The willow tree can survive any storm as its roots run deep.
Despite its delicate appearance it has a strong tenacity for life. Prized by the ancient Greeks and Chinese, the willow tree possesses legendary powers.
This tree is strong while being highly adaptable, stable and yet elastic, resilient and also free flowing – all qualities we look for in our body for good movement.
Like a waterfall, with its pouring branches, the willow invites us to a place of peace and tranquility. Similarly in the practice of Yoga, Pilates and holistic movement we may find refuge from life’s demands and a greater contact with our felt sense and our kinesthetic intelligence.
What's New
Pilates Class
New Pilates Class on Thursdays 6pm - 7pm
Summertown Church Hall
Welcome to Movement for Living Well
Once upon a time Anglo-Portuguese Stephanie was a professional dancer in London and has been a mover all of her life. Fascinated by people generally, their health, the way they live, their bodies and their movement, what gets her out of bed in the morning is a desire to understand more and empower her students to move well, feel well and live well.
A devoted teacher for over 20 years specializing in Pilates & Yoga she is also a certified Slings Myofascial Training® Practitioner, based on Tomas Myers Anatomy Trains® body map.
This movement concept has found its way into all of Stephanie’s teaching as her study of Tom Myers map and practice of Slings Myofascial Training has given her a much deeper understanding of the effects of movement on the body.
Slings unique fascia focused movement concept is designed to provide better balance and efficiency in our myofascia through movement. Said differently it is structural integration through movement by strengthening the body’s postural balance, enhancing resilience and body awareness, improving movement efficiency and activating the body’s own self healing ability.
Stephanie is also an international educator for Slings Myofascial Training with Art of Motion (the birth place of Slings) as well as Anatomy Trains in Motion for Anatomy Trains®.
Her other lifelong devotion is to her triplet teenage boys whom she raises with her husband in Oxford, UK. Together with her husband she runs a small fully equipped Pilates & Yoga movement studio as well as running several group classes in Yoga, Pilates & Slings Myofascial Training from The Top Room at The Oxford Playhouse and Summertown Church Hall.
About Stephanie
Formerly a professional dancer with London Contemporary Dance Theatre, Stephanie retired from the stage after suffering an ankle injury and re-trained in 1997 to be a Pilates instructor with Alan Herdman in his London Studios. At the same time she studied Sports Massage with Mel Cash at the London School of Sports Massage. In 2003 she encountered Yoga from which a great passion was born and has maintained a dedicated practice ever since. She trained with Carlos Rui Ferreira (Centro Português de Yoga) and completed his 3 year instructors course. Stephanie draws inspiration from all her teachers and movement disciplines bringing 25 years of study and practice to her own teaching.
Contact
Please feel free to contact me via the form below, and I will get back to you as soon as I can.