Living Energy Pilates

Rafael Merino	Sarah Egglestone	Petra Robotham
Michela Kirkaldie	Michelle Toppi

Rafael Merino

Rafael believes in getting the most out of your life by staying healthy in body, mind, and soul; and that the key to staying healthy is to be open to new experiences, continually learn and grow, and do what you love so that you never have to work.

Rafael's passion is to inspire others to lead healthier lives. To this end he practices a range of disciplines including Pilates, Yoga, Martial Arts and Meditation. He also regularly attends industry workshops, seminars and conferences to ensure that he remains abreast of the latest medical and mind-body research and movement techniques. Rafael draws upon this diverse knowledge base and movement background to bring a unique perspective to his clients.

Rafael specialises in teaching the Pilates Method, having started learning the method after experiencing recurring lower back pain himself. Rafael's own experiences with the efficacy of the Pilates Method inspired him to continue his education in the Method so that he could assist others in overcoming and managing their own physical ailments successfully.

Rafael has been teaching Pilates full time since 2002 in a range of professional environments including: Clinical and Studio based Pilates, Corporate environments, Gyms, Community Centres and Health Centres.

Rafael qualifications include : Certificate IV in Professional Pilates Practice, Diploma of Professional Pilates Practice and is a certified Studio Pilates Rehabilitation Instructor with Polestar Pilates. Rafael is currently completing the Advanced Diploma of Professional Pilates Practice, as well as Graduate Diploma in Exercise Science. He likes to keep busy! Rafael is a full member of the Pilates Alliance, is a qualified Personal Trainer, Sports Massage Therapist, Shiatsu Therapist and accredited Workplace Trainer and Assessor.

At Living Energy Pilates Studio, Rafael is the Principal Pilates Instructor.

Sarah Egglestone

Sarah’s passion for Pilates began in Europe during the many years she spent as a professional dancer and performer. " It was such a wonderful tool to bring the body back into alignment especially with all the lower back and body soreness I was getting from the strains of being a dancer . I loved the way Pilates created musculature that was long and strong".

After immigrating back to Australia she gained qualification as a Cert 3 fitness instructor and then became a fully qualified APMA Level 2 Pilates instructor . Her teaching experience encompasses dance, fitness, and both mat and studio Pilates at Living Energy. Sarah is passionate about teaching Pilates and constantly challenges herself by participating in workshops and extending her own knowledge as a teacher so that she can inspire people to discover the wonderful mind body connection that occurs by focusing on correct movement.

“I am now a mother of 2 young children and my body is completely pain free. Only through pilates have I ever been able to achieve this.”

Petra Robotham

After graduating with a degree in psychology and a diploma of education and working in the welfare and education sectors I became interested in preventative health care. An illness which left me with very little energy motivated me to research techniques that provided mental and physical relaxation, increased energy, physical empowerment and clarity of mind. For the next ten years I went on to study the various mind/body disciplines such as martial arts, yoga, meditation, chi-kung, tai chi and Pilates. I found the philosophy and exercises in these disciplines to be an invaluable set of tools with which to help myself and others to achieve more balance, energy, strength and clarity in life.

Since 2000 I have obtained my black belt and become a qualified womens self-defence instructor. I have obtained teaching qualifications in yoga, tai chi and Pilates and taught classes and workshops for the last eight years in various studios and gyms in the north eastern metropolitan area. I am interested in helping people de-stress and empower themselves using the great treasury of mind/body exercises which are available to us but not often acknowledged in the mainstream health arenas.

Michela Kirkaldie

Michela commenced Pilates in 1994, and since that time has valued it as a constant source of support for her well-being, helping to maintain her physical condition. An enthusiastic teacher of the Pilates Method, Michela believes whole-heartedly in its capacity to reinforce the fundamentals of correct functional biomechanics, improve posture and assist in the rehabilitation and prevention of injury. Michela is an APMA Level 2 Pilates instructor.

Michela has enjoyed an extensive 15 year professional Ballet career and achieved the rank of principal dancer for the last 6 of these. During this time, she performed the lead roles in an extensive repertoire of the major classics, as well as many contemporary works, and spent a year with London Festival Ballet (now English National Ballet).

Since 1986 she has been teaching ballet extensively in Melbourne, and has been a guest teacher for the Royal New Zealand Ballet and New Zealand School of Dance. She took part in the Dance Teachers’ Seminar at the Canadian National Ballet School in Toronto in 2002, headed by Irene Dowd, world-renowned teacher and lecturer in anatomy, kinesiology and physiology. She recently attended the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS) Conference in 2007.

Michelle Toppi

I started attending Pilates classes in 2004 because of lower back problems I had after having children. I found I really enjoyed it and more importantly, it helped alleviate the pain. Whilst on maternity leave, I commenced my training to become an instructor. In 2005 I completed my Certificate III in Fitness followed by a Mat Pilates course. I am currently completing my studio Pilates training. It is really satisfying to know that Pilates makes a difference to people’s health and that I can be a part of that.

Petra Quinlan-Turner

Petra commenced Pilates after experiencing lower back and neck pain after the birth of her second son in 2005.

“Two pregnancies and working long hours as a GP with 2 young children left me with very little time for regular exercise. Having always been a physically active person, I was desperate to exercise regularly and a senior colleague in our practice recommended Pilates. I tried it and found that I felt energised and invigorated rather than tired. I loved it so much that I took it up as my regular exercise.”

Through her experience from working as a GP, Petra is aware what an important role regular exercise and strengthening core musculature plays in treating back pain, numerous musculo-sceletal conditions and preparing for and recovering after child birth. She believes Pilates to be an outstanding tool to help with such conditions as well as in gaining general fitness.

Petra has completed the “Diploma in Professional Pilates Instruction”. Her other qualifications are the CCT GP (General Practice Training UK), DRCOG (Diploma of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists UK), DFFP (Diploma Faculty of Family Planning and Reproductive Healthcare UK).

Shonadh Toon

Val Roberts

From practicing remedial massage therapy, Pilates was a natural progression to offering rehabilitation and strengthening exercises to her clients.

Originally from the UK, Val has gained valuable experience in rehabilitation settings. She has worked in physiotherapy clinics, rehabilitation hospitals and osteopathic clinics.

She certified as a Pilates Instructor Level 2 in Studio & Mat in 2009 with STOTT Pilates and started teaching at Living Energy Pilates in 2010.

Val is passionate about educating those willing to learn and adapt, offering self management strategies for long term goals. You can expect Val's sessions to be hard-working with a few laughs thrown in.