The Team
Our team is here for you
A team of experienced teachers works at this studio, who have all successfully completed the Polestar Pilates Comprehensive training, and who have each built up their own expertise through their years of experience.
Leila Kester
Pilates Specialist and Studio Owner
My personal Pilates career has spanned more than 30 years, which has allowed me to specialize in this field in depth.
My interest in Pilates stems from my constant curiosity about movement of the human body and the unique way that harmony in the body can be improved with the Pilates Method.
dutch
english
spanish
Stefania Petroula
Senior Teacher
Her passion for movement, her curious nature, and her drive to keep learning led her to workshops with various master teachers in Pilates and to broader body trainings, such as Rolfing® and Anatomy Trains courses.
Currently Stefania studies to become a certified practitioner in Rolfing® Structural Integration. Stefania enjoys teaching people to increase their movement capacity and deepen their understanding of their bodies. A lighthearted spirit and humour are essential ingredients for her! Leila’s Studio offers Stefania a beautiful and harmonious environment for her sessions. A fully equipped space where trainer and client find a calm and reliable environment to practice and move during their sessions. “It is a great place to reset your body and mind.”
Greek
english
Eliane Busstra
Junior Teacher
Recently Eliane joined our team as. Junior Teacher. Eliane recognised the power of the Pilates Method already quite young, through her own process as teenager, while recovering from a serious injury. This resulted in a life-long passion for Pilates, which led her to embark on a thorough training program, which she has now almost finished.
In her teaching ‘gentle guidance’ is a leading principle for Eliane. It is essential for her that the client feels comfortable, in order to really listen to their own body. Breath is a very important element in this porcess, especially in combination with movement, as it provides structure and balance in the body.
For this reason Eliane is especially happy to teach at leila’s Pilates, as we offer a uniquely private setting, which allows for the client to be fully focussed.
Until the end of august you can work with Eliane for the junior fee, which will go up starting in september.
dutch
english
Monica Bhagwandin
Senior Teacher
Monica’s passion for Pilates was ignited 6 years ago, when she was recovering from a sports knee injury. Impressed by the intelligence and efficiency of this movement method, she also noticed how the rehab trajectory had a direct impact on strengthening the core. Experiencing the transformational power and the positive impact on her own body, Monica wanted to share this with beautiful experience with others – and decided to become a Pilates instructor herself!
Monica likes to share how Pilates brings improved body awareness, alignment, and more conscious breathing for functional activities. She enjoyed to see how this work improves her client’s posture, flexibility and joint mobility, which then contributes to moving more pain free and re-gaining the joy & fun of moving. Aging positively in a healthy way and keeping people fit and autonomous as long as possible has her strong interest. Pilates being a full body, yet low- impact method, it is accessible for people of all ages.
Monica has worked and lived in Shanghai and Singapore and is now based in her hometown Amsterdam. She has successfully completed the Polestar comprehensive training, a worldwide provider of rehabilitation-based Pilates, and is also a certified yoga instructor. She speaks fluent Dutch, English and Mandarin which makes her a perfect teacher for an international clientele.
dutch
english
Mandarin