Pilates for dance
Tania Huddart, lead instructor at Hearts and Bones Pilates®, helps dancers improve their dance techniques and performance. She also provides a consultancy service to dance studios and organisations. Make an appointment today.
Tania Huddart knows dance
Tania’s first training and career was in teaching dance. She also has a Bachelor of Philosophy (Hons) in dance contextual studies from Durham University (England).
Tania has international dance experience, teaching from her own studio in Sweden and later in England, America, and then New Zealand (in Wellington city).
She taught Pilates to the New Zealand School of Dance for three years and now delivers Pilates workshops across New Zealand for Dance Aotearoa New Zealand (DANZ).
She helps dancers and dance teachers from a range of forms, including ballet, contemporary, hip-hop, flamenco, and jazz.
Read more about Tania’s dance experience
Tania’s Pilates approach
Tania’s approach is personal. She designs her Pilates programmes to suit your individual performance needs.
Individual dancers
Tania’s first step is to do a dance-specific assessment to build a full picture of your body and the way it functions. This assessment lasts about half an hour. She will then discuss with you what particular part of your body or dance technique you want to develop in your Pilates programme.
Pilates programmes for dancers
Tania’s Pilates for dance programmes are functional-based training, designed to help you achieve your specific performance goals.
Once you have set your goals, Tania will design a programme that includes:
- Pilates strengthening and flexibility exercises
- visualisation techniques
- safe dance practice strategies like warming up and cooling down.
The next step is to make your introductory programme dance-specific. For example, if you need to improve adagio work, we will focus on relating what we have done in the introductory programme to balance control and adagio actions. Alternatively, we may work towards improved turning, jumping, pointe training, or port de bras coordination.
Pilates consultancy
Hearts and Bones Pilates can provide a consultancy service to dance studios and organisations. Options include:
- On-site development: Tania visits your studio to help develop solutions for your students and studio.
- Customized programme: Tania designs and delivers a customized Pilates programme in a workshop at your studio.
- Hearts and Bones Pilates Centre personal sessions: Part-day or multi-day sessions for dancers or teachers at Hearts and Bones’ Wellington studio.
- Combination package: Your needs may suit a combination of the above options.
Satisfied clients include:
- Dance Aotearoa New Zealand (DANZ)
- American Jazz Dance Affiliation (AJDA), New Zealand
- Love of Dance studios, Wellington
- New Zealand School of Dance (NZSD) Pilates and student screening programme
- Teachers' Refresher Course Committee conference 2010
- Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) International Summer School
- various workshops and summer schools in London, New Zealand, and Sweden.
Appointments and fees
Click appointments and fees to:
- make an appointment
- find out about our fees, payment options, and cancellation policy
- learn what to wear, and where to come, for your appointment.
Testimonials
Thank you so much for all the advice and knowledge you have passed on. I have learnt so much. You always know exactly what I need and when things are really aligned or not.
Michelle
Thank you so much for all the hard work and support you've given me this year. Your work on my injury has been really helpful and incredibly instrumental in my recovery. I also really appreciate how you've always been here for me to talk to.
Matthew
All you have taught me about my body remains a part of my training. I regularly think of you as I dance.
Rebecca
Thank you for all the support and great teaching you have given DANZ and dance in 2010. It is much appreciated.
Tania Kopytko
Thank you very much for your guidance and knowledge over the past three years at the school. We are all aiming to get to Barbados to fully appreciate our champagne bubbles up the spine and catch a few mermaids.
The third years of 2005
