02/02/2026
Happy Black History Month ! Meet Kathy Stanford Grant. We are thankful to honor black history, women like Kathy Grant, and our roots as a black owned studio this month and every month. Born in 1921, Kathy was one of the first generation to train under Joseph Pilates, and one of the only two women in general, to obtain official certification by Joseph himself. She went on to be one of the first of her time to run a pilates studio as it was still mostly unheard of. Her approach, based in exemplary technical skill and a background in dance, also blended an astute intuition. Despite Kathy's status as a pioneer of modern-day Pilates and her extensive beginnings teaching out of New York, there is some stereotyping surrounding the demographic of people who usually do Pilates. This is partially due to the accessibility of the practice and continued suppression of marginalized peoples. A lot of strides have been made in recent years to break that narrative and provide platform for BIPOC practitioners + trainers to story their experiences with the movement, with some
notable modern-day pioneers helping to flip the script on pilates culture and rhetoric, call out discrimination, and build inclusive, safe community spaces. We wouldn't know where to start in recognizing this work without going back to the beginning with Kathy. It's easy to applaud her and move on, but it's important to address her achievements in the context of the institutionalized racism faced by women like Kathy Grant. Her accolades under Joseph Pilates don't just speak to her own successes, but also her position as a black woman during the American Civil Rights movement. She worked tirelessly, made sure she had that certification, went above and beyond in spreading the teachings, helped countless people find healing and ease in bodies that they were told wouldn't work anymore, all in the face of harsh discrimination and blatant racism. (cont in comments)
