Our Instructors
Jennifer Cutler
[email protected]
Jennifer is the owner of Pure Pilates. She is a Certified STOTT PILATES® Pilates instructor, teaching since 2000. She is trained in mat, reformer, cadillac. ladder barrel and stability chair. She started her pilates instruction at The Fitness Center in Traverse City before opening Pure Pilates in 2005. Jennifer is also a certified personal trainer through AFAA. She has a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University. She enjoys running, mountain biking, sailing, traveling and reading.
Jennifer’s thoughts on pilates:
“After 20 years of teaching and practicing pilates, my thoughts on pilates has evolved. When I first started my practice I loved how amazing I felt and how my body changed. Soon after I noticed my neck pain from an injury decreased and my posture improved. I enjoy running and as the years went on I have stayed injury-free which I attributed to my pilates practice. I believe that keeping my body in balance through pilates has allowed me to continue doing the activities I enjoy as a I age. Though my most rewarding experience with pilates has been seeing how it has improved our clients quality life!”
Linda Blakkan
Linda was a client at Pure Pilates for 12 years, before adding the role of managing client accounts. As a lifelong runner she feels stronger, more balanced and injury-free, due to regular pilates practice. Linda completed STOTT Pilates reformer courses offered by Equilibrium at our studio in January 2020. She is honored to be part of the team she so firmly believes in, and feels privileged to work with the fantastic clients at Pure Pilates. For Linda, serving the Pure Pilates community brings joy, meaning and purpose!
Kim Marian
Kim is a Stott Pilates® Instructor Trainer (IT) teaching mat & reformer courses to new instructors and workshops to experienced instructors. As an IT, she mentors pilates instructors throughout the world.
Jackie Fiegel
Jackie has been teaching Pilates since 2010 and is a certified STOTT Pilates Instructor in Mat and Reformer. She is also trained on the Stability Chair, Cadillac, Ladder Barrel, and has taken workshops on Osteoporosis and Injuries and Special Populations (ISP), among many others. She is passionate about serving others by making them stronger, both internally and externally and is able to do this through teaching Pilates. She loves connecting with her clients and helping them improve their quality of life through movement. During Covid, she got certified as a Yoga and Meditation Instructor and likes to subtly incorporate that into her pilates classes when she can. Currently she is training to become a certified Health & Wellness Coach through Deepak Chopra. She wants you to leave her classes feeling more in touch with your body, centered, strengthened and stretched. When she’s not at the studio she enjoys being outside in nature, hiking, paddle boarding, kayaking, doing yoga, meditating, listening to books, spending time connecting with family & friends and walking her bff (dog) Murphy.
Sahra Turner
Sahra was born and raised in Western Australia and trained at Royal Academy Ballet during her early teen years. In 2000, she relocated with her two teenage daughters to beautiful Traverse City and began teaching at Dance Arts Academy. Sahra has always been passionate about the therapy of movement and the mind-body connection — this led her to explore the STOTT PILATES method. Sahra completed her Reformer training in Bloomfield Hills and looks forward to combining her ballet teaching experience with the long, lean lines created with the pilates method.
Jennifer Lee
Jennifer became a certified Pilates instructor in 2002 and a Thai Yoga Bodywork practitioner in 2004. Her passion is to provide movement experiences that shift your mind and connect your body. She teaches her clients about body mechanics and helps them to get the most out of their movement. She likes to think about HOW the body is moving, and enjoys using her creative problem solving skills (from an abandoned engineering degree) to transform her client’s bodies. She has studied various pilates styles and movement techniques like Alexander, Bartenieff, Feldenkrais, and Yoga. Jennifer holds a B.S. in Dance Performance/Choreography from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and an M.F.A from California Institute of the Arts. She is certified through Pilates Method Alliance, is Pink Ribbon certified, and has studied pilates for osteoporosis, scoliosis, and other dysfunctions.
When not doing pilates, she enjoys sewing, sailing, skiing and cooking and makes custom clothing and costumes for dance productions and special occasions. She lives on the Peninsula with her mother, husband and their school-aged twins.
Jennifer Yeatts
Jennifer is a Michigan native and a full-time, year-round, bike commuter. She completed her Stott Pilates Reformer coursework in January 2020. Having practiced Pilates for many years, she appreciates the body awareness, balance, and muscle tone that Pilates has brought her. Jennifer holds a B.S. in Secondary English Education, and M.A. and M.F.A. degrees in Creative Writing. She is the director of coffee for Higher Grounds Trading Co., where among other things, she teaches aspiring baristas how to make the best coffee.
Hjarsti Anderson
Hjarsti is a Michigan native and lives in downtown Traverse City with her teenaged children. Teaching at Pure Pilates since 2013, she is STOTT Pilates trained in both mat and reformer. Introducing new clients to the world of Pilates energizes her and is truly a great love. She teaches the WHY and the HOW of Pilates so clients can understand and discover their potential in a gentle and restorative environment. Hjarsti is also a licensed massage therapist. She graduated from the Blue Heron Academy of Medical Massage in Traverse City. She also studied the Vedic Thai Bodywork-Assisted Yoga program under the Vedic Conservatory.
Hjarsti’s other passions include learning, fitness, exploring new places, cooking and eating fresh food, fashion, and home improvement. She spends her free time with her fiancé, paddle boarding, biking, running, hiking, and spending as much time outdoors as possible.
Julie Dean
Julie began as a client at Pure Pilates in 2013 because of chronic back pain. Surgery and multiple procedures on her spine did not help with the pain. But after starting a regular practice, pilates changed everything and she was able to live an active life again. Julie completed her Reformer Training through Balanced Body in 2020 and plans to continue taking courses.
Julie has her B.S. in Secondary Education Mathematics and Biology. She taught in Farmington Hills, MI and the surrounding area for 8 years and 1 year at TC West Middle School. She enjoys mountain biking, hiking, yoga, Nordic skiing, cooking and spending time with her family. She has a growth mindset and is fascinated with Health and Wellness.
Holli Harvey
Holli is versed in both classical and contemporary methods of Pilates. She is certified by the National Pilates Certification Program (NPCP) and was comprehensively trained through Body, Arts & Science International (BASI). Holli came to Pilates after sustaining an injury during a dance performance. Pilates not only brought her healing, but a new career as well. Holli has enjoyed being a Pilates Teacher for over 19 years. She loves helping her students discover new levels of mental and physical strength and mobility through Pilates and other fitness modalities. Her goal is for her students to enjoy the process and gain awareness that crosses over into their daily activities.
Holli is also a certified Corrective Exercise Specialist & certified PaddleFit Coach. She owns and operates Acqua Dolce Paddle, a seasonal stand up paddle board (SUP) coaching business that teaches SUP safety, technique, fitness, & fun. Holli is grateful for her supportive husband, her adventurous kiddos and sweet Schnoodle dog.
Crystal Mason
Crystal, a STOTT-trained Pilates instructor, began her love affair with this movement method in 2010 when Pure Pilates was above the Omelette Shop in downtown Traverse City. She has undergone training in mat, reformer, chair, barrels, and Cadillac, and also completed the ISP course through STOTT Pilates. Additionally, Crystal is a trained yoga instructor, having studied with Deborah Williamson and Baron Baptiste.
Crystal believes Pilates is more than just a workout; she continually returns to this method of movement to support her lifestyle. It has proven effective time and again, especially post-breast cancer surgery and recovery. The focus on breath and mindful movement is her favorite way to return to her center with a sense of calm and focus.
Crystal also works at The Pathfinder School as the Director of Admissions.
Leslie Williams
heA native of the Texas Panhandle, Leslie holds a BFA in Dance from West Texas A&M University, a MFA in Choreography and Performance from the University of Michigan, is STOTT Pilates trained and currently serves as Adjunct Director of Dance at Northwestern Michigan College. A graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy and longtime summer faculty, Leslie has been spending each summer in Northern Michigan for the past 18 years. Prior to permanently relocating to the area with her family in the fall of 2022, Leslie served as Director of Dance and Full Professor of Dance at West Texas A&M University.
Discovering a love and passion for the practice of Pilates, early in her dancing career, she truly believes in the power of movement for everybody. Her personal practice has ushered her back from not one, not two, but FIVE orthopedic surgeries and childbirth! She credits her rehabilitation and ability to still move freely (after a 30 year career as a professional dancer and educator) to her weekly time on the reformer. Leslie is Stott Pilates trained since 2017.
Leslie was delighted to find Pure Pilates in the winter of 2023, as a client, and is excited to be a part of the wonderful team of instructors as she continues to intertwine her love of movement, teaching and Pilates.
Sherry Coleman
Sherry, a native to Traverse City, is trained in both STOTT and contemporary Pilates since 2020. Her background stems from classical ballet of 22 years where she recognizes form and balance is an important part of our well being.
Sherry’s classes provide knowledge of the Pilates Method, along with encouragement throughout the workout. She keeps her classes fresh by offering something different and challenging every time she teaches.
She strives to help her clients see and feel the benefits quickly through concentration and inward focus of the mind body connection. She’s stays watchful over her clients ensuring proper form and position of each exercise.
Sherry’s happiest when she sees her clients have their “AH-HA” moments. Witnessing them accessing a deeper self-awareness and celebrating their new ability and break through makes her heart smile.
Her other passions include painting, swimming, paddle boarding and traveling. She spends her free time with her husband and rescue pup Fozzie hiking and exploring the outdoors.