The Studio

In-Studio and Virtual Class Options

Founded in 2000, Gadar Pilates is the first (and only) 100% fully equipped Pilates studio in Sarasota, Florida. From the tiny 5-inch Toe Corrector apparatus all the way to the 6 ½ foot tall Cadillac apparatus, the studio features the very best in Gratz brand equipment. In addition to the Reformer, Cadillac, Barrels, Chairs, Ped-O-Pul, Swedish Bars, and smaller Pilates accessories, Gadar Pilates is proud to have a Guillotine (a.k.a. Gym in a Doorway), and is the only Pilates studio in the area equipped with rare pieces of vintage Pilates equipment, including one made from Joseph Pilates’ original blueprints! Christina Gadar offers in-person private lessons in Sarasota, Florida, and private and semi-private virtual lessons on Zoom (recordings not permitted).

Mission Statement

As a second-generation certified Pilates instructor, I can assure you that you will receive Pilates instruction in its purest form, as Joseph Pilates taught it to Romana Kryzanowska, and as she taught it to me. My goal is to preserve the integrity of Joseph Pilates’ original vision of physical and mental conditioning while constructing creative workouts tailored to the individual. –Christina Maria Gadar

Christina Maria Gadar

A dual citizen of Brazil and the United States, Christina Maria Gadar is a certified second-generation Pilates teacher, having completed rigorous training under grandmaster teacher Romana Kryzanowska, who was personally trained by Joseph Pilates. She is the author of six Pilates books: Pilates: An Interactive Workbook, a timeless guide to classical Pilates, Pilates: An Interactive Workbook, Wunda Chair Edition, an authentic guide to the original Wunda Chair exercises as taught by Joe Pilates and Romana Kryzanowska, Pre-Pilates and Beyond: The Lesser-Known Exercises of the Pilates Method, an all-inclusive text written for students of all ages and fitness levels, featuring exercises that incorporate everyday items found around the house, Pilates for Children: Making Pilates Safe and Fun for Kids, an unprecedented manual for Pilates teachers, Discovering Joe Pilates, a captivating Pilates book that educates and entertains readers of all ages, and The Pilates Animals Workout: Exercise That Helps You Feel as Fit as an Animal, featuring the program she created for children and their parents. The Pilates Animals Workout® or P.A.W. for short, was inspired by the natural movement of animals and the original Pilates exercises. Christina’s latest project is Open Access Pilates Archives a campaign aiming to share Joseph Pilates’ archival exercises and original equipment with the global Pilates community, just as Joe would have wanted. Christina is also an international guest presenter, offering workshops on various topics including Pilates for Children, Pilates for athletes, and Pre-Pilates for seniors.

Christina was introduced to the Pilates Matwork with Barbara Harris at the age of fifteen while a student at the Boston Ballet. During her ballet training, she was coached privately for six years by world-renowned premier danseur Fernando Bujones and had the honor of performing the solo “Raio de Luz” which he choreographed especially for her. She also studied extensively with Madame Tatiana Legat of Russia and Li-Chou Cheng of China. After receiving dance scholarships from the Massachusetts Arts Council and the School of the Boston Ballet, she went on to dance professionally with BalletMet under the direction of John McFall, Columbia City Ballet, and the Sarasota Ballet of Florida where she met her husband Filipp Gadar.

While dancing with the Sarasota Ballet of Florida, Christina started the Pilates apparatus work with Kathy Dandois-Boivin. Ten years after her initial introduction to the Pilates Method she began her Pilates certification under the tutelage of master teacher Roxane Richards-Huang before obtaining full certification directly from grandmaster teacher Romana Kryzanowska in New York in 2000. In addition to yearly continuing education seminars, she makes it a priority to study privately with master teachers. She has worked privately with all four Pilates grandmaster instructors in the world (Romana Kryzanowska of New York, Sari Mejia-Santo of Fort Lauderdale, Juanita Lopez of Illinois, and Cynthia Lochard of Australia). In addition to the grandmaster teachers, she has studied privately with master teachers Anthony Rabara, Cynthia Shipley, Jerome Weinberg, Lori Coleman Brown, Roxane Richards-Huang, Bob Liekens, Marjorie Oron, Janice Dulak, and Leah Chaback.

Christina has resided in Sarasota since 1996 and has been specializing in private instruction of the original Pilates Method since 2000. She enjoys the balancing act of running her Pilates practice with the highest standards, while staying actively involved in the lives of her family, including her two children and many pets.

The Pilates Method

Physical and Mental Conditioning for Power and Flexibility

pilates ladder barrel

Pilates is a series of controlled movements performed on spring-based equipment as well as specifically sequenced mat exercises. It is a full body exercise system that strengthens the abdomen, buttocks, lower back, and inner thigh region. In Pilates we refer to this region as the “powerhouse.” By strengthening the powerhouse, those who practice Pilates notice improvements in posture, energy, flexibility, balance, strength, stamina and muscle tone. In addition to customizing each workout to meet the needs of the individual, every session embraces the six principles of Pilates: control, concentration, body alignment, precision, correct breathing, and flowing movement.

Pilates is for a broad section of the public. Men and women of every age and body type can benefit from Pilates when done correctly and consistently. From the very athletic to the sedentary, Pilates can be used as a primary exercise regimen, or as cross training for golf, tennis and more. Pilates avoids mundane and repetitive movement, making it the ideal choice in fitness for the mind, body and spirit.

Seek a Teacher Who Has a Pilates Lineage

Pilates is an unregulated field, which means that anyone can say that they teach Pilates. It is extremely important to know your teacher’s Pilates credentials not only to gain the benefits from Pilates, but also to avoid serious injury.

As you interview Pilates teachers, consider asking your teacher what his or her “Pilates lineage” is. Joseph Pilates had many students who went on to train the next generation of teachers, thus preserving the essence of the Method. Some of Joseph Pilates’ students who went on to teach were: Romana Kryzanowska (my mentor), Eve Gentry, Carola Trier, Naja Cori, Kathy Grant, Bruce King, Robert Fitzgerald, Ron Fletcher, and Jerome Andrews.

Photo of Joseph Pilates taken in 1961 for Sports Illustrated.
© I.C. Rapoport