Amy Ell
AMY ELL holds a B.S. in Exercise Science from Texas Woman’s University where she specialized is cardiac rehabilitation and corporate fitness. Amy is considered a Pilates Master Teacher having been studying and teaching the work for the last 20 years. Initially, she acquired her training via mentorship (the way it was done in the ‘old’ days) and then proceeded to participate in formal teacher trainings with both the Physical Mind Institute and Elizabeth Jones-Boswell. Since those early days, Amy has gone on to study the finer details of the the Pilates work with Master Teachers including Kathy Corey, Ron Fletcher, Colleen Glenn, Alan Herdman, Barbara Huttner, Rael Isacowitz, Michael King, and Karen Klippenger.
As for the wonderful world of GYROTONIC®… Amy is a certified GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® Master Trainer, GYROTONIC® Leg Extension Master Trainer, and GYROTONIC® Archway Master Trainer. Amy has completed training and is a certified teacher on the GYROTONIC® Jump Stretch Board, the GYROTONIC® Ladder, and the GYROTONER®. She has participated in Level 2 work in both GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® in addition to completion of specialized courses in cervical spine/shoulder rehabilitation, lumbar spine/pelvic rehabilitation, scoliosis, and GYROTONIC® for golfers.
In 2002, striving for greater knowledge, Amy started studying the ancient art of Thai Yoga or Thai Massage, a type of ‘dancing yoga’ where the practitioner manipulates the client into easy poses to help stimulate circulation and the flow of chi or life force energy. Amy started this search in the continental United States working with both James Peckham and Dr. Anthony James. In 2004 she organized a trip to Chiang Mai, Thailand to study with Thai Massage Master Pichet Boonthumme.
Another stepping stone in Amy’s fitness/dance career is her love of flying…the complete strength, flexibility, and agility training acquired through an aerial arts practice. Though she has dabbled in the aerial world since 1989 (see ‘Aerial Arts’ for information on earlier influences), it wasn’t until early 2007 that Amy fervently focused on aerial arts. To date she has traveled throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe collecting and digesting information. What she brings to GYROTONIC® Houston is aerial arts peppered with the influences of her dance training and the Pilates, Yoga, and Gyrotonic methodologies. Currently, Amy teaches fabric/silks, trapeze, Lyra, and Harness. She is one of few who has a comprehensive teacher training program on Aerial Arts.
In September of 2009 Amy debuted her dance company, Vault, at Miller Outdoor Theater to rave reviews.
