Meet the team at Willow Studio

Bambi Watt, studio owner

Certified Pilates Instructor & Teacher Trainer, Certified Xtend Barre & Stick Instructor, TRX Certified

Certified Pilates and Xtend instructor Bambi Watt is the owner of Willow Pilates Studio, Nashville’s premier Pilates studio for 20 years running. After the birth of her first child in 1995, Watt hired a personal trainer to help her get back in shape. By 1996 she had become an ACE and AFAA certified personal trainer herself. In 1997, she started Pilates and studied with Master Teacher Romana Kryzanowska. In 2010, After witnessing Xtend Barre's amazing workout and its immediate results, Bambi became a certified Xtend instructor and introduced Xtend to Willow Pilates Studio.

amy bergesen, phd

Certfied Pilates Instructor

The non-impact environment of Pilates and its personalized care of injuries reshaped as well as healed Amy’s body, and in 2001 she was certified by the Pilates Studio of New York under Romana Kryzanowska. To enhance the benefits of Pilates, Amy uses Muscle Activation Techniques TM, a system that corrects muscular imbalances. She is the co-creator of the FaceTonics facial strengthening regimen and co-editor of the anthology Voices of Classical Pilates.

Sylvia Minaya

Certified Pilates, Gyrotonic, and Xtend Barre Instructor

Sylvia Minaya, a former professional ballet dancer, holds a BFA in dance from the School of the Arts in Buenos Aires, Argentina. A member of the Nashville Ballet Faculty for 8 years, she holds a fitness trainer certification from the American College of Sports Medicine. Sylvia received her Pilates training from master teacher Romana Kryzanowska in the traditional method in 1995. She also is the only certified Gyrotonic Teacher in Nashville, TN. Sylvia became a Power Pilates Teacher Trainer in 2006 and a certified instructor in Xtend Barre.

Susie Campion

Certified Pilates Instructor and Certified Xtend Barre & Stick Instructor

Susie made her way south from Michigan in 1997.  Being a fitness instructor; aerobics, step, sculpting, and yoga, she discovered Pilates along the way.  Susie was hooked on Pilates when she realized that it could create long lean muscles, promote healing from old injuries and shape her body.  She was Power Pilates certified in 2005 under Sylvia Gamonet. For Susie, the greatest thing about Pilates is seeing results in her clients who have had injuries transform themselves into healthy individuals.  And now, with Xtend Barre, her clients can add a full body workout that helps them continue to achieve that long, lean, strong body.

Kelly Rogers

Certified Power Pilates Instructor, Certified Xtend Barre Stick Instructor, Certified in Stretch Therapy (F.I.T. Stretch), Certified Zumba Instructor, TRX Certified

Kelly Rogers has been teaching Pilates in the middle Tennessee area since 2006.  Power Pilates Certified, Kelly has experience working with all sorts of fitness levels and injuries. Kelly is also a talented singer, dancer, and actress with a minor in dance from Belmont University and collegiate training in classical, musical theatre, and commercial vocal performance.  Kelly also teaches Xtend Barre, TRX, Zumba, Cardio Dance, and Personal Fitness sessions where she uses her in-depth Pilates training to help clients improve their performance and gain results.

Kate Kastelnik

Certified Power Pilates Instructor

Kate, a former professional dancer with Nashville Ballet, hails from Pennsylvania where she was raised by musicians. She first began to incorporate Pilates into her dance practice in 1999 as she joined the Nashville Ballet after earning her BA in Dance at Point Park University. She became a certified Power Pilates Mat instructor in 2011 and completed the Power Pilates Comprehensive Program in 2012 at Willow. In addition to teaching Pilates, Kate is currently on the Dance faculties at Middle Tennessee State University and Franklin School of Performing Arts, where she teaches Ballet, Pointe, and repertory.

Lisa Valeri

Certified Power Pilates Instructor, Certified Xtend Barre Stick Instructor

Pilates has helped me to enjoy my life and continue to do the things I love! I want to share that potential with all my clients and people who come to my classes. Pilates is a fun challenging workout and the big payoff comes from feeling confident in your life outside the studio. I’m constantly learning and I love to share that with my community. Trained under Sylvia Minaya in the classical method passed down from Romana Kryzanowska, I have been certified since 2009.

Joanne Coorts

Certified Power Pilates Instructor, TRX Certified, 200hr Vinyasa Yoga, Ace certified Personal Trainer

Originating from the UK, Jo has a Bachelor of Performing Arts Degree from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance.  Following came an extensive professional dance career both in London and worldwide, where she was introduced the many benefits of Pilates.  After moving to the US, Jo became a Certified Power pilates Instructor in 2012 and trained in Florida with Aaron Mattes in Active Isolated stretching. She is an Ace certified Personal trainer and completed her 200hr Vinyasa yoga teacher training in 2016.

Mindy Sontag

Certified Xtend Barre Instructor, TRX Certified

In 2011, Mindy discovered Xtend Barre and was instantly hooked! From the age of six she danced: ballet, modern, jazz and tap. Later she enjoyed weight training, boxing and group fitness classes. She was a little over 50 when she tried Xtend, and she knew she’d found the perfect combination of dance and fitness to help her stay lean and toned at this stage of her life. Mindy’s passion about her empty nest career shines in her classes!

janelle cisneros

Certified Classical Pilates Education Instructor

Janelle began practicing Pilates over 10 years ago after being referred to a master instructor and physical therapist for long term back and hip issues.  She immediately fell in love with the restorative,  healing, and strengthening effects of classical Pilates and the changes it made to her body and mind.  In 2019 when she and her husband retired, Janelle started teacher training with Willow Studio and Classical Pilates Education.  While completing her 600 hour comprehensive training program, not only did she gain knowledge and insight to the study and practice of Pilates but discovered how much she enjoyed helping others discover the immense benefits of it.  As Joseph Pilates said “You are only as old as the flexibility of your spine”!

Haley Powers

Certified Classical Pilates Education Instructor

Haley grew up in San Luis Obispo, CA amongst your typical California health nuts! Running track throughout school, Haley soon realized that it was taking a toll on her body and she needed to explore other types of exercise. After taking her first Pilates class and feeling amazing after, she realized she wanted to help other people reap the benefits of Pilates and feel strong, flexible, and lengthened, without the injuries. In her free time you can find her playing guitar around Nashville, checking out new music venues, and spending time with her husband and doggy! 

Laura hibbard

Certified Classical Pilates Education Trainer, CPE Apprentice, Xtend Barre certified, TRX certified

Laura is originally for sunny Orange County , CA. Staying active, fit and healthy has always been a lifestyle for her. Growing up as a dancer she fell in love with Barre and Pilates and felt how much it transformed her body. Constantly staying active and always enjoying group classes, she decided to become certified in Barre, Pilates, as well as TRX and has been enjoying instructing for many years. She is very passionate about pushing her clients past their comfort zones and helping them reach their fitness goals, while having fun! When not instructing she is working as an actress and stand up comedian in and around Nashville, and playing with her dog Darling. She looks forward to seeing you in her class!

Chelsea Rand

Certified Classical Pilates Education Trainer

Chelsea started her Pilates journey over ten years ago in NYC and is now thrilled to be in the studio as a teacher. She moved to Nashville in 2018 and studied for her Pilates Teacher Certification through Willow Pilates Studio. Chelsea fell in love with the lengthening, strengthening, and mind body connection of Pilates, particularly to alleviate shoulder pains from toting a heavy bag around the streets of Manhattan and to focus the mind. She is passionate about helping students develop a mental and physical connection to their bodies that they can take with them into their everyday lives.