WINGSPAN VIDEO LIBRARY
Unable to attend my live classes? Virtual class recordings are now available to stream from home on demand. Join me from my cozy movement space for an hour (or many!) of Pilates-based self-care. Scroll down to choose from All Bodies Pilates, Pilates on the Roll, Intermediate Mat and Pilates Flow offerings. More classes added weekly. These classes are currently offered free of charge and your donations are greatly appreciated.
You can find me on Venmo @wingspanmovement or on PayPal at jessica@wingspanmovement.com. Enjoy!
All Bodies Pilates
These classes are appropriate for all levels of mostly healthy bodies. Props are occasionally used and can generally be found around the house. Yoga mat, comfortable clothes and a commitment to self-care recommended.
Back to Basics
In this all-levels class we slow down to engage with some of the basic Pilates concepts and exercises more in-depth. We explore deep TVA activation and how our pelvic floor interacts with our abdominals, we focus on lining up our bones for efficiency and ease of movement, we practice differentiating our legs from our pelvis for happy hips and back, and we think about how to lift our head with minimal stress on the neck. Join me for this great review of the basics that will leave you feeling long, strong, and centered.
Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes
Pilates excels at supporting healthy joints, through both stability and mobility exercises, and through helping us understand proper function and use. Journey through the joints with me as we wake up our feet, knees, hips, shoulders, spines, and everything in between. Prop recommended: chairback or balance support.
Lower Body Love
With a methodical focus on our lower extremities - feet, ankles, knees, calves, thighs, and hips - we give our supports some well-deserved attention and love. Class starts seated with an extensive foot releasing sequence, gradually builds to deeper strengthening and refinement in the legs and feet, and ends with a series of simple flows to balance out our structure. Focus on your lower half and find how your whole self will thrive! Props suggested: high backed chair, strap, and rolled up yoga mat.
Slow Train
It's flow day! But we're taking the slow train... starting on our backs we'll slowly warm the body with somatic retuning, warming the spine and hips and awakening our pelvic stability. Next we progress to mini-flows on hands, knees, and bellies, finally building to a vigorous quadruped flow filled with planks, lunges, undulations, and twists. Join me for a smooth and well-rounded ride on the Slow Train!
Happy Hips
This gentle class is designed especially for those of us suffering from tight, grabby hip flexors and achy, weak glutes. We'll release through these structures while finding appropriate support for more ease and freedom in our movement. Prop suggested: thick pillow, bolster, or foam roller.
Postural Tone
Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen tells us that postural tone begins with the feet. In this all levels class we'll address our postural tone with this awareness, awakening our feet, bringing articulation to the joints, and strengthening the core supports in standing, all fours, on our bellies, and on our backs. Prop recommended: hand towel (if on a wood floor) or paper plate (if on carpet).
Antidote to Sitting
We tend to spend more time sitting than our bodies were designed to handle - the result is often a rounded upper back, sore neck, forward head, stuck ribs, tight hip flexors, glutes and hamstrings, and unhappy, underutilized feet. This class works to unwind these many stuck areas, helping you to find your full length and ease. Prop suggested: yoga strap or belt.
Developmental Flow
This progressive flow moves through the human developmental phases - beginning on our backs we find our core, connecting limbs to center, then flow through belly and all fours work, exploring back extension, stabilization, and balance, and finally progressing to standing work, an all full-body flow, and finishing where we began, on our backs at rest. Prop suggested: hand towel (if on wood) or paper plate (if on carpet).
Wring Yourself Out
This all-levels, no props class takes us through a series of joint mobilizations, stabilizations, and spinal rotations that warm, loosen and strengthen the hips, shoulders and back. A feel-good class that will leave you feeling long, strong, and all wrung out.
Global Flow
This class starts slowly with a gentle warmup for the spine, neck, shoulders, and feet. We then ramp up through a series of flows, culminating in a long global flow that goes from quadruped to standing to belly to seated to your back and returning to quadruped. Get disoriented and reoriented as you move dynamically around your mat. No props required.
Start with Your Supports
It all starts with our feet! Give your feet a thorough treatment before moving up the leg, strengthening ankles, knees, and hamstrings. Feel the increased openness and groundedness that comes from attending to our supports. Suggested prop: rolled up yoga mat or blanket
Swirling Around Center
Organized around our energetic center, this all levels class will have you spiraling, rotating, circling, rocking, rolling, undulating, and of course, stabilizing around that strong supple spine. No props required.
Open & Flow
We start slow and low, opening up the feet, shoulders, and back, warming the core, then ramping up to kneeling rotation and strengthening work, before a long active standing flow. This class feels good! Prop recommended: strap
From the Ground Up
We begin with our feet, carefully and intentionally finding where movement is possible, and creating a receptive surface on which to stand, balance, and flow. Class includes monkey flows and cross-patterned vinyassa-inspired movement, all with an awareness of our foundation. Props recommended: a strap and a chair, or comfortable seat
Segmental Movement
This flowing class warms up the spine in all directions and orientations. Dive into your lizard brain and flow with me! No props required.
Keep it Simple
Grab your mat and join me in a feel-good, contemporary approach to Pilates mat. Settle into the wisdom of Joe's classic material with modern twists, turns and undulations. No props required.
Where Breath Meets Body
A breath-focused flow class with lots of twists, standing balance and lunging variations. No props required.
Keep Moving
We begin with slow somatic movements to warm the trunk, then ramp up to standing leg work, including a fascial stretch for the pelvic floor. We'll work our multiplanar movement in all fours, activate the back and front lines, then finish out the class with a long, vigorous flow before final integration. Inspired by the Bengsons' "The Keep Going Song", we keep going, keep going, keep going on. Props required: chair, hand towel, book, and if on carpet, paper plate, magazine, or large tupperware lid.
Movement is Medicine
In this class we warm the body slowly, paying special attention to releasing tension in the shoulders, neck, and forearms. Together we'll wake up and strengthen our bodies through a variety of somatic modalities including Hanna Somatics, fascial movement training, Feldenkrais, yoga, Franklin Method, and Pilates. Props required: blanket and strap
HipStirs, ToeStirs, KneeStirs, KeiSters
Starting with our feet and a mini-anatomy lesson, we will work methodically through the major joints of the body, clearing stagnation and inviting energy to flow. Props required: a blanket, block or chair to elevate your hips, a rolled up mat or blanket, and a hand towel or paper plate.
Breathing Into the Nooks & Crannies
Focus is on the fullness of your breath in this flowing mat class - exploring how to breathe deeply even when there is restriction. Flow through cross-patterning, side balances, and somatic pandiculations (!!!) in this all levels, no props, flow-based class.
Awakening Your Side Body
We begin on our backs awakening the core of the body through rotation, abdominal activation, and pelvic mobilization. The second half of class moves through quadruped, prone and side-lying challenges that activate our side body lines. A slower, more focused class full of rotational possibility.
Hip, Hip, Hurray
Start slow with a somatic warm-up for the spine before moving into a series of strength and mobility exercises with a focus on the hips, gradually building in intensity and ending with a short flowing sequence.
Focus on Pelvic Floor
This well-rounded class explores healthy pelvic floor activation and how to include this with abdominal work. We'll also release those tight necks and shoulders. Props required: strap and something to elevate your hips (yoga block, blanket, or firm cushion)
Go With the Flow
Warm yourself thoroughly from the toes on up: this class includes challenges for the legs in standing work, deep abdominal activation, lots of spinal articulation, and culminates in a strong flowing sequence and final integration.
Crossing Midline
Cross-lateral movement is essential for brain development in children, balance and coordination in adults, and the ability to remain spry in older age. Explore crossing the midline in this all levels class that includes cross-legged standing flows and more.
Making Space
Invite movement and therefore energy into all the joints of the body, replacing stagnation with flow and condensation with expansion. In this moderately paced class we'll stir up the joints bringing movement, length, and dynamic presence to the body.
Pelvic Sense
Sense where your pelvis lives in space, moving from quiet supine explorations to dynamic standing flows. We'll warm up slowly, taking time to notice, then ramp to a vigorous flow connecting all the pieces. Prop suggested: yoga block or stack of books.
New Year's Flows
Join me in the New Year's Day class where we explore a little of what's old and a little of what's new. We'll move from the ground up through a series of mini-flows - a delicious fine-tuning and reset for a new day or a new year. No props required.
Joints Alight
This class builds slowly, bringing movement to all the major joints, engaging hip stability with a speed skater inspired standing series, and finally flowing into full bodied sequencing with deep core activation. Prop required - hand towel (if on wood) or paper plate/tupperware lid (if on carpet).
Solstice Spirals
An invigorating class of spirals in honor of the Winter Solstice. We journey from backs to all fours, bellies and feet finally integrating it all with a full-bodied, vinyassa-like flow. Join this celebration of renewal in our bodies and in the world any day of the year.
Just Move(d)
I taught this class the morning after a 14 hour moving day - it includes all the pieces I crave when needing to reset a sore body, with special attention to the shoulders, hips, and back. A gentle all-levels class good for any day, but especially moving day.
Move and Unwind
This is one of my Wednesday flows, a vigorous and continuously moving mat class incorporating joint articulation, spinal undulation, and dynamic rotation. Alleviate stress and prepare your body for the day ahead. No props required.
Connecting to Core
This slightly slower-paced class emphasizes accessing deep core engagement within the Pilates exercises. Our focused work with the TVA (the deepest abdominal muscle) creates an intense experience of core activation. Great for those newer to this work.
Try it with a Twist
No props are required in this all levels mat class. We will open and release our necks, shoulders and hips in preparation for dynamic twisting variations in multiple planes of movement. A dynamic full-bodied class.
Stirring the Soup
This all levels class focuses on joint movement and articulation. It includes variations inspired by standing work on the Pilates Reformer and flowing movement between all fours and standing. Props required: hand towel, and if on carpet, a paper plate or plastic tupperware lid.
Continuous Flow
No props needed in this vigorous all-levels class. We will take our time to warm-up starting with our feet and will move into a a breathy, continuously flowing practice that will leave you feeling long, strong, and invigorated.
Hips Don't Lie
In this all levels, no props class we mobilize the joints, paying special attention to articulating the hips for ease of movement.
Pilates on the Roll
These foam roller classes move a little more slowly than the All Bodies classes but with the added challenge of stability work. Using a 36' foam roller we play with core stabilization, fascial movement, balance, proprioception, roller self-massage and general strengthening. Suitable for both beginners and experienced movers.
Roller Coaster
This foam roller class moves continuously from standing to the mat and back again, blending functional movements with core strengthening and myofascial release on the roller. Take a ride with me! Prop required: 36" foam roller
Heartspace
This class focuses on opening the space around our heart - the thoracic basket. With the support of our foam rollers we will flex, extend, and rotate our way to a spacious and uplifted heartspace, and we'll get stronger and longer as we do it. Prop required: 36" foam roller
Spring Roll
In honor of the spring holidays we roll like Easter eggs, wobble like April fools, and Passover our sore muscles with the foam roller. A well-rounded class incorporating strength, stretch, mobility, stability, and myofascial release. Prop required: 36" foam roller
Flesh & Bone
Wring out the muscles, iron out the fascia, and hone in on the restful support of your skeletal structure. This class moves slowly - great for beginners but also offers challenge and full body opening. Prop required: 36" foam roller.
Tuning Your Instrument
Activate, open, and release the instrument of your body. This class will prepare you well for whatever your day holds, or can help you wind down for bed at the end of a long day. Prop required: 36" foam roller.
Soften, Open, Release
In this gentle, all levels class we begin with slow somatic awakening for the spine, pelvis, and shoulders, before moving into an active warm-up, including opening for the feet, lower legs, and hips. Class includes myofascial release work for the hips and thighs as well as stability challenges on the roller. Prop required: 36" foam roller
Leg Love
This leg-focused foam roller class will leave you feeling centered, ironed out, and maybe a little weak in the knees... Actually, your knees will feel great from the extended standing warm-up emphasizing hip and thigh strength. Then come to the floor for stability work and myofascial release. Prop required: 36" foam roller
Stand
In this yummy foam roller class we take our cue from R.E.M. and 90s pop music, standing in the place where we live by practicing balance and proprioception in a variety of spatial orientations. With the wavering but ever-present support of our foam rollers we discover where and how we stand. Prop required: 36" foam roller
Spine & Cospine
In this gentle Valentine's Day class we indulge in some roller self-care while exploring the waves of the spine in multiple directions (yikes, it's a math pun!) You will feel ironed out and wrung out after this yummy 60 minute class. Prop required: 36" foam roller
I Am the Thorax, I Help You to Breathe
In this foam roller class we attend to and move from our thorax, commonly known as the ribcage. Finding mobility through the thorax allows for ease of breath and fuller self-expression. Class includes myofascial release and core strengthening, of course :). Prop required: 36" foam roller
A Lotta Legs
Warm the body thoroughly with a series of standing flows including leg alignment and strengthening before coming down to the roller for chest opening and core activation, finishing with a quick dessert of myofascial release. Prop required: 36" foam roller
Focus on Thoracic Mobility
Roll, balance, rotate and bend your way into more freedom and ease in the spine (and thus, the rest of you!) This all-levels class will move your spine every which way, incorporating both fascial movement and release work. Prop required: 36" foam roller
Finding the Bones
Orient to your skeletal structure as we move through upper back opening, core strengthening, balance challenges, and myofascial release. Prop required: 36" foam roller
Soft Around the Middle
We don't always think soft when we think Pilates, but what if we consider how a strong, steady center allows for us to soften through the periphery? This class offers midline activation as a pathway to ease. Prop required: 36" foam roller
Awakening the Backline
Starting at the base of the skull we roll our way down the back body exploring spinal flexion, extension and rotation as we go. We challenge the obliques with side balancing and rotated rollups, then treat our legs to some myofascial release and even a little Wild Thing! Prop required: 36" foam roller.
Dancing Around the Midline
How do we experience our bodies and our lives differently when we come from a core orientation? How do we find balance and alignment when we choose to move from our center rather than the periphery? In this class we use a 36" foam roller to explore the potency of the midline.
Stabilize to Mobilize
This foam roller class incorporates stability in multiple planes to activate our core. Myofascial release for the legs and upper torso brings us back into balance. A delicious waking up and ironing out of the muscles and fascia. Prop required: 36" foam roller.
Loose Legs, Strong Spine
This all-levels foam roller class tends to the length, strength and alignment of the legs - backs, sides, and fronts - while building deep support through the body's core core. Give your body some much-deserved care in this exploration on the foam roller. Prop required: 36" foam roller
Spa Day
Take an hour for self care on the foam roller. This all levels class progresses from standing to quadruped work to balance on the roller and all the way to the floor. It's 2020 - we all need a spa day!
Push, Pull, Lengthen, Strengthen
Using the 36" foam roller, this all levels class incorporates stability, mobility, spinal articulation, myofascial release, and strength through concentric, eccentric, and isometric muscular activation. A delicious all-around treatment for your body.
Wind & Unwind
This all-levels class uses a 36" foam roller to mobilize the spine and activate the center through all planes of movement.
Roller Self-Care
This 75 minute class incorporates a 36" foam roller for increased stability challenges, proprioception, and myofascial release. I hope you enjoy!
Intermediate Mat & Pilates Flow
Join me as we increase the pace and intensity of our practice in these intermediate level classes. We'll explore more of Joseph Pilates' classical moves, with lots of non-classical variations, in these swiftly moving, slightly more vigorous classes. Props, including the foam roller, are sometimes used - see class notes for details.
Flowing from Core to Periphery
This flowing class is inspired by developmental movement patterns - specifically we explore moving from core, or center, to periphery, or extremities, with a sense of connection and fluidity. Class includes cross-patterning and spirals that will roll us off to the sides of our mats - a little space on either side is recommended.
Ground & Flow
This vigorous flow tends to the grounding of our feet and the strength of our stance, interweaving stability work with fluid movement patterns. Midway through we spend a short time on the floor with a focus on strengthening our front and back bodies, but flow primarily through vinyassa-inspired patterns of balance, openness, and groundedness. A solid intermediate class which includes rollover (counter-indicated for osteoporosis, disc injury, and eye problems.)
Monkeying Around
This challenging flow class incorporates variations inspired by a variety of somatic practices, taking us seamlessly from feet to hands to belly to back to seat with dynamic, cross-lateral movements. You'll need a little space on either side or your mat as we get playful with our practice.
Fluid Body
This intermediate flowing class mobilizes and lengthens your entire structure, starting with the feet and then spiraling and undulating through your many articulate structures. This class includes a good dose of weight-bearing in the hands and strength building through the upper body and core. No props required.
Round the World
Join me for an active Pilates Flow that includes rotation and undulation in multiple planes, a cross-referenced standing series that challenges both brain and balance, and full bodied, breathy vinyassa-inspired flow. Intermediate challenge with modifications offered.
Welcome to Pilates Flow
This is the first in a new series of flowing Pilates classes, slightly less advanced than the Intermediate Mat in term so of Pilates chops, but just as breathy and invigorating. Move through multiple mini-flows in this non-stop, dynamic movement practice. Prop suggested: hand towel or paper plate
Let it Flow
This challenging intermediate class flows continuously from standing to quadruped and up again, with a brief slowdown to attend to our pelvic floor fascia. Work arms, legs, and core - you may even break a sweat! Props: chair & hand towel or paper plate
Centered for your Day
This intermediate class includes a little bit of all that is good... flowing movement, balance challenges, core stability, myofascial release, abdominal work, chest and shoulder opening, and quiet attention to alignment. Prop required: 36" foam roller
Remixing the Classics
This challenging, no props class takes us on a journey through much of Joseph Pilates' intermediate and advanced mat material, with a flowing warm-up and a few variations mixed in. Not for the faint of heart!
One Side, Two Sides
Explore support on both sides of your body, from breathing to balancing to structural integrity. We our hip joint before moving into dynamic pathways, incorporating intermediate exercises including teaser, corkscrew, bananas and side plank variations. Props: hand towel or paper plate
Monkey Flows
Flow between a challenging standing sequence, based around the monkey position from Alexander Technique, and the traditional Pilates exercises and sequencing, interspersed with a variety of exploratory variations that incorporate spinal rotation and articulation and oblique variations.
Let's Roll
This briskly-paced class gets us rolling in multiple orientations - up and down the spine, standing on one leg or two, through the vertebrae in hand and feet bearing, side to side on our backs, and more. Work hard while exploring spinal articulation and balance.
Flowing through the Classics
This briskly moving class covers much of Joseph Pilates' intermediate material, interspersed with periods of flow and an emphasis on spinal articulation. With lots of push-ups and plank variations are scattered throughout, this is a challenging full-bodied class.
Legs, Arms, Abs, Oh My!
In this class we'll use a resistance band to add challenges to intermediate concepts. Class starts with a gentle spinal warmup that includes undulation and rotation, then progresses to strong standing leg work and arm strengthening. We'll then move to the mat for deep core, backline, and glute activation. A challenging, full-bodied class.
Interm./Advanced Mat
Explore spinal articulation in multiple planes of motion through some of Joseph Pilates' more advanced repertoire.