The Body Lab Pilates

Such a fun night celebrating with these amazing people!

Thankful to all of The Body Lab clients near and far! We sincerely love helping you move your bodies through the practice of Pilates 🧡 In Good Health, Dede, Cristina, Cynthia & Mackenna

✨ Instructor Spotlight ✨

Mackenna LaRea first discovered Pilates while rehabbing a dance-related hip injury — and what began as physical therapy quickly became a passion. After moving to NYC and missing her usual PT back home, she found a local studio, committed to weekly classes, and fell in love with the practice all over again.

That love led her to pursue comprehensive teacher training so she could share the movement that changed her life. Her favorite part of Pilates? There’s something for everyone. No matter your age or physical ability, Pilates helps you understand how your body works, build real body awareness, and move through life with more ease — and less pain.

The Body Lab is thrilled to have her as part of our team. If you’re interested in private sessions designed specifically for you, please contact us — we’d love to support your Pilates journey. 🤍✨



Excited to be featured again by Orlando Voyager!

Hidden Gems: Meet Dede Ramos of The Body Lab Pilates - OrlandoVoyager Today we’d like to introduce you to Dede Ramos. Hi Dede, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.My Pilates story really began over 25 years ago in college when I was a dance major training with aspirations of hopefully one day joining...

From Mat to Wunda, Reformer to Cadillac — every piece of BASI Systems equipment is built to support flow, control, and spinal articulation. 🌌 Grateful to @kwanhuey_ for sharing this beautiful journey with us. 💜 #Repost #BASISystems #PerfectPilatesExperience #PilatesFlow

Instructor Spotlight ⭐️

Meet Cynthia Badrak!

✨ From dancer to dedicated teacher, her journey began with a desire to study directly under Romana—one of Joseph Pilates’ protégés. After years of learning, she now brings the method to life for clients and instructors alike.

💫 Her passion? Helping people unlock tension, move without pain, and discover strength from the inside out. Whether it’s guiding teachers, supporting clients with Parkinson’s, or celebrating milestones (like touching toes at 50!), she sees Pilates as a path to strength, flexibility, and a better quality of life.

🖤 With nearly 30 years of teaching experience, Cynthia meets every client exactly as they are—whether it’s working with Uma Thurman in a full leg cast, supporting Liza Minnelli after hip replacement surgery, or guiding those who arrive in a wheelchair. Her gift lies in adapting Pilates so that anyone, at any level, can find their own strength and freedom through movement.

At its heart, her work is about honoring the roots of Pilates while inspiring others to move with purpose and possibility. 💪✨

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While they may seem similar, there are essential differences within the world of Pilates. First-generation teacher Eve Gentry once stated, “Pilates is a concept. It’s a philosophy. You can learn every exercise on every piece of equipment, and yet you still don’t know Pilates.” This insight rings true for many who enjoy various forms of Pilates—be it reformer Pilates, Lagree, or mat Pilates—yet may not fully appreciate the essence of what Pilates truly encompasses. Pilates, as a method and concept, consists of many interrelated parts: philosophy, methodology, principles, exercises, and apparatus. Even when all these elements are present, it doesn’t guarantee that one is truly experiencing Pilates. This duality is both a blessing and a curse of the method. Personally, after years of practice and observation, I find it easy to discern whether someone is genuinely engaging in Pilates. It becomes visibly apparent, regardless of the apparatus used or the exercises performed. Romana Kryzanowska, another first-generation teacher, famously remarked that she could savor a glass of champagne as if she were doing Pilates. When I first heard that story, I grasped its meaning, but it took time for me to truly see and feel it. Now, I can encapsulate that conscious and subconscious experience in one word: integration. Integration signifies the wholeness of all parts that, while previously separate, belong together in a unified experience. It’s about merging the independent dimensions of being to create a beautiful and unique symphony where every element matters and plays its role. Think of it this way: practicing with violins alone versus being supported by an orchestra. Similarly, Pilates embodies a complexity that cannot be fully realized through a single piece of equipment or isolated exercises. All elements—principles, exercises, and equipment—must be present for true integration to occur, ultimately leading to a synergy with the world around us.

✨ New Look, Same Strong Core ✨
Our brand-new studio apparel has arrived—made to move with you. Whether you’re flowing through reformer or just grabbing coffee after class, we’ve got you covered.
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Available now in-studio!



Instructor Spotlight ✨

Did you know that all of our instructors have a dance background? Meet, Cristina, our passionate Pilates instructor, and what drives her teaching philosophy!

“As a Pilates instructor, my focus is on helping people truly understand and feel what it means to be aligned and balanced in their bodies. I’m deeply passionate about guiding my clients in stacking their skeletal system to achieve optimal posture and movement patterns. My ability to see where the body is holding tension allows me to use Pilates to redirect that energy—especially to the core—so that every movement becomes more efficient and purposeful. I also believe in the powerful mind-body-soul connection. Our bodies are always reflecting what the spirit and mind are holding or releasing, and this is especially true during a Pilates session. Working with clients who have scoliosis is especially exciting for me. Every spine is unique, and it’s incredibly rewarding to watch someone with scoliosis move more freely and experience relief after a session. It’s these moments of transformation—when clients discover new mobility, strength, and less pain—that fuel my passion for Pilates. My ultimate goal is to help others better understand their bodies, strengthen their core, and feel better overall, while also fostering a deeper awareness of how their mind and spirit influence their physical state.”

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Breathing in Pilates: It’s More Than Just Inhale/Exhale🌀

In Pilates, breath isn’t just background—it’s part of the work.

Joseph Pilates believed breath was the foundation of health. He famously called it “the internal shower”—a way to cleanse, oxygenate, and energize the body from the inside out.🫁

“Squeeze every atom of air from your lungs… this truly cleansing process actually accomplishes a thorough house cleaning for the lungs and bloodstream—a kind of internal shower.” — Joseph Pilates

But beyond the poetry, breath is also practical. It gives you:
🌬 Control — Coordinating breath with movement helps you stay focused and connected.
⚡️ Power — Exhaling from the center activates your powerhouse.
💫 Stamina — Breathing fully keeps you from tensing, forcing, or burning out.

You’ll often hear cues like “breathe into your ribs” or “exhale to deepen”—and they’re not just poetic. They’re guiding you to access your center, control your effort, and move with more precision.

So the next time you move through your Hundred or your Teaser, don’t just focus on the shape—listen to your breath.
It’s your inner rhythm, your strength amplifier, and your reset button.

Client Snapshot Post! 📸😍

Recently, we asked one of our longtime clients, Dr. Robyn Young, a few questions about who she is, why she chooses to practice Pilates at our studio and how it has affected her body overall. Here’s what she had to say:

I am a dual board-certified integrative osteopathic physician, I specialize in treating complex musculoskeletal and autonomic conditions, especially hypermobility spectrum disorders. I blend evidence-based medicine with hands-on treatment at River of Life Osteopathic Center in Ocoee, FL, where I also serve as an Assistant Clinical Professor at the Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine. Outside of work, I love spending time with my family, traveling, meditating, and discovering new music.

As an Osteopathic physician and busy mom of two, finding movement that supports both my body and my lifestyle is essential. After a severe back injury in 2021, I turned to —and never looked back. With Cristina and Dede’s expert guidance, Pilates became a pillar in my healing and fitness journey. Today, I’m stronger, more aligned, and in the best shape of my life at 40. 💪🧘‍♀️ From footwork on the reformer to dynamic core training, every session is intentional and empowering. Grateful for this space and the care I receive each week. 💫

Are you curious about Pilates and would like to start your journey with us? We would love to collaborate with you to create a personalized and effective workout program that is rooted in classical Pilates with a modern twist. We serve a wide range of individuals—including seniors, athletes, dancers, and those in pre/postnatal or rehab stages—drawing from deep experience in movement, kinesiology, therapy, and fitness to deliver results-driven, holistic sessions. Email us at [email protected] to inquire!

If you’d like to learn more about Dr. Young’s services, feel free to contact River of Life Osteopathic Center by calling 407-574-2880.