About Pure Balance
At Pure Balance, we are dedicated to reminding everyone who walks through our doors of their worth, empowering them to thrive in the lives they want to lead. We strive to provide a welcoming space for community, support, and empowerment for all bodies.
Who We Are
A local, woman-owned Pilates Reformer studio that is committed to helping people embrace and celebrate their bodies through mindful movement.
Who We Serve
Our intimate Pilates classes and holistic wellness programs are designed to serve all bodies, ages, and fitness levels.
Our Promise to You
Pure Balance strives to create an environment that welcomes you as you are, encourages growth, and equips you with the skills to care for yourself - mind, body, and spirit.
Your Transformation
Movement and exercise start to become about what you gain, not what you lose. Our goal is for you to be confident in yourself and your ability to keep your cup full, so that you can show up in your life with MORE.
Our Core Values
Meet the Team
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Studio Founder & Owner- She/Her
Ali Hall is a Pilates instructor, dancer, and movement educator dedicated to helping people reconnect with their bodies through compassionate, intentional movement. With over 5,000 hours of teaching experience, Ali blends anatomy-informed sequencing, creative expression, and somatic principles to help clients cultivate strength, body awareness, and self-trust.
Her love of movement began in childhood through dance and deepened when she discovered Pilates as a tool for healing injuries and chronic pain. After studying Exercise Science at the University of Georgia, Ali realized Athens was missing one thing: Reformer Pilates, and so, in 2018, she opened Pure Balance — a studio committed to creating a safe, inclusive environment for all bodies to explore movement.
Ali is a graduate of Polestar Pilates’ Comprehensive Instructor Training program, one of the most rigorous and research-informed trainings in the world, where she studied under Karyn Staples, P.T., Ph.D. Drawing from her background in Polestar Rehabilitative Pilates, dance, and somatic movement, she guides clients through mindful, embodied movement that honors both the science and soul of the work. She has a special focus on working with clients navigating chronic pain or hypermobility, informed by her own lived experience with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and endometriosis. This personal understanding allows her to support complex bodies with care, nuance, and clarity.
In 2023, Ali began developing Pure Balance’s Instructor Training Program after recognizing a need in the Pilates industry for education that is truly size-inclusive, trauma-informed, and practical. Her mission is to train teachers who are not only well-versed in the material, but who also know how to teach it—holding space with skill, sensitivity, and integrity.
Whether she’s leading a group class, private session, or teacher training, Ali meets every client where they are, fostering deep connection—not just to movement, but to themselves and the world around them.
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Instructor - She/Her
Lisa Yaconelli got her Pilates training through The Pilates Center in Boulder, Co. and her BFA in modern dance at Temple University in Philadelphia PA. She has been performing dance, teaching, and creating in Athens for over twenty years. She loves the mindfulness of Pilates and how strong one can become continuing the practice. The potential of strength you can gain from Pilates is incredible and the confidence that goes along with that is immeasurable. Lisa is grateful to be a part of the Pure Balance community which puts an emphasis on body positivity and the joy that’s possible from accepting and challenging our bodies. Our bodies truly are a gift!
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Instructor - She/Her
I am a recent UGA graduate originally from Statesboro, Georgia. After coming to UGA for college, I fell in love with Athens and decided to stick around! Outside of Pure Balance, I am an elementary school teacher in Clarke County. I grew up dancing, and my ballet background initially sparked my interest in Pilates. Teaching Pilates has allowed me to combine three of my biggest passions: mindful movement, exercise as a creative outlet, and teaching others. My goal in my classes is for my clients to leave feeling empowered and proud of themselves!
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Instructor - She/Her
Deirdre Sugiuchi is a Pilates instructor, fitness coach, and writer who combines her passion for movement with nearly two decades of experience teaching as a public school librarian. After her own injury recovery led her back to the mat, she was inspired to become an instructor, and completed her training at Pure Balance in 2025. She loves helping others connect to their bodies and breath, and build strength and resilience through Pilates.
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Front Desk Associate
Ellen began coming to Pure Balance in February 2025 and immediately found a sense of peace, strength, and community. Since then, Pilates has become an integral part of her overall well-being. She is drawn to the ease with which Pure Balance helps her feel good in her body, as well as the supportive community it fosters.
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Instructor - She/Her
Corrin brings a vibrant energy to Pure Balance Pilates Studio, creating an atmosphere where clients can have fun while challenging themselves. Her teaching style is relaxing and assuring - with a cadence that allows participants to find their own rhythm. With a background in strength training, Corrin incorporates layers of modifications, making each class accessible and enjoyable for all. Clients often leave Corrin's sessions with a satisfying soreness, a testament to the effective and fun challenges she introduces. Her commitment to providing a dynamic and engaging experience aligns with our studio's values of fostering connection and maintaining a curious mindset.
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Instructor - She/Her
Chamberlain discovered Pure Balance as a client in 2023. Initially drawn to Pilates because of her dance background, she quickly fell in love with the low impact style of exercise and community found in the studio! As an instructor, Chamberlain brings a calm and relaxed energy to her teaching style while inviting opportunities for challenge. She hopes you leave her classes feeling proud of yourself and more at ease!
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Instructor - She/Her
With 15+ years of experience as a yoga instructor and yoga therapist, Melynda brings a holistic, healing-centered approach to movement. She discovered Pilates during her own injury recovery and now blends mindful movement, breath, and body awareness to help others feel stronger, more present, and truly embodied. Her classes are an invitation to come home to yourself—physically, mentally, and spiritually.
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Instructor - She/Her
Michelle is kind, warm, and compassionate in her teaching style. Clients appreciate the flow she brings to each class, creating a harmonious and enjoyable experience. Michelle not only encourages the physical aspects of Pilates but also emphasizes giving oneself grace and moving with ease, fostering a compassionate and mindful approach to wellness. In addition, she integrates more extensive breath work into her sessions, allowing participants to connect more deeply with their movements and breath. Drawing from a rich background in yoga and dance, Michelle incorporates elements from these disciplines into her classes, adding a unique dimension to her classes.
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Instructor - She/Her
Lisa is an All-American track and field athlete, personal trainer, and fitness instructor with a MEd in Sport Management, a BS in Exercise Science, and a minor in Coaching. She began teaching mat Pilates in 2009, discovering a love for movement and instruction, and has since expanded to teaching Pilates, yoga, strength training, and more!
Lisa is the Associate Director for Fitness, Well-being & Student Engagement at UGA’s Ramsey Student Center, where she leads fitness programs and well-being initiatives for the Division of Student Affairs. Her goal for her classes is to leave you feeling energized, challenged, and encouraged!
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Instructor - She/Her
Ginny fell in love with Pilates and its ability to heal through the deep awareness of the mind-body connection. She started studying with Pure Balance in 2024 and has joined the team after completing the PB Instructor Training Program. She comes from a background in theatre and dance performance. Her teaching style is energetic, and she encourages students to engage with her to create an optimal class experience. She is a cat-loving bibliophile that invites you to join her for some fun and hard earned sweat. You will leave with a smile on your face and a more relaxed state of mind!
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Front Desk Associate - they/them
A community-builder at heart, Kat loves being a part of cultivating the Pure Balance Pilates community. They found Pure Balance Pilates in their personal quest to find joyful movement divorced from diet culture. Classes full of encouragement, an emphasis on functional movement across age and body types, and a whole lot of laughter kept them coming back. Kat works most mornings and is truly delighted to be a part of the start to your day!
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Business Manager - She/Her
I am originally from Columbus, Georgia but fell in love with Athens when I moved here to attend school at UGA. I have been in the fitness industry since 2020 and I share Pure Balance's values and passion for health and wellness on a communal and personal level. I have several years experience in business and project management and am looking forward to combining my fitness and administrative experience to enrich the experience of every client.
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Front Desk Associate - she/her
Sara Tidwell found Pure Balance Pilates on a whim two years ago when a friend invited her to take an introductory class, and has since cemented herself within its community. As someone who has never excelled at “working out,” the safe space for mindful movement and body positivity and the structured routines at PBP is what has kept her coming back, and even opened new doors for her. Sara works Tuesday and Friday evenings.