Trainers
Knowledge is power. Our trainers are all Certified Pilates Instructors
with specialities including pre/postnatal, active agers, injury recovery, family training, and more.
Jessica Ballonoff, Owner
Jess has been teaching movers of all ages professionally for nearly 20 years, from dance classes and theater choreography to fitness education. She was introduced to Pilates while attending college at UC Irvine where she earned a B.F.A in Dance Choreography and has been a practiced and dedicated mover since. Jess holds a CA Teaching Credential in Physical Education and is certified to teach children ages 2-18, and has a Comprehensive education through BASI Arts and Science International. Jess is the family specialist at the studio and can work privately with your family aged 6+, as well as pre and postnatal clients. If you are new to the studio, book an intro appointment with Jess to learn how we can best help you on your Pilates journey. Jess grew up in Montecito and lives in Goleta with her husband Lani and two children, Annabelle and Zac. For more information on Jess' choreographic work and offerings, please visit www.jessballonoff.com
Melody Collins
Melody discovered her passion for Pilates in 2010 while recovering from a back injury during a summer ballet program. Pilates helped immensely with her strength and recovery, and she now loves to share the benefits of Pilates with others. Melody became a certified Pilates Mat instructor in 2013 through BASI Pilates. In 2017, she completed her comprehensive BASI Pilates certificate with Dance Specialization under Karen Clippinger, while also achieving a degree in Kinesiology Exercise Science at Cal State Long Beach.
Melody loves working with clients of all ages and backgrounds, and in addition to Pilates, she has taught dance and performed professionally with several dance companies. She enjoys music, walking in nature, and spending time with family. Melody is thrilled to be a part of the community at Groove.
Lindsay Rose
Lindsay Rose is a BASI certified Pilates instructor from Santa Barbara. Lindsay practiced yoga for twelve years before discovering her love for Pilates in 2011. As a child Lindsay was a gymnast and has always been physically active with soccer, hiking, softball, and boxing. Lindsay teaches clients creatively with an exceptional eye for detail, working well with movers recovering from joint injuries and those who want a really great focused workout. Lindsay’s love for teaching and her range of instruction, practice and skills makes her a well-rounded and fun instructor. Lindsay is a proud mom of two boys and her dog Rio.
Jo Landis Shields
Jo considers teaching Pilates her dream job, as it allows her to combine her love of fitness and passion for helping others. She loves to see Pilates enhance and transform the lives of her clients. Pilates helps establish the mind-body connection necessary for a balanced fitness routine, while learning proper movement patterns that will sustain healthy posture and inspire new ways to strengthen the entire body.
Jo became a certified Body Arts and Science International (BASI) Pilates Instructor after managing a Pilates studio in Santa Barbara for five years, and then entering the BASI Pilates teacher training program there. Jo has since earned the advanced BASI Pilates certification in “Pilates for Injuries and Pathologies” and also the “Working with the Mature Client” workshop. She is committed to continuing her Pilates education with workshops, self-practice, and supporting certifications. Jo currently serves on the Event Ambassador Committee for Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation where she has been active since 2010 and enjoys cooking for family and friends, playing in the ocean, adventuring with her husband and adult kids, and tiring out their Australian Shepherd, Koda Bear.
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Meredith Lyons
Movement and fitness have always been an important part of Meredith’s life. She first discovered the benefits of Pilates when it was offered in conjunction with her Ballet and Modern training as a young dancer in New York at the Cantarella School of Ballet. Meredith received her B.A. in dance teaching and performance from Mercyhurst University, and M.F.A. in dance performance and choreography from Smith College, all the while still training in Pilates. As her career performing and teaching continued to build, Meredith discovered that Pilates could change the way in which she could associate movement and her body unlike anything else. She recognized that this method is a continual life practice, one that connects both the mind, body and spirit. After years of studying Pilates, she finally turned her passion into a profession, becoming Full Apparatus Classically certified in 2011 through In Balance Pilates under the tutelage of Kristy Powell and Carrie Pages.
Meredith is on faculty with the Theater and Dance Department at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She has taught Pilates across the nation and internationally within a variety of studios and academic departments. As an instructor, Meredith places focus on form and breath while challenging students to exceed their self-defined limits. Students can expect a workout that is motivating, challenging and fun. Her classes and privates offer a great variety of exercises, where clients leave feeling a great sense of self accomplishment.
Raman Dhaliwal
Raman’s passion for Pilates began with a search for alternative pain management options for back injuries. After a long journey with chronic pain, Pilates helped Raman find her path towards healing and has been a constant in her life ever since. As a certified Pilates instructor, Raman is thrilled to help others find their own ability to heal. Her sessions aim to leave her clients feeling connected to their body and grateful for all that it is capable of.
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Raman also holds a Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration and is interested in discovering alternative approaches to health care challenges. She deeply values the information she can share with clients, helping them connect to their bodies through mindful movement, breathwork, and a focus on wellness from the inside out.
Julie Tomlinson
Julie has been working in the fitness industry since 1985. She was an accomplished aerobic and hip hop instructor working with Jane Fonda at both her studio in L.A. and participating in her videos. Over the years, Julie excelled as a master teacher trainer and became a Holistic Nutritional Therapist and a certified Body Arts and Science Pilates instructor. She worked on a number of Pilates and other fitness videos produced by the BodyTrends group.
Julie loves teaching, relating to her clients, and caring for her son, Evan. Age and life experience has equipped her with a new understanding and appreciation for what our bodies need at different stages of our lives.
Leann Anderson
Leann earned her Pilates Comprehensive Teacher Training Certificate through Body Arts & Science Int’l (BASI). She loves working with clients on technique and body awareness so they can become stronger and more confident in their Pilates practice and everyday functional activities.
Her passion for Pilates stems from decades of dance training in ballet, jazz, and tap where the importance of good technique and body awareness is needed to become a professional dancer. During her professional dance career, she performed in various Broadway style review shows for Jean Ann Ryan Productions aboard Norwegian Cruise Line ships and at Great America Theme Park. After her professional dance career, she worked as a Watersports Director aboard Wind Star Sail Cruises, guiding passengers of all ages in SCUBA diving and snorkeling excursions along with waterskiing, sailing, and windsurfing activities in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and South Pacific.
After her travels, Leann returned to California and landed in Santa Barbara where she's lived since 1996. One of her favorite pastimes is low tide beach walks, especially during the winter months, to capture our incredible sunsets.