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Meet the Founder

Marlene Amado, a 3rd-generation graduate from the Advanced Teacher Training Program in Boulder, Colorado, has over 25 years of athletic coaching and teaching experience. She holds both Contemporary and Classical Pilates Certifications, with 12 years of dedicated Classical Pilates training and teaching experience. She is the founder of rhṓmē Contrology Studio, her second Classical Pilates studio in the heart of downtown Vancouver that aims to preserve and continue the legacy of Joe and Clara Pilates.

Her background and experience include working as a coach, fitness instructor, personal trainer and workshop presenter, including coaching amateur swimmers and triathletes from 1995-2001.

Pursuing her interest in women’s health, she has worked as a Pilates teacher in clinical settings and found Pilates to be a valuable tool in recovery and prevention. She has experience with a wide variety of conditions, including pelvic floor dysfunction, osteoarthritis, back pain, herniated disc injuries, sports injuries, adhesive capsulitis and more.

In 2017-2023, she founded Reform Pilates, a dedicated Classical Pilates studio in Vancouver, B.C. The studio served to provide the framework for community building, Pilates education for students, and teachers.

Marlene is also a certified Hypopressives teacher and a graduate of the University of British Columbia. She lives on the North Shore, and can be found hiking or riding the trails on any given day.

Testimonials

  • Marlene is a Pilates instructor's Pilates instructor. I know, as it's my profession as well and Marlene is one of the few instructors in this city that I choose to go to in order to deepen my own embodiment of Pilates.”

    -Oliver

  • “I’ve always suffered from back/shoulder/joint pain and regular gym workouts were making my pain worse. Marlene has helped me pinpoint and strengthen the weak parts of my body and I am no longer in pain.  I remember the first session she quickly spotted I was hyper mobile in my joints and still to this day catches me if I’m doing the exercises incorrectly. She is very caring and attentive.”

    -Dina

  • “Marlene is a truly committed and enthusiastic instructor. I have always been apprehensive about body work such as Pilates due to an extensive spinal fusion from scoliosis surgery, plus neurological difficulties, but Marlene does extensive homework to help her clients. Not only have I felt improvement in my strength but my day to day movements too. I have been taking regular private classes with her for a couple of months now and plan on continuing for as long as I can!”

    -Mayah

  • “Marlene is very attentive, caring, and professional. She is well trained and highly experienced, and at the same time, completely open to feedback and adjusting the exercises to my needs. She has a genuine personality and I have never seen her do a sales pitch or up-sell anything. Among many exercises I have tried, I have found Pilates the most effective for building core strength and awareness. It has helped me correct my posture, build strength in key muscles that are typically neglected at the gym, and reduced pressure in my lower back disks.”

    -Sina

  • “I work on my feet all day and suffer with my back & shoulders, Marlene pinpointed the troubled areas by just looking at my stance. Would highly recommend a visit to this beautiful studio. I felt relief in the space of an hour & now a repeat client. Marlene is amazing and keeps you motivated throughout!”

    -Joe

  • I have tried many different fitness classes and have had Private Pilates sessions before and never felt my glutes. In six sessions with Marlene I not only feel my glutes, but my whole body feels (and moves) differently.

    -Kiera