Mairin Wilde

Owner - Vancouver Pilates Centre
Program Director: VPC Teacher Education Program

Mairin Wilde became the owner of the Vancouver Pilates Centre in 2005, following a professional association with her mentor, Dianne Miller, that began in the early 1980’s.. 

Mairin’s career as a movement educator began in dance, and since the mid-1980’s focused on the Pilates Method as the foundation for healthy movement. She was first introduced to the Pilates method by Dianne Miller in 1986, while they were both on the dance faculty of Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada. She continued her Pilates teacher training with both Dianne Miller and Ron Fletcher, and acted as Program Director of the Dianne Miller Pilates Teacher Education Program (DMPTEP) from 1995 – 2020. This ongoing collaboration with Dianne Miller grew to become the renowned Dianne Miller Pilates Center, and evolved into the Vancouver Pilates Centre today.  Since 2005, Mairin continues to lead the VPC as a provider of excellence in Pilates training, with a superb staff of DMPTEP and VPC trained teachers.  

In addition to Pilates, Mairin's background includes ballet and contemporary dance, including performance, teaching dancers and movement for actors, as well as independent choreography. 

Her extensive background in movement modalities includes Pilates, Ron Fletcher Work, Franklin Method, Coordination Pattern Training, and ELDOA. 

Mairin Wilde is a lifelong learner who embraces the belief that any body can learn to move better and be more at ease in the world. With over 35 years of experience teaching movement, she specializes in creating rehabilitative exercise programs for a wide range of physical issues including scoliosis, joint replacement, arthritis, spinal dysfunction, Parkinson’s, etc. She believes that every person is capable of making positive change, and she is always ready to use every tool in her toolbox to help those who commit to that process with her. Her colleagues and clients continue to inspire her on the journey towards whole body health.

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Certified Laban Movement Analyst (University of Washington) - 1985

Dianne Miller Pilates Teacher Education Program – 1995

Qualified Teacher of the Ron Fletcher Work™ (Certificate of Merit) – 2001

Franklin Method® Educator (Level 3) - 2011

Coordination Patterns™ Training- 2015

ELDOA (Level 2) – 2016

Karin Cote

Senior Pilates and ELDOA Teacher

Karin began her Pilates training in 1998 in Edmonton, Alberta with Steve Bryson after suffering a knee injury while pursuing a dance career.  Karin moved to Vancouver from Alberta in 2000, completing the Dianne Miller Pilates Teacher Education Program and joined the VPC team shortly after.

Karin first experienced working with the body's neuromuscular movement patterns with Dianne Miller in 2000, where she developed a strong passion for understanding the qualitative aspects of movement revealed through our personal movement signatures. Karin continues to study Betsy Wetzig’s Coordination Patterns and Dynamics Training™. This comprehensive knowledge informs her Pilates teaching, providing a unique method of helping people move at low tension. She is excited about helping people make new discoveries in their bodies while creating room for joy in movement and in their daily lives.

Grant MacEwan Community College - Modern Dance Diploma 

Dianne Miller Pilates Teacher Education Program – 2000

Franklin Method® Educator (Level 1) – 2012

Coordination Patterns™ Training Level 1 – 2015

ELDOA Level 1 – 2015

ELDOA Level 2 – 2016

Edmond Kilpatrick

Senior Pilates Teacher

Associate Program Director: VPC Teacher Education Program

Edmond Kilpatrick has dedicated his career to exploring the potential of the body in movement including twenty-four years as an elite professional dancer, over thirty years as a dance instructor, and eleven years as a Pilates teacher.

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Edmond began his Pilates practice with Dianne Miller in 2004 while still a professional dancer. He has taught Pilates at the Vancouver Pilates Centre since completing the Dianne Miller Pilates Teacher Education Program in 2008. His Pilates teaching is enhanced by his training as a Level 1 Franklin Method Educator (2011) and ELDOA Level 1 certification (2015).

Edmond has designed the VPC Teacher Education Program in collaboration with Mairin Wilde. His work on the curriculum is informed by his Master of Arts in Education degree from Simon Fraser University. His graduate work shaped the program in creating a structure that engages, challenges and supports students through layers of teaching, embodied learning and student-centred exploration that continually reinforces the learning experience. 

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Prior to teaching Pilates, Edmond had a career as a professional dancer in two of Canada’s major ballet companies, and as an independent contemporary dancer, choreographer and filmmaker. He taught dance in many professional and pre-professional contexts including ballet and movement theatre for the School of Contemporary Arts at Simon Fraser University between 2008 and 2017.

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Diploma in Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet School - 1990

Dianne Miller Pilates Teacher Education Program – 2008

Franklin Method® Educator (Level 1) – 2012

ELDOA Level 1 – 2015

MA Education (Simon Fraser University) – 2018

Carolyn Woods

Senior Pilates and ELDOA Teacher

Originally from Alberta, Carolyn moved to Toronto in 1988 to pursue a career in dance. Carolyn danced with Dancemakers, under the direction of Serge Bennathan for 16 years. As a part of their company training, Dianne Miller was brought out every year to teach Pilates mat work to complement the rigourous demands of dancing full time. Recognizing the unique value of Pilates, Carolyn travelled to Vancouver in 2004 to complete the Dianne Miller Pilates Teacher Education Program. She taught at The Pilates Centre of Toronto with Rucsandra Mitrea from 2004-2011. While in Toronto, she also trained in Myofascial Stretching and the ELDOA technique developed by renowned osteopath, Dr. Guy Voyer. 

In 2011, Carolyn moved to Vancouver to join Mairin Wilde and the VPC team. Carolyn is known for her caring and encouraging nature and is passionate in helping others rediscover strength and confidence in their bodies.

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Dianne Miller Pilates Teacher Education Program – 2004

Myofascial Stretching – 2005

Franklin Method® Educator (Level 1) – 2012

International Teacher Training Level 1 Program in Kundalini Yoga – 2014

ELDOA Level 1 – 2015

ELDOA Level 2  – 2016

ELDOA Level 3  – 2018

ELDOA Level 4  – 2019

Pamela Blackmon

Pilates Teacher

In 2001 Pam discovered Pilates while teaching fitness, which revolutionized how she worked on her own body and with her clients. She began building a new career as a Pilates teacher training first through the PhysicalMind Institute, then continuing her education through the Dianne Miller Pilates Teacher Education Program Level 1 theory modules at the Vancouver Pilates Center.  

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Pam taught fitness from 1982 - early 2000's, starting her career in Health Sciences at UBC in Sports Nutrition and Healthy Weight Loss.  She is certified in BCRPA and has experience teaching all levels of fitness classes including Step, Ball, Bootcamp and Yoga.

As an avid trail runner, Pam has completed 12 half-marathons and credits Pilates for keeping her injury free!  Some of her other hobbies include rowing with the Fort Langley Community Rowing Club, paddle-boarding, kayaking and hiking.   

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BCRPA Fitness Leader Certification – 1982

PhysicalMind Institute Initiation Pilates Teacher Training – 2002

Pilates Apparatus Instructor Training - 2006 

Dianne Miller Pilates Teacher Education Program Continuing Education – 2008

ELDOA Level 1 - 2018

ELDOA Level 2 - 2018

Kathy Pomeroy

Pilates Teacher

Kathy has been a dedicated student of Pilates for over 20 years. She is a graduate of the Dianne Miller Pilates Teacher Education Program and joined the VPC teaching team in 2016. Her experience with Pilates before and after her hip replacements demonstrated the value of Pilates in creating healthy movement. In addition to her background as a fitness instructor, she has also studied Coordination Patterns™, The Franklin Method and ELDOA.

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Her extensive background motivates her to help others overcome physical challenges, develop strength and competence, find joy in movement, and be truly at home in their body. Kathy’s current passions are gardening, kayaking and West Coast swing dancing.

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Franklin Method® Educator (Level 1)– 2012

Dianne Miller Pilates Teacher Education Program - 2013

Franklin Method® Educator (Level 2) – 2013

Franklin Method® Educator (Level 3) – 2015

Coordination Patterns™ Training Level 1 - 2015

ELDOA Level 1 - 2015

ELDOA Level 2 - 2016

ELDOA Level 3 - 2019

Tilly Schalkwyk

Pilates Teacher

Tilly started Pilates in 2001 when she had numb fingertips due to nerve compression in her neck.  After 2 years of Pilates for rehabilitation, she continued to progress with her Pilates practice.

In 2016, after retiring from a 50+ year career as a nurse, she began working with the studio founder, Dianne Miller, under the Dianne Miller Pilates Teacher Education Program. Tilly continued with her teacher training once the VPC Teacher Education Program was re-launched.

Tilly brings her heart and experience from working with people as a nurse and is endlessly fascinated with the intricacies of each individual as they explore the possibilities of movement.

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VPC Teacher Education Program (Level 1) – 2021

Lindsay Jongbloed

Pilates Teacher

Lindsay began Pilates at the VPC in 2015 and is currently participating in The Vancouver Pilates Centre Teacher Education Program.

She feels most alive when moving and Pilates has helped her move more freely and with ease. She is looking forward to helping others find that ease of movement for themselves so they can take it with them into all aspects of their life.

She grew up cycling, hiking and camping throughout B.C. and still loves exploring and finding new surprising corners of Vancouver and the province!

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VPC Teacher Education Program (Level 1) – 2021

Martin Gotfrit

Intern Teacher - Dianne Miller Pilates Teacher Education Program

Martin began Pilates in 1989 at Dianne Miller's Pilates studio and has been practicing continuously since.  He took an early retirement from SFU to do the teacher training with Dianne in 2016 to both teach as well as to deepen his understanding and technique. Pilates has been an integral part of Martin's life, contributing by virtue of the way it builds awareness of as well as organizes and strengthens the body. He enjoys teaching because it combines ongoing study, personal practice and the subtle skill of "seeing" the whole body in movement.  He appreciates the team environment at VPC and finds inspiration from each teacher's continual pursuit of their craft.  Martin also continues his 50 plus years as a composer and multi-instrumentalist.

Lila Hough

Operations Manager

Lila comes to us from sunny Australia, with a smile to match! She has an extensive administrative background having worked in many customer service and administrative roles, covering accounting support, events management and hospitality management. Lila has really enjoyed taking on the role of Operations Manager here at VPC, overseeing the front desk, making sure the studio is running smoothly, and assisting Mairin with anything else that pops up!

Lila is new to Pilates but has quickly fallen in love with the practice. She has been overjoyed at the great progress she feels in her body!

Noelle Young

Reception/Administration

Many of you probably know Noelle as the diligent cleaner bustling around VPC, organizing the props by size, colour coding the head pillows, and enthusiastically bringing her attention to detail to bare in the space. Now she’ll be greeting you with a welcome smile at the front desk and is diving headfirst into the VPC Teacher Education Program with the aim of enriching her own life and the lives of others through Pilates.

Her experience studying with Toronto Dance Theatre in contemporary and modern dance informs her lifelong passion for movement as a form of expression and healing. With patience, kindness, and joy, Noelle is developing a new understanding of what it means to move her body with ease and intention through the practice of Pilates.

Emma Berrow

Reception/Administration

Emma initially joined our team as a cleaner, supporting the studio during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we were excited to transition her to the administrative team when the opportunity presented itself. Emma is a newcomer to Pilates - but she already feels at home on the reformer and at the front desk! She is quickly adjusting to the sense of calm and confidence that her Pilates practice brings.

From a young age she has danced nearly every day, and is grateful to have found another medium in which to explore functional and joyful movement.

Alison Vecchio

Reception/Administration

Bio coming soon...

Jane Grocott

Reception/Administration

Jane was familiar with our studio before joining our team - she assisted one of our VPC-Teacher Education Program students with their practical teaching exams. We were pleased to officially welcome her to the team in July 2022.

She is a fine art student at Emily Carr University who specializes in painting. She has spent many hours painting portraits, so is very interested in how the body moves. She looks forward to incorporating Pilates into her regular routine and is excited to experience how Pilates can benefit her own body, as well as her painting practice!

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She also likes to stay active by biking and hiking and played soccer competitively for most of her life.