Science Meets Soul
The Science of Pilates
Pilates is a rejuvenating practice that immeasurably improves posture and alignment by conditioning the body and bringing awareness to the core (the deep abdominal and back muscles). Pilates’ unique ability to activate the body’s supportive musculature, dynamically stabilizes the spinal column and pelvis structure, helping clients to alleviate physical discomfort and improve functional movement. Clients experience improved strength, posture, and quality of life.
No two bodies are alike.
We Celebrate Individuality
Our classes are client-driven and immersive. We use carefully chosen Pilates props and focused, full body movement to create entirely unique strengthening exercises for each client, every class. Skilled in recognizing imbalanced movement patterns, we teach you to reorganize how you sense your body, resulting in better alignment, increased flexibility, and a sculpted physique.
“The Mongoose Bodyworks method reorganizes the neuromuscular system to work with efficiency and grace. As a result, your body grows stronger and you become healthier, happier, and more clear-headed.”
Halle Clarke, Founder
This studio is a gem – the perfect space to experience Pilates. Personalized, specific instruction provided with great care and expertise. So glad to have discovered it.
Best pilates in NYC hands down. Halle runs an amazing, friendly, and comfortable shop with all the bells and whistles (even flower arrangements in the studio) and I have been seeing serious results. I go twice a week and my quality of life has significantly improved. I highly recommend Mongoose Bodyworks.
My confidence in their instructors’ expertise is why I continue to practice Pilates through Mongoose Bodyworks Studio on a weekly basis fifteen years after I discovered them!! Thank you, Halle and the Mongoose Bodyworks team; thank you.
Intelligent Care with pilates therapy
Our reputation is well established: physical therapists, orthopedists, and surgeons frequently refer patients to Mongoose Bodyworks for the treatment of complex conditions. Our wealth of knowledge, comprehensive training, and holistic approach makes us the studio of choice for those experiencing any of the following: scoliosis, pre- and post-natal, osteoporosis, post-rehabilitation, arthritis, hypermobility, spinal pathologies, stenosis, spodylothesis, spondylolisthesis, disc pathologies, degenerative disc disease, rotator cuff injuries, knee and hip replacements, neck and cervical spine issues.
(Pilates is not a substitute for medical care.)
The Mongoose Bodyworks Pilates Collective
Mongoose Bodyworks instructors are seasoned professionals with unrivaled training and a deep understanding of anatomy and biomechanics. We are highly experienced, and our education runs the gamut of somatic disciplines, including Pilates, yoga, dance, massage, reiki, and energy work. This advanced skill set informs our work with clients, so as best to elevate your fitness practice, address dysfunction, and alleviate any pain. By nourishing the mind / body connection, we guide you to achieve lasting improvements to your physical and mental wellbeing.
Halle Clarke, NCPT
A second generation Master Pilates teacher, Halle Clarke has committed her life to the practice of healing through movement education. She opened Mongoose Bodyworks in 1999, and the studio still occupies the same spacious Soho loft some two decades later.
Born in New York City, and raised in the hamlet of High Falls, New York, Halle recalls a carefree childhood in motion: “My body and movement were my connection to the world. My career as a dancer and as a movement educator is an extension of that immersive mind/body connection.”
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Halle majored in dance at the prestigious Tisch School of the Arts, NYU. Seeking relief from a series of overuse injuries, she began training closely with two of Joseph Pilates greatest protégées, Kathy Grant and Romana Krysanowska. These mentors set Halle on a lifelong path of learning, teaching, and healing.
Her extensive knowledge is manifold and interdisciplinary: Ballet, Modern Dance, Pilates, Biomechanics, Idiokinesis, Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais Method, Cranial Sacral Therapy and others. Halle sees a full roster of loyal clients and treats for a multitude of conditions.
A noted teacher’s teacher, Halle also regularly instructs physical therapists, yoga teachers, and Pilates teachers, helping them to deepen their respective understanding of biomechanics, and hone their teaching skills.
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Halle’s ability to work so it depth with your particular issue by way of clear, meticulous explanations and encouraging mental concentration teaches me something new about my body and what I am capable of every session. I take it with me through my day and feel aligned, balanced and in control.
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Grace Gummer, Actor
Heather D.
Level: Senior
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Heather first tried Pilates over a decade ago to alleviate her back pain — and she’s been a devotee ever since. She initially became an instructor with the intent to enhance her own practice. For the past 12 years, Heather has been teaching Pilates in New York City to help others achieve better alignment, tone, and muscle strength. Her certification is from the PhysicalMind Institute in NYC, Soho. She also practices at Samamkaya Yoga, a back care and scoliosis collective, and is in an Advanced Studies program.
Jess R.
Level: Senior
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A movement lover even at an early age, Jess danced throughout her childhood growing up in New York. While she loved dance, her creative calling led her to study fine arts at the Rhode Island School of Design, graduating in 2003. Shortly thereafter, she was introduced to Pilates through bartering for private sessions with a studio owner in exchange for painting a mural.
In 2021 a surprising Breast cancer diagnosis led her to reassess her goals and priorities. Desperate to move her body, Jess found that she benefitted most from low impact, mindful movement and utilized Pilates for rehabilitation. She found Pilates to be an integral part of her healing and it allowed her to be physically active without pain. After witnessing the benefits of Pilates first-hand, Jess developed a deep appreciation for the mind-body connection and began her teacher training through the Kane School of Core Integration in 2022.
Jess lives her creative life both in and outside the studio, bringing a fun and imaginative approach to her sessions. She strongly believes that Pilates is transformative; and has the ability to make each client feel their best both physically and mentally, as it’s done for her.
Amy G.
Level: Expert
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Amy is a Kane School of Core Integration Certified Pilates Instructor. She enjoys helping others to heal from injury and pain and improve their overall fitness through a holistic approach. Her comprehensive training allows her to create customized Pilates wellness programs for those suffering from: hip and knee pain, pre and post joint replacement surgery, osteoarthritis, and back pain. She holds certifications in Functional Anatomy for Movement & Injuries ( FAMI), level one and two. She is also a Certified Holistic Health Counselor through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition.
Chelsa C.
Level: Expert
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Chelsa is a Kane School of Core Integration Certified Pilates Instructor and a creative entrepreneur focused on reimagining the beauty, fashion, and health & wellness spaces. She holds a BA from Indiana University and L1 & L2 certifications in Functional Anatomy for Movement & Injuries (FAMI).
Chelsa was introduced to Pilates by a friend years ago and has been hooked since, leading to her to pursue her own certification. She enjoys helping others heal from injury or chronic pain, and working to improve overall fitness, strength, and balance through a holistic approach. Her comprehensive training allows her to create customized Pilates wellness programs. She has seen her own body change and heal from her 3 pregnancies and particularly enjoys working with others on their postpartum journeys.
Melissa P.
Level: Expert
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Shields W.
Level: Expert
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Shields Way is thrilled to be on the dynamic team at Mongoose Bodyworks. Shields received her Pilates Education at the esteemed Kane School in NYC. “Pilates is more than just a fitness routine; it’s a therapeutic methodology that fosters wellness not only for the body but also for the mind.” Her journey to becoming a Pilates instructor took a fascinating turn from a decade-long career as a fashion historian. Seeking a more direct and meaningful impact on individuals, Shields embarked on a career pivot, finding fulfillment in helping others achieve their wellness goals through Pilates. Shields takes immense joy in working with a diverse range of people and bodies, passionately sharing her love and deep understanding of Pilates with her clients. She shares her life with her husband and their two goofy dogs, adding an extra touch of warmth to her holistic approach to well-being.
Julia G.
Level: Expert
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Julia Granacki is a Kane School of Pilates graduate who has received pre- and post-natal Pilates training. She is also a board-certified Health Coach (NBC-HWC) specializing in perimenopausal and menopausal midlife challenges. Additionally, she received her BFA from the University of Central Florida, where she studied Experimental Dance Theatre. As a multi-disciplinary practitioner, she believes in a holistic approach to health that goes beyond exercise and nutrition. She is dedicated to empowering individuals to take control of their health, understand their bodies, and become more joyful, vital, and active. Having ruptured her left ACL during a skiing accident, she understands firsthand how well Pilates pairs with physical therapy when it comes to injury rehabilitation. She enjoys helping people move and feel better through their injury recovery but also loves working with folks of all levels and backgrounds looking to make Pilates a regular practice.
Emily B.
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