Every body is divinely inspired, superbly designed, awesome in the complex way it’s put together and simple in the simple, economical way it works. Every body can be vital, strong and flexible, moving through life with grace and assurance, totally healthy – not just some of the time, but most of the time. Every body can be improved, inside and outside, because the body potential is hardly ever realized. – Ron Fletcher
I’ve often heard the misconception that Ron Fletcher only wanted to work with dancers or others who moved with beauty and ease when he first encountered them. This couldn’t have been further from the truth. Ron whole heartedly believed that every single body has the potential to move with grace and beauty. Not just those with perceived “perfect” physiques and full ranges of motion.
Ron was a wonderful, brilliant, and far-from-perfect man. He never expected perfection from others, but he did expect his students to follow his guidance and methods to reach for their fullest potential. He was well aware that reaching one’s full potential is a different process for every body. Every body can be beautiful, inspired AND functional, despite handicaps, injuries and age.
The people who seek out educated Pilates professionals for therapeutic movement and guidance have taken an important first step. They are in search of a ways to feel stronger, more open, and to move with more grace and ease. Ron believed that everyone can physically transform move with more beauty and ease. Not just women. Not just dancers. Not just the young. Anybody willing to give themselves permission to embody their bodies and move beyond their perceived movement limitations. With intention, all can unlock their movement potential. And all can continue to discover renewed potential throughout a lifelong Fletcher Pilates® practice. There is no such thing as being too broken, too old, or too anything to benefit from this work. And there’s no time limit on transformation. We can be in our body for 80 years and still learn new ways to move at 81!
Many of our students judge themselves as beautiful or not, graceful or not, etc. It’s important to communicate that beauty is about learning to embody your body as it is. When movement is initiated from the inside and is carried out with awareness, understanding and intention, it is perceived as more esthetically pleasing because it is more symmetrical, centered and confident. We must also understand that beauty isn’t the objective of Pilates. It is the byproduct.
Movement improvement and practice are “get to” opportunities rather than “have to” obligations. Our bodies are divinely inspired gifts and we have the opportunity to find within ourselves our potential through intelligently designed movement – and to help our clients and students do the same.
As Clara Pilates once also encouraged Ron, “Go and Do!”