In 2010, my pilates journey began shortly after moving to Grahamstown (now Makhanda) in the Eastern Cape. I was 30 years old, newly married to Dan, settling into a new town, and starting a new biokinetics practice: Life was an exciting adventure!
And of course I found myself in a book club that was more about wine and laughter than actual reading! One evening, one of the girls brought up the idea of a Pilates class. Lindsay wanted to start teaching pilates and needed guinea pigs to get her practical teaching hours.
The book club girls became those guinea pigs.
Our journey into Pilates began in the cozy confines of Lindsay’s living room. We would push aside the furniture, roll out our mats, and dive into what we humorously dubbed “torture sessions.” The muscle stiffness was real, even for someone like me who was already quite active.
As word spread through our small town, our guinea pig Pilates group began to grow, thanks to Lindsay’s exceptional teaching skills. A few months later, the group had outgrown her living room and so, in 2011, Linds then moved us all into her brand-new studio. Natural Affinity had been born and the doors were opened.
Pilates became a cornerstone of my life, especially during my pregnancies. I continued practicing even as my belly grew, finding peace and strength through each session. Although the journey became more challenging during my second pregnancy due to hip issues, Pilates remained a vital outlet for stress relief and self-care during early motherhood. It was more than just exercise; it became a support group as many of my fellow book club ladies navigated the transition into motherhood alongside me.
Lindsay often encouraged me to step into teaching, but I resisted. For me, Pilates was a personal retreat, not something I wanted to turn into another professional responsibility. I was perfectly content being the pilates client, imagining myself spending my days in our small town, surrounded by our amazing group of friends!
In 2017 life took an unexpected turn and I found myself living in Nelspruit. With two small kids, a husband with a new job, and the challenge of starting a brand-new biokinetics practice, buying a Pilates studio — or even teaching a class — was the last thing on my mind. But fate had other plans and I was handed the reins to a beautiful studio in Nelspruit, with established classes and a brand new, exciting challenge ahead of me.
I was a bundle of nerves when I arrived to teach my first Pilates class. I had prepped extensively, jotting down every detail and trying to channel Lindsay’s teaching style. Thankfully, I think I did okay—I didn’t injure or scare away any clients, at least.
From that moment, my confidence and love for teaching Pilates only grew. In 2020, I earned my BASI qualification, completing the exam online due to COVID-19. With that certification in hand, I felt even more confident and continued teaching. From 2017 until February 2024, I led about 10 classes a week and absolutely loved every moment. In 2019, I moved the studio from Orange Street to Wellness 360 on Kaapsehoop Road. The new studio was a peaceful sanctuary, with the soothing sounds of the Gladdespruit flowing just outside—a small piece of heaven.
Throughout the life of my studio, I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many incredible clients. Some have been with me from the very beginning, while others have moved away from Nelspruit or found different studios or forms of exercise. I’ve learned to meticulously prepare my classes—and also to throw those plans out the window and just go with the flow, tuning into the vibe of the class. We’ve shared so many moments together: we’ve laughed, we’ve cried, and we’ve worked our muscles to the point of begging for mercy! “Firetruck Friday” became an inside joke with my 9:00 AM class, a nod to the intensity we brought to our Friday sessions.
In January 2024, I woke up and said to my hubby “that’s it – I am done!”
So, I handed over my studio to Jesse, chucked the keys over my shoulder and walked away. And that was the end of my Pilates journey… well so I thought!!
After taking a few months off, I’m thoroughly enjoying the freedom of being at home, sharing dinners with my family, and taking the time to reconnect with myself. June 22nd 2024, was a particularly memorable day for me. Not only was it Lindsay’s 40th birthday celebration — yes, the same Lindsay who started this Pilates journey with me — but it was also the day she reignited my passion for teaching.
A few of the amazing ladies at the party, who are proud Hanya House fans (love you all!), reminded me how fortunate I am to be part of the Hanya House team and have such a beautiful, serene studio to teach in. I had been dragging my feet for a while, but once Pilates gets under your skin, there’s no escaping it.
So here I am, teaching every Wednesday at 9:00 AM at Hanya House. And I’m loving every moment of it!
Starting again in a new town and studio feels incredibly refreshing. I’m excited to meet new clients, and I hope that once the pilates bug bites, it’ll stick with them, allowing me to share my passion for Pilates with many more people who cross my path.
A huge thank you to Lindsay for kickstarting my Pilates journey back in 2010 and reigniting that love in 2024. I’m so proud of her — her studio is thriving, and she – along with the other instructors – have achieved so much over the years. I’m also deeply grateful to Ryan and Rav for gifting me the opportunity to teach in their studio, and a very big thank you to Dan and my boys for putting up with me and loving me through every step of my Pilates journey!
As our very own Hanya House Body Stress Release practitioner, Melissa, wisely told me, “Just ride the waves.” So here I am, riding the Pilates waves and savouring every moment!
Andrea Parker qualified as a Biokineticist in 2001 with a BSc (Honours) in Biokinetics from the University of Zululand. She is also a qualified BASI Pilates instructor and has completed her Sports Management certificate through HFPA Fitness Academy. She has been working for herself since 2007 and has always worked within multi-discipline centres. She has been based in Johannesburg, Grahamstown, and currently in Nelspruit and White River. To contact Andrea: 083 415 4056
