By now, many of you have watched the various archival footage online showing Joe Pilates and a handful of his students practicing his method. There is one very notable film clip of a young Anna Shaffer demonstrating ballet movements using an invention Joe developed he called the "Headdress."
Anna was in NYC studying ballet at the School of American Ballet and was told she had a weak back. Anna contacted her ballet mentor, Dorothy Alexander, the director of the Atlanta Ballet company for advice and Dorothy told Anna to go see Joe Pilates. It was 1950 and when Anna stepped over the Contrology studio threshold, Joe took one look at her and knowingly said, “I will change your life forever.”

For more information about Anna Shaffer, please email: awoolley@aol.com
Music credits: Soul Blues Piano Shuffle, Chill Jazzy Hop by Boom Zoom
For more information about Darien Gold: https://www.dariengold.com

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