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Let's get physical: Up close and personal at Power Pilates.
(Photo: Carina Salvi) |
Stretch
601 West 26th Street (212-366-1003)
Pros: This massive studio in the
Starrett-Lehigh building is the ultimate room with a
skyline view. Teachers keep things varied, using every
possible apparatus. A single session is $70 ($50 for
first-timers); pros can do a DIY hour for $30.
Cons: The West Side Highway
locale is far out of the way for most.
Rating: Four stars
The Ultimate Body
30 East 60th Street (212-319-6194)
Pros: As its proximity to Madison Avenue
suggests, clients here are mostly Upper East Siders in
leotards, and therefore less intimidating than a
roomful of downtown hipsters. Owner Hila Paldi learned
directly from disciples of the method’s
inventor, Joseph Pilates. Sessions are $80.
Cons: The clinical décor gives the feeling
of a dentist’s quarters rather than a mind-body
oasis.
Rating: Three stars
Xercize Corp
566 Seventh Avenue, near 40th Street
(212-997-5550)
Pros: Their version of Pilates, called IM=X, is
done on an Xercizer, a souped-up version of the
Reformer that provides a more cardio-centric workout.
Sessions are $85.
Cons: No assessment of your physical history;
atmosphere is nil.
Rating: Two stars
Balance
114 West 14th Street (212-414-2922)
Pros: Owner-dancer Jennifer Kries—a
Pilates celebrity thanks to her popular video series
called “The Method”—draws some of
the best instructors. Good for those who don’t
mind mixing in a little yoga philosophy, as Kries is a
master of balancing both. Sessions are $80 to
$125.
Cons: The brick-walled open space is homey, but
simultaneous classes can be distracting.
Rating: Five stars
Sal Anthony’s Movement
Salon
190 Third Avenue, near 17th Street (212-420-7242)
Pros: A good number of clients (and virtually
all of the instructors) are working dancers, which
gives the place and the shabby-chic location
(it’s the former home of Fat Tuesday’s
jazz club) major street cred. Sessions are the best
value in the city, starting at $55.
Cons: No frills. If you require a post-workout
steam or a changing room full of candles, this is not
the place for you.
Rating: Three stars
Power Pilates
49 West 23rd Street (plus multiple
locations) (212-627-5852)
Pros: The light-drenched studio makes for a
very pleasant place to sweat and stretch. The machines
are shiny and spanking new. Teachers are plentiful,
meaning it’s not hard to score yourself a
session, even at the last minute. Prices vary from $70
an hour to $125 for senior teachers Susan Moran-Perich
and Bob Liekens.
Cons: Quality of instructors is
uneven; the best are often booked with standing
appointments.
Rating: Five stars
re:AB
33 Bleecker Street (212-420-9111)
Pros: Owner Brooke Siler, author of The
Pilates Body, who originally opened the studio in
1997 with model-actress Michele Hicks, has a celebrity
following, so don’t be surprised if you see
Amber Valetta doing leg lunges on the Wunda Chair next
to you. Teachers (again, mostly former dancers) are
adept at tailoring instruction to your needs.
Individual sessions range from $70 to $100 for time
with Siler herself.
Cons: The equipment is plentiful but in
considerably worse shape than the newer
studios’.
Rating: Four stars
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