Welcome to your new fitness home
Brooklyn’s neighborhood Pilates + Barre Studio, since 2014
Pilates Heights opened in 2014 with a clear goal: to create a space where the Brooklyn Heights community could move with purpose and feel the benefits immediately.
From the start, we’ve believed that movement is one of the most reliable tools you have. You take a Pilates or barre class, you feel better — physically and mentally. Whether you’re healing from an injury, working out for the first time, or just need to get out of your head, our classes will help you feel more in control of your body and more connected to yourself.
While we’re a multi-modality studio, everything speaks the same language. Mat Pilates, Reformer Pilates, Pilates strength, and Barre all work together to build strength, improve mobility, and promote an overall sense of well-being. Our delightfully challenging classes are guided by instructors who know how to push you while keeping you engaged and, most importantly, having fun.
Pilates Heights is proud to be part of this community. We’ve grown alongside it. And we’re still here for the same reason we started: to give people access to movement that empowers, strengthens, and creates real change.
Meet Our Founder
Kristine Storie was born and raised right here in Brooklyn
She knows the rhythm of the neighborhood, the pace of the people, and the value of having something local you can count on.
As a certified Pilates instructor, she already understood the power of movement. But while working in corporate finance in D.C., she discovered barre and immediately saw how well it paired with Pilates. Together, they created a complete movement experience. And the lightbulb moment came: there should be a studio that brings both modalities together.
When Kristine returned to Brooklyn Heights, that idea stuck. Boutique fitness hadn’t yet made its way over the Brooklyn Bridge. The closest Barre class was a train ride away. In 2014, she brought her vision to light – opening the first studio of its kind in the area, combining Pilates and Barre under one roof in the heart of her hometown.
More than a decade later, that vision is still at the core of the studio. Kristine is proud to have created an authentic space that offers movement you can trust. Classes that challenge you in the right way. Programming that supports long-term health, not short-term trends. And an experience that leaves you feeling better than when you walked in.
Meet the Pilates Heights Team
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Maria Gardner
Director of Studio Operations
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Maria has been working at Pilates Heights since 2015. She joined the studio as a front desk assistant, a job she took primarily so she could stay connected to her dance roots (and also so she could take free classes!) It wasn’t long before Maria took on an increasing level of responsibility. During the shutdown, Maria assumed the role of full-time director of studio operations and today oversees staffing, scheduling, facilities, and customer service. Maria is originally from Ohio, and attended college in Pittsburgh at Point Park University, where she received a degree in Dance.
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Narissa Herndon
Head Instructor
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Working out with Narissa is more than just a class, it’s a full-on experience. Narissa is a powerhouse instructor with a super-sized personality and top-notch teaching skills. Her fitness career began as a Pilates instructor in her hometown city of Las Vegas. Narissa moved to NYC in 2016, and joined the Pilates Heights teaching team in 2018, when she added Barre to her teaching resume. A tough but fair instructor, Narissa believes fitness should be fun, and that it can be life-changing. She highly values the bond that can be formed with the client, in a fun, supportive and high-energy environment.
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Nicole Calabrese
Head Instructor
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The brilliant and kind-hearted Nicole is originally from Rochester, NY, but has called NYC home since 2009. She has an extensive background in dance, and since 2015 has been teaching fitness classes at Pilates Heights. Nicole is a comprehensively certified Pilates instructor through the prestigious BASI program, and is also certified in Barre. Affectionately nicknamed the “velvet hammer”, Nicole’s classes are challenging but doable. She is truly skilled at teaching to all levels with her thoughtful suggestions on how to make movements easier or harder, giving clients agency over their own bodies.
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Kat Chaney
Instructor
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Kat is originally from Ohio and came to NYC in 2014 to pursue acting. Fitness classes quickly became an outlet as she navigated life in a new city. Kat joined our team in 2020 at the outset of the pandemic lockdown. She completed Barre teacher training virtually, and joined an all-virtual teaching team later that year. When the studio re-opened its doors, Kat hit the ground running and is now one of our primary instructors. In 2022, she completed her Pilates certification with BASI Pilates to round out her teaching credentials. Kat strives to inspire clients to be strong, healthy, and confident in their bodies.
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Lucia Hagert
Front Desk Manager
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Lucia is a proud Tar Heel with a background in market research and public policy. Originally from Austin, TX, Lucia grew up with a deep appreciation for music, movement, and community. She is an avid Pilates student and hopes to become an instructor one day. For now, she's a familiar face at the front desk and an enthusiastic presence in class. Outside the studio, you'll find her taking long walks through Brooklyn Heights, connecting with her community, and discovering all the little things that make New York feel like home.
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Amber Nalle
Instructor
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Amber is a former professional ballerina turned powerhouse fitness instructor. She holds numerous certifications including Master Barre Trainer through Xtend Barre, BASI Pilates Mat, and TRX. Amber teaches a delightfully challenging, positively exhilarating class that will have you sweating, smiling and moving constantly.
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Natalia Brown
Instructor
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Natalia is originally from Poland, but she’s called NYC home since 2006 which makes her equal part New Yorker. A lifelong dancer and athlete, Natalia pursued teaching fitness as an outlet to share her enthusiasm and passion for movement with others. She is a BASI-trained Pilates Mat instructor and is also certified in Barre. Natalia teaches a powerful, action-packed class that will have you sweating and moving constantly. When she’s not teaching, Natalia has her hands full with her young twins Ethan & Dahlia.
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Chana Wilmowsky
Instructor
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Chana is a New Jersey native turned Brooklynite and busy mom of 3. She worked at the front desk for 5 years before taking the plunge to become an instructor. Chana initially discovered Pilates at an after school program in 8th grade. She fell in love with the way it made her body feel and wanted to share that experience with others. Chana is Mat certified through Pilates on Fifth and completed Barre training in 2024. Her classes are vibrant and energetic, but also controlled and focused. In her spare time, Chana enjoys spending time with family and friends, as well as cooking, reading, and interior design.
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Lili Tewes
Instructor
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Lili is originally from Hamburg, Germany and has an impressive and extensive background in dance, both as a performer and master instructor. Lili graduated from the Martha Graham School, where she danced principal roles in several of Graham's ballets. Lili began taking Barre and Pilates classes as a way to stay strong while dancing professionally and teaching workshops across the globe. Lili’s classes are focused on finding joy and empowerment through movement and its transformational benefits for both body and mind. Fun fact: Lili has a secret life as a professional Hula dancer.
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Rory Furey-King
Instructor
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Rory is an actor and Pilates instructor with roots in 20+ years of dance. After growing up doing pre-professional intensives at the Joffery Ballet and Paper Mill Playhouse, she moved to London for her BFA at ArtsEd in Musical Theatre. She made her professional debut in Mamma Mia 2 before touring in London’s Cats. An avid Pilates practitioner since age 14, Rory is certified through East River Pilates. After years of intense and often humor-less technical dance training, Rory prioritizes fun and laughter as part of their teaching style. Rory is also Yoga Certified and a Housewives enthusiast.
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Christina Macchiarola
Instructor
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Christina discovered her love of movement and dance at a young age while growing up in New Jersey. After moving to NYC for college and then to pursue a career in marketing, fitness remained a constant in her life. Christina is Pilates Mat-certified through Equinox and is a longtime Pilates Heights client (over 1,300 classes and counting)! Christina's classes are ergonomically-oriented, modification-friendly, and, above all, a good time. She brings an exuberant energy to the studio and her goal is that every client leaves class feeling their best.
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Tree Thompson
Instructor
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Tree found Pilates on a whim and was immediately fascinated by her new sense of body awareness, which carried into her pole dance and contortion practices. She decided to get certified so she could help others feel more connected to their bodies. Tree aims to create a grounding space where clients feel challenged, curious, and empowered to make the right choices for their bodies. Tree is originally from Kansas and has called Brooklyn home since 2019.
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Leah Suskind
Instructor
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Leah is a native of Randolph, NJ and a recent graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Dance. She is currently a company member with Jon Lehrer Dance Company in NYC. Leah has attended programs at Jacob’s Pillow, Orsolina 28, the Juilliard School, and with companies such as Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, the Rockettes, and the Martha Graham Company, and has had her own choreography featured in dance festivals. Leah is excited to bring her love of dance and movement to the floor as a fitness instructor.
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Rachel Gill
Instructor
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Rachel is a life-long mover with an extensive background in dance and wellness. She holds a Pilates certification from The Space Pilates, a BFA in Dance from SUNY Purchase, and has nearly 10 years’ experience as a professional dancer in NYC. Rachel’s teaching style blends precision with playfulness, emphasizing a deep understanding of “why” an exercise is being performed, to help her clients move with intention and ease.
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Ami Patel
Instructor
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Ami takes a thoughtful, science-based approach to Pilates, helping clients of all levels improve strength, agility, and movement quality. Certified through Stott Pilates, she began her teaching journey in London and now calls Brooklyn home. Ami’s classes emphasize form and control with simple, effective cues. The result is a challenging yet approachable workout that keeps her clients motivated and excited to move.
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April Frazier
Instructor
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April’s classes are inclusive, fun, sweaty, playful, self-empowering and community-centered. Her journey into fitness was sparked by her commitment to equity when she began teaching in schools, youth detention centers, and shelters. She is a certified NASM personal trainer and is also certified in Yoga, Barre, Pilates and IntenSati (combining positive affirmations with physical movement). Outside of teaching, April is a foster mother, where she practices the power of play.
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Cathryn Harding
Instructor
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Cathy is a longtime Pilates Heights client turned instructor. She has been teaching for 15 years and is certified by Stott Pilates. Her instruction is guided by a focus on form and core principles that develop ease of movement, articulation of joints, anatomical awareness, and endurance. A former dance critic and journalist now working as an executive at a NYC dance company, Cathy is a dedicated practitioner of Pilates, Barre, Katonah yoga and spin.
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Darren McArthur
Instructor
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Originally from Ohio, Darren earned his BFA in Dance from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA. His extensive performing career includes dancing internationally on cruise ships, in regional theater productions, and on national tours. A dedicated artist and teacher, Darren is thrilled to now bring his passion for movement to Pilates Heights as a Barre instructor, sharing his expertise and love for dance in every class.