Beginnings, 2018
In 2018, my husband Tim and I uprooted our lives in Cambridge, MA to be closer to family in the Rochester area. The non-negotiable criteria we set for buying a home included lots of forested land and a separate walk-in space for my Pilates studio. Nothing spoke to us until we found our home on Bluhm Rd. I obsessed over the listing for months, intrigued by the architecture and especially the lofted solarium begging to be my studio. Had our current home not been on the market, we probably wouldn’t be here today. As soon as we put in an offer, I began working behind the scenes to launch Crescent Trail Pilates. I felt my world shift and my heart sing: I would be near the people I love, doing some of the greatest work of my life in service to others.
Crescent Trail Pilates officially opened on February 28, 2018. I couldn’t wait to connect with others and share the healing power of Pilates. Starting my business was a leap of faith: I had to believe in myself and in my teaching voice. I had to close my eyes, plug my nose, and jump in - all alone. No one else could do it for me. I still bristle at the thought of developing a "personal brand," and sometimes, owning a business is a lonely undertaking. Thanks to you, though, most days I've been anything but alone.
A vibrant community
Expanding to a commercial space in Fairport Village happened naturally. Clients from the Bluhm Road studio met in passing, striking up conversation and hoping to spend more time together. Eugenia and I developed a close friendship, bonding over our passion for sharing knowledge with curiosity, kindness and integrity - we couldn’t wait to work together. By March 2020, Crescent Trail Pilates was bursting at the seams, with nearly every hour filled between 6am - 8pm. Those of you who've been to the studio know the contagious passion Eugenia has for teaching and life, and the clarity with which Jessica speaks to motivate us. Early on, you met Kristen, a fiercely motivated teacher who departed to care for her precocious son. If you've been online with us, you've probably gotten a side stitch from Tracy's wisecracks, or unlocked control of your center through Jacquie and Marie’s exacting teaching. Through and through, you've seen the most powerful beacon of health: the forgery of close-knit relationships between individuals working toward the happiness of the greater good, starting with strength from the self. You know the nature of the Pilates family we've built together.
2020
Crescent Trail Pilates will be three this winter. I didn't expect the prolific growth spurt we had during our first two years, but I believed in it from the beginning. I also never anticipated that a global pandemic would bring the world to its knees, nor how quickly our family of teachers and students would unite to build the virtual platform that’s kept us afloat. Thank You. I am so grateful to everyone for your encouragement and understanding.
Many of you have been reaching out with optimism that we can return to “business as usual.” That we are a place of normalcy and comfort to you means more to me than I can express. I can tell you without a doubt that the way we must move forward has fundamentally changed based on our needs and the needs of our loved ones. The pandemic has left us in limbo regarding whether it's ethical, or emotionally sustainable, to reopen our flagship space while the virus looms in the background. This uncertainty, coupled with a sizeable reduction in teaching availability and a doubling of administrative and maintenance effort, makes it unrealistic to continue with “business as usual” in the immediate future. At this time, we are keeping our Fairport Village studio on pause. We must put everyone’s health and wellbeing at the forefront of our decisions.
This isn't the end. We will return to our vibrant space and community when we know with certainty that the world is healing. While much is uncertain right now, we know we’ll reopen our doors. It’s just a matter of when.
Onward
We are here for you to answer your questions about our decision. There may be a high volume of outreach, so please go gentle on us if we don’t respond immediately, and understand that this is a very difficult transition that’s weighing heavily on our hearts. Email is one of the fastest ways to communicate.
We honor the choices our client and teaching community has made in order to weather 2020 while considering the health and wellbeing of those who matter most. Pilates teachers are here in service of others, a small part of an effort to make the world healthier, happier, and more peaceful. You’ve shared the best of yourselves with us, and us with you, and we endeavor to have the resilience and patience you’ve taught us during our time together. There aren't enough people in the world who know about the healing power of Pilates, so the more of us on the ground doing the work, the better. The way we deliver the work has just changed for the near future. We will get through this. Here’s to more down the line.
With Love,
Kate Wheeler, Owner and Founder of Crescent Trail Pilates