Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristy Smith.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I, Kristy Smith, love Pilates because it supports control, stability, and strength at any age. I first discovered Pilates many years ago while working as a federal law enforcement officer. It complemented the traditional push-up, pull-up, and sprint training required for my job and helped balance the intensity of that work. I quickly realized that Pilates could help me maintain strength, mobility, and flexibility throughout my life. After retiring at the end of 2019, I dedicated myself more fully to the practice and eventually became a comprehensively certified Pilates instructor through Club Pilates.
My business partner, Rachel Lando, discovered her love of Pilates after being diagnosed with the chronic illness scleroderma. Following a severe flare that disabled Rachel in 2012, she turned to movement modalities to help her regain and maintain mobility, strength, and overall wellness. Pilates, in particular, became a lifeline for her. She has since become a Balanced Body comprehensively certified Pilates instructor, a Tune Up Fitness Certified instructor, a 500-hour Registered Yoga Teacher, and a respected anatomy educator.
Rachel and I met while teaching Pilates at another studio. We both recognized the need for more flexibility in teaching than what a large corporate setting allowed, and we shared the vision of creating a boutique studio with a warm, welcoming community that would center around improving core strength, precision and coordination while remaining accessible to every body, condition, and capability.
From our shared vision, Movement Elevated was born. At Movement Elevated, our classes are rooted in the six Pilates principles: breath, control, concentration, centering, precision, and flow–and we meet each person exactly where they are.
Our offerings include a wide range of Pilates classes—Reformer, Tower, Chair, and Mat—suited for the beginner to the most advanced, for those who prefer contemporary and those dedicated to the classical. We love both, too!
ME also offers specialty classes such as Mommy + Baby and Pilates for Chronic Illness. And, our Pilates schedule is complemented by active restorative movement practices such as Vinyasa Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Qigong, Myofascial Self-rolling, and Sound Bowl Meditation.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Our path to studio ownership has been a whirlwind. Commercial space in our area is extremely limited, and our plans had been stalled for nearly six months simply due to a lack of available rentals. Honestly, we were on the verge of letting ME go. We like to joke that we knew our project was meant to be when the right space landed in our lap.
We were fortunate to find a yoga studio in our neighborhood that needed only minor modifications to suit our vision of Movement Elevated this past August. By September, we had finalized the lease. When October arrived, we took over the space and got to work—painting, building a wall, making repairs, and hoping our Balanced Body equipment would arrive in time for our planned opening on November 15.
Of course, there were a few other little hiccups along the way. The federal government shutdown in the fall of 2025 temporarily delayed some financing, and inspections and permitting along the way have created additional hurdles. Still, from the time we secured the space to the day we opened our doors, the entire process took only about three months. All things considered, we feel incredibly grateful to be here now.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Because Movement Elevated is a locally owned, community-driven studio, we can respond directly to our community. Our goal is to create a welcoming space for everyone—from elite athletes to those navigating injury, chronic illness, or physical limitations.
At Movement Elevated, we believe that every body has the capacity to reconnect with their individual core strength. Because we are a small boutique studio, we remain flexible for anyone who walks through our doors who wants to work towards sustainable, whole body resilience.
Our community’s needs shape our schedule. Currently, we offer Sculpt + Tone for clients looking to get a burn or manage their osteoporosis. Pilates for the Chronically Ill is slated on Thursdays at 1:30p for those needing a slower, more personalized class designed around their individual limitations. We also offer affordable virtual options for those who just can’t get here, like busy moms or those living with fatigue from underlying conditions.
We offer renewing memberships and punch passes for group classes, private sessions, and workshops. For those who are new to Pilates or simply want to experience our teaching style, we offer a New Client Special that includes one private session and three group classes. We also offer a 10% discount to retired military, teachers, and the chronically ill.
Movement Elevated also hosts periodic continuing education opportunities for movement professionals, including Roll Model Method Practitioner Training (RMMPT), Functional Anatomy, and advanced choreography workshops. Our next CE is an RMMPT session, which will prepare movement and massage teachers to certify in myofascial rolling with Tune Up Fitness. It’s coming up this April.
The studio is open seven days a week to support our community’s wellness and movement needs.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.movementelevated.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/movementelevatedpc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581184801187
