The smell of eucalyptus lingers in the air. Reformer machines, mats, and barres fill the studio space. Light sounds of harmoniums play softly through the speakers as clients perform centering exercises. This is where clients go to gain strength. This is where hard work meets fun. This is where owner, Sarah Burton, creates a welcoming and safe environment of trained professionals to build the strength of her clients’ minds and bodies while simultaneously building long lasting relationships. This is Studio B Pilates.
Sarah Burton, owner of Studio B Pilates and movement educator, has been in the fitness industry for 25 years, and has been teaching Pilates to a wide array of individuals for 20 years.
After working with different established educators like herself, she decided to take her teaching to the next level.
“I never thought I would own my own business,” Burton said.
Like many first-time business owners, Burton was forced to come face to face with the parts of herself that thought she didn’t have what it takes to own a business. With the help of several of her previous clients and the Development Center at Tyler Junior College, she overcame her fears of not having the adequate skill sets to be a business owner and successfully launched Studio B Pilates.
“I think one of the biggest challenges for me was not having a lot of expertise as far as the underlaying of a structure of starting a business, but the Development Center at Tyler Junior College really provided a lot of mentoring,” Burton said.
Before the opening of her own studio, Burton was plugged into TJC’s pre-professional dance program as a Pilates and movement instructor, and still is.
“I currently teach several levels of pre-ballet students, dance conditioning classes, and Pilates mat for faculty and dancers,” Burton said.
Burton’s history with TJC runs deep. She credits much of her success as an educator of movement with help from many TJC professors of dance as her mentors.
“The opportunity to work with the dance community here in Tyler has just been fascinating for me as a movement educator,” Burton said.
A goal of hers when starting Studio B was to ensure her studio was a safe space for clients to feel comfortable while also working to build their strength.
“I love creating an atmosphere that feels welcoming for people,” Burton said.
Burton runs her studio based on her tagline, “relationships and results.”
“Both of those things can coexist; you can be a kind, relational teacher, and still be a great technical precision-based teacher as well,” Burton said.
Stacy Smith, a client of Studio B for over 10 years, can attest to this.
“The instructors here are great. They really know what they’re doing. They’re invested in their clients, they answer all the many questions that I have, and you can just tell they are experienced and professional,” Smith said.
When it comes to the instructors, Burton is sure to train them in every aspect of how to be an effective Pilates instructor. She does this with the implementation of her teacher training program.
“I wanted to be able to create a comprehensive, classically based teacher training program for people who were interested in teaching the Pilates method,” Burton said.
This training process will take a little over a year, but she is confident that it will pave the way for a culture of knowledge, kindness and hard work between her instructors. Burton herself is known by her clients to be full of all three of those characteristics.
“Her knowledge is wonderful. She also always comes with a positive attitude and can lead you through hard exercises even when you don’t think you can do them,” Smith said.
Another goal of Burton’s for Studio B is to educate the citizens of Tyler on what exactly Pilates is and how beneficial it can be for not only your body but also your mind.
“People don’t really know what it is, they just think about the pieces of equipment that are most popular like the reformer, but it’s so much more. It’s a complete system,” Burton said.
This system provides clients with an opportunity to become more aware of their bodies and the space they utilize. Many clients have contacted Burton to say they have seen gains in things like their coordination and balance since starting Pilates under her instruction.
“It’s a beautiful system, but it’s to bring someone to a better awareness of their body and to build strength, coordination and precision,” Burton said.
According to an article by The Pilates Bridge, the Journal of Physical Activity and Health has reported that people have significantly superior brain function after mindful movement practice, like Pilates, compared to aerobic exercise.
Pilates helps with kinesthetic awareness, the ability to balance and trust where you are in space enough to know that you can step backward and not fall, Burton said.
Since the opening of Studio B, Burton has been working to expand her outreach to the citizens of Tyler. One example of this is an upcoming retreat coordinated by Studio B in collaboration with beFree Yoga of Tyler. This retreat will take place April 13 and 14 in Arp, Texas.
“It will be such a great opportunity to get to taste a little bit of everything,” Burton said.
It includes classes on strength and mobility, yoga classes, and Pilates classes taught personally by Burton.
Whether it be strength training, increased focus and balance, or simply building a relationship with others in the community, Sarah Burton has created a space for all to reach their goals through Pilates.
“In Pilates you really get to focus, it takes your mind off other stressors and physically it’s a great workout for all parts of your body,” Smith said.
