Horses and Riders. He recently gave an Equestrian Clinic in Florida with Olympic Gold Medal winner Leslie Law and Peter Grey the Eventing Coach for Canada.

As well as having an extensive background in Pilates, Raymond has taught Dance throughout the USA at Universities and colleges. As a teenager he was the youngest person to ever be hired to teach as a Professor at Ohio State University. His career as a dancer includes being the only dancer to have performed with Twyla Tharp, Merce Cunningham and Paul Taylor’s Dance Companies.

During his 20 years in New York City he performed as a Dancer and Actor, Choreographed and Directed on off and off-off Broadway in Films and Television. He also found time to teach at Performing Arts High School (The Fame School). He worked for Public Broadcasting Service as the resident Dance Consultant and Videographer.

 Mr. Kurshals is a licensed Medic volunteering in New Mexico and India.
He is one of only two Pilates Teachers ever allowed into and Certified by the prestigious Brimhall Program for Health and Wellness. His Wellness Training and Certifications include; ADD-ADHD Modalities, Air /Water Purification for Residence and Commercial use, Applied Kinesiology, Body Alignment Technique, Bowen, Byronomics, Cranial Sacral, Chiropractic, Chroma Therapy, Cold Laser, Deep Tissue, Detoxification Modalities, Equine Therapies, EMF (Electrical Magnetic Field) Reduction Therapy, Emotional Release Therapies, Homeopathy, Nutrition, Osteopathic, Ocular (Eye) modalities, Rudolf Laban, Sound Therapy and Touch for Health.

All Teachers are certified by at least one Pilates Training Organization

Alessandra Dallera: BS, MA, Thai Massage, Trager, Cranial-Sacral, Visceral Manipulation, The first Certified Brimhall Pilates Teacher.

Phil Cohen: BA, USA Ranked Top 3 Masters Racquet Ball Player

Tracy Hodges: BAFA

Mary Jayne Johnson: BS, MS, PHD

Amrit Nam Kaufman: Yoga Kundalini, Hatha

Anna Kohulka: BA, MS, Exercise Physiologist, Marathon Runner

Meg Mead: BA, MA, PHD, Massage

Melanie Rosamond: BA, Alexander

Theresa Shrader: CA Chiropractor Assistant

Kim Spray: PEMT Paramedic New Mexico

Har Hari Whittemore: BA, Yoga, Kundalini, Deep Tissue Massage

Raymond Kurshals