Sarasota - Classical versus Contemporary

Sarasota surprised me in the best way. I visited two studios that couldn’t have been more different—each with its own energy, focus, and flavor. This is what I love about traveling for Pilates: it pushes me to explore not just new places, but new approaches to the work.

First up was Pilates Powerhouse. This studio is a love letter to classical Pilates—no distractions, no trends, just pure, precise movement. It was a gorgeous studio with perfect and that most comfortable equipment, but also you come here to work.  You have to start with a private, which I loved. What made this experience exceptional was the instructor’s razor-sharp eye for detail. She made subtle corrections that completely changed how I connected to each exercise. It’s rare to find that level of intentionality, and I left feeling re-centered and re-committed to the fundamentals.

Then I tried BodyBar Pilates, which sits at the other end of the spectrum. BodyBar is a contemporary, athletic franchise—slick, fast-paced, and unapologetically modern. The studio had strong branding, high-energy playlists, and an instructor who guided the class more by timing than technique. It was a solid, sweaty workout, no doubt, but the classical precision was missing, and that’s okay. Sometimes, you need the burn more than the meticulous alignment.

These two Sarasota studios couldn’t have been more different, but that’s the beauty of Pilates. Whether you’re chasing strength, precision, sweat, or flow, there’s always a studio that will meet you where you are. And in Sarasota, I found both.