Hearts and Bones Pilates

08/04/2026

When I opened my Pilates studio, I didn’t have a business degree or a strategic growth plan. I had passion, experience, and a deep desire to help people move and feel better. That got me far, but not without a few wrong turns along the way.

Now, with the perspective that only years of practice can bring, I wrote Pilates & Purpose to help others avoid the detours and dead ends I ran into. Here are just a few of the mistakes I made, so you don’t have to.

1. Saying Yes to Everything
When I started, I believed being flexible and available would help grow my client base. I said yes to every opportunity, class, time slot, and idea, even when it stretched me thin. I quickly learned that boundaries are essential. Saying yes to everything often means saying no to yourself and your wellbeing.

Lesson: Be intentional with your time. Boundaries don’t limit your business, they protect it.

2. Avoiding the Numbers
For too long, I resisted looking at the financial side of my business. I thought I could ignore the spreadsheets. Spoiler alert: you can’t. Purpose-driven doesn’t mean profit-avoiding. When I finally embraced the numbers, I found freedom, not restriction.

Lesson: You don’t need to be a financial wizard. I certainly am not! But you do need to know where you stand. I would be lost without my accountant. He is my rock.

3. Trying to Do It All Alone
I wore every hat, from teacher to cleaner to marketer to tech support. I was exhausted. It took me a long time to learn the power of asking for help and building a supportive team.

Lesson: Don’t wait until you’re burned out. Invest in help before you’re desperate for it.

My book Pilates & Purpose is a guidebook for studio owners who want to create sustainable, soul-led businesses that support both personal growth and community wellbeing.

If you're building (or dreaming of building) a Pilates studio of your own, this book is for you. I wrote it so you can skip some of the hardest parts and move more quickly into the work that truly lights you up.

Purchase your copy from Amazon.

Need personalised help? Check out the coaching offers on my website: www.taniahuddart.com

07/04/2026

Why Wellness Needs Conscious Leadership Now

In today’s wellness world, it’s no longer enough to simply offer a great workout or a calming experience. We’re living through a time of deep change, socially, economically, and culturally.

As Pilates professionals, educators, and business owners, we are uniquely positioned at the intersection of healing, growth, and transformation. But if we aren’t leading from a place of awareness and integrity, we risk contributing to the very burnout, exclusion, and disconnection we aim to help others recover from.

So, what is conscious leadership?
Conscious leadership goes beyond titles and job descriptions. It means leading with:
Purpose: Knowing your why and letting it guide every decision

Presence: Listening deeply to your clients, your staff, and yourself

Compassion: Valuing people over performance

Courage: Choosing equity, transparency, and honesty, even when it’s hard

It means creating a space where people feel seen, respected, and empowered, not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually too.

Why now?
Because the wellness industry is booming, but not always in the right ways.

We’re seeing:
1. Studios that prioritize profits over people
2. Burned-out teachers with no support systems
3. Clients who don’t feel represented or safe
4. A growing gap between intention and impact
Now more than ever, we need business owners and studio leaders who are willing to rethink success, not just in numbers, but in meaning.

In my book Pilates & Purpose, I share how I moved from hustle to heart. It wasn’t always easy, but it was necessary. Because our clients aren’t just looking for better abs. They’re looking for connection, care, and a sense of belonging.
If you're ready to be part of that change, to lead with both strength and softness, this book is your companion.

📘 Order your copy of Pilates & Purpose here
https://www.amazon.com/Pilates-Purpose-Building-successful-studio/dp/B0GT11Z2K4/ref=sr_1_2?crid=ALX1WPWQW45L&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.u9tUDocTMRpUwiB83zVCXYr5iWUjUYlQUUq-HFG3yk
Let’s raise the standard together.

01/04/2026

4 Truths Every Studio Owner Needs to Hear:

1. Purpose is not a luxury, it's a strategy.
2. Burnout isn't a badge of honour.
3. Your team deserves your care as much as your clients do.
4. You can build a business that reflects your values and thrives.

Pilates & Purpose has launched. Are you ready to take your business to the next level?

Available from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GS69MB26?ref=sp_email

31/03/2026

If you’ve ever dreamed of running a Pilates studio that goes beyond just “classes and clients,” you’re not alone.
Over the years, I’ve seen firsthand that the most impactful studios, the ones that transform lives and stand the test of time, aren’t built just on business strategies. They’re built on purpose.
Here are the 3 pillars that I believe every heart-centered Pilates studio rests on:
🌀 Vision-Led Leadership: Start with why. Let your values guide every decision.
🤝 Client-Centered Culture: Your studio should be a place where people feel safe, supported, and seen.
🌍 Community Impact: Purpose flows outward. Find ways to serve and uplift beyond your walls.
If you’re curious about how to bring these pillars to life in your own business, I dive deep into each of them in my new book Pilates & Purpose. It’s a guidebook for studio owners and teachers who want to build a business that reflects their heart and uplifts others.
Order your copy from Amazon.
Tania

22/03/2026

I started Hearts and Bones Pilates to do what I loved, teach. But along the way, I discovered something far more powerful: when we lead with purpose and heart, our studios become places of deep transformation, for our clients, our communities, and ourselves.

That’s why I wrote Pilates & Purpose, a guidebook for Pilates teachers and studio owners who want more than just a business. If you dream of creating a space that uplifts, empowers, and truly makes a difference, this book is for you.

✨ Launching soon! Pre-order your copy at www.amazon.com 💛

18/03/2026

From Heart to Purpose: The Story Behind My Pilates Studio and Book

When I first opened Hearts and Bones Pilates in 2002, my goal was simple: to create a business doing what I loved, teaching movement and helping people feel better in their bodies. After spending seven years working in other studios, observing what worked and what didn’t, I set out to build something of my own. A place with integrity. A place where people felt seen.

What began as a personal pursuit quickly evolved into something much deeper.

As the studio grew and I became more confident running the business, I realised something important: having the right systems and tools wasn’t enough. What truly made the difference, what transformed my business into a thriving space of healing and growth, was leading with heart.

Every day, I witnessed a transformation that went far beyond posture, a flatter tummy or pain relief. Clients who once came in anxious and reserved started to laugh, to engage, to light up the room. People who felt weak or invisible found strength, not just physical strength, but emotional resilience, renewed confidence, and a sense of belonging.

It wasn’t just the exercises. It was the community.
The more I focused on nurturing that community, and creating a safe, welcoming, purpose-driven space, the more the business flourished. And it didn’t stop at the studio walls. Together, my clients and I began reaching out to help others in the wider community.

We ran charity drives and art auctions, hosted donation-based workshops, and raised funds for organisations like Women’s Refuge and Days for Girls. We supported women facing violence in their homes and helped fight period poverty around the world. What started as a simple Pilates studio became a hub for connection, empowerment, and change.
This journey led me to write Pilates & Purpose, a book born from experience, trial and error, and the belief that a Pilates studio can be more than a business. It can be a place of transformation, for the owner, for the team, and for every client who walks through the door.

If you’re a teacher or studio owner who wants to build something meaningful, something that reflects your values and lifts others up along the way, this book is for you.
I can’t wait to share it with you.

With purpose and heart,
Tania

20/08/2025

I am so grateful to be able to carry Eve’s legacy forward over my 30 year career as a pilates teacher. Her philosophy of teaching the person what is best for their body - not being a conveyor belt - has kept me inspired and very grateful for the fulfilment this approach has brought. Plus she’s a fellow Leo! Perfection.

🌿 Honouring Pilates Elder Eve Gentry 🌿
Today we celebrate the life and legacy of Eve Gentry (born Henrietta Greenhood, 20 August 1909 – 17 June 1994), a true pioneer of Pilates and one of our beloved Elders.
Eve’s journey began as a modern dancer and choreographer in New York City, but it was her encounter with Joseph Pilates that changed the course of her life—and the Pilates world forever. After years of pain from dancing, she walked into Joe’s studio and, for the first time in years, left pain-free and “floating.” That moment began a lifelong dedication to the method.
Eve’s resilience became an inspiration. Following a radical mastectomy in 1955, she used Joe’s Pedi-o-Pull to regain her strength and mobility—eventually returning to dance and helping countless women through their own recoveries. She was instrumental in demonstrating the rehabilitative power of Pilates, courageously lending her own story to advocate for wider recognition of its benefits.
Later, Eve developed the Gentry Work—a therapeutic approach that reflected her belief that Pilates was not simply a list of exercises, but a philosophy of movement requiring deep understanding and care. Her diagnostic insight and compassion left a lasting mark on generations of students.
Her words still guide us today:
“Pilates is never going to go out of style… It’s up to us; we are all responsible. It has to do with cherishing, maintaining, keeping alive our heritage, which makes us what we are.”
On what would have been her birthday, we pause to honour Eve’s wisdom, courage, and extraordinary contribution to the Pilates community. Her legacy continues to inspire us all to keep the work alive.

✨ Happy Birthday, Eve Gentry. Your spirit remains with us. ✨

Read the full article: https://www.pilates.org.au/tribute-to-eve-gentry/

Image credit: Core Dynamics Teacher Training

15/12/2024

08/12/2024

I am beyond honoured to have received this award the day before leaving New Zealand for Bermuda. What a way to say farewell NZ! You left me shocked and speechless.

30/11/2024

Tonight the Pilates Aotearoa council awarded me a special category award for services to the pilates industry in New Zealand. I am beyond stunned by this and so humbled. Thank you fellow members for this recognition. I am still in shock

02/11/2024

Farewell

At the end of November one chapter of my life ends and another begins.

Due to changing personal circumstances, I am relocating to Bermuda. I will continue to teach Pilates.

New Zealand has been home to me for the largest part of my adult life. During that time I have seen many changes in the Pilates industry, taught many new teachers, developed my unique style, written a book, established Hearts and Bones Pilates studios in Wellington, Dunedin and Richmond (2002-2024) and been a founding member of our industry organisation - Pilates Aotearoa.

My life here has been rich and colourful. Working with you all rewarded me with friendships, life lessons, challenges and celebrations beyond my wildest dreams. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart and bid you farewell with gratitude. I will always be a Kiwi at heart.

31/10/2024

Our house is on the market! Please share the listing.

This Kiwi classic is the ideal starter home for first-home buyers eager to step onto the property ladder. Set on a private rear section in a quiet Richmond loca...