Cicely Nelson Tong - owner
What I offer at Atwater Pilates is different because it is completely customized to your body, your goals, your history. I bring my twenty years of experience in Pilates and a plethora of related modalities (somatic experiencing, trauma-informed movement practice, yoga, Thai massage, ecstatic dance/5rhythms) and a lifetime in the movement arts. Pilates is an indispensable part of my own daily routine and I can’t - and won’t - imagine a life without it. I can’t wait to share with you the joy, mobility, and power that are your birthright.
My story...
My movement career began at 4 when I entered my first dance class. I attended ballet school in Canada before a career as a ballet dancer in Europe, then choosing to reroute my artistic development into music at twenty. The somatic challenges of beginning violin at a later-than-usual age prompted me to further develop several aspects of my teenage movement practice; the alignment principles of Pilates, the calming current of Yoga, and the call to mindfulness that is meditation. In deepening these practices I healed many of the wounds inflicted by the sometimes-harsh ballet world, caught up my musical development in record time, and began to pass on these empowering lessons to students after certifying as both a Pilates and Yoga Instructor.
I’ve been fortunate to study with and teach alongside many great teacher trainers, physical therapists, Pilates elders, and movement pioneers via teaching, continuing education and certifications,* and throughout my tenure as Director of Erika Bloom Pilates Los Angeles and head of teacher training for Erika Bloom Pilates New York. Chief among them were Erika Bloom, Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, Marie José Blom, Julie Sorrentino, Peter Roel, Karen Weggler, Shannon Cluff, Susanne Michaud (head of physical therapy, University of Washington),, and Kuan Hui Chew. I’m passionate about lifelong education and current studies include Somatic Experiencing Practitioner Training through Somatic Experiencing International and Massage for Breast Cancer through the Institute for Integrative Healthcare.
My career (and propensity for wanderlust) has lead me from premier studios in New York City and Los Angeles, to the Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle, to a renowned physiotherapy practice in Vancouver, Canada, to a modest yoga studio in Andalusia, to an elite five-star wellness resort in Turks and Caicos and now finally to my very own private studio in the Atwater Village neighborhood of Los Angeles. I’ve worked with clients from every walk of life, finding we all share a common thread with all of them; this need to connect the mind and the body to live a healthier, happier, more mind(body)ful life.
*Pilates certifications: Stott matwork, PhysicalMind and Balanced Body equipment, Pre/Post Natal Specialist, Scoliosis specialist, Specialist in Neurodegenerative Disorders, Fascial Fitness Certification, Hatha Yoga-200 hours, Thai Yoga Massage Level I, Physio RehabTherapist. I also hold two master’s degrees (violin and viola) in music performance as well as Suzuki Violin teacher certification and work as a professional musician and music teacher in Los Angeles. My music and dance experience, as any musician or dancer will tell you, of necessity informs my Pilates practice as these arts are all about daily practice, consistency, and very conscientiously building connections.
My story...
My movement career began at 4 when I entered my first dance class. I attended ballet school in Canada before a career as a ballet dancer in Europe, then choosing to reroute my artistic development into music at twenty. The somatic challenges of beginning violin at a later-than-usual age prompted me to further develop several aspects of my teenage movement practice; the alignment principles of Pilates, the calming current of Yoga, and the call to mindfulness that is meditation. In deepening these practices I healed many of the wounds inflicted by the sometimes-harsh ballet world, caught up my musical development in record time, and began to pass on these empowering lessons to students after certifying as both a Pilates and Yoga Instructor.
I’ve been fortunate to study with and teach alongside many great teacher trainers, physical therapists, Pilates elders, and movement pioneers via teaching, continuing education and certifications,* and throughout my tenure as Director of Erika Bloom Pilates Los Angeles and head of teacher training for Erika Bloom Pilates New York. Chief among them were Erika Bloom, Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, Marie José Blom, Julie Sorrentino, Peter Roel, Karen Weggler, Shannon Cluff, Susanne Michaud (head of physical therapy, University of Washington),, and Kuan Hui Chew. I’m passionate about lifelong education and current studies include Somatic Experiencing Practitioner Training through Somatic Experiencing International and Massage for Breast Cancer through the Institute for Integrative Healthcare.
My career (and propensity for wanderlust) has lead me from premier studios in New York City and Los Angeles, to the Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle, to a renowned physiotherapy practice in Vancouver, Canada, to a modest yoga studio in Andalusia, to an elite five-star wellness resort in Turks and Caicos and now finally to my very own private studio in the Atwater Village neighborhood of Los Angeles. I’ve worked with clients from every walk of life, finding we all share a common thread with all of them; this need to connect the mind and the body to live a healthier, happier, more mind(body)ful life.
*Pilates certifications: Stott matwork, PhysicalMind and Balanced Body equipment, Pre/Post Natal Specialist, Scoliosis specialist, Specialist in Neurodegenerative Disorders, Fascial Fitness Certification, Hatha Yoga-200 hours, Thai Yoga Massage Level I, Physio RehabTherapist. I also hold two master’s degrees (violin and viola) in music performance as well as Suzuki Violin teacher certification and work as a professional musician and music teacher in Los Angeles. My music and dance experience, as any musician or dancer will tell you, of necessity informs my Pilates practice as these arts are all about daily practice, consistency, and very conscientiously building connections.