Who we are
Vivian Piccone Jung
Founder/Instructor
Vivian is trained in Authentic Pilates (Contrology) through the line of Joseph Pilates – Romana Krysanowska – Sari Mejia Santo / Inelia Garcia. Vivian holds full certifications from both Romana’s Pilates and Authentic Pilates Inelia Garcia. Vivian also completed Cadaver Anatomy Experiential Learning from Tom Myers, and movement anatomy training from Irene Dowd.
Through the experience of working with so many different body types, injuries and anomalies, Vivian has developed an eye and instincts to be able to feel what each body needs. She honors each client’s current abilities and skillfully brings each person to a more balanced place in their body to alleviate pain, strengthen and tone muscles and exceed their fitness goals.
Vivian is devoted to transforming her clients’ lives, assisting them to become better at everything they do and enjoy full lives.
Chrissy Picarello
Partner/Instructor
Chrissy teaches the Authentic Pilates Method of Contrology and loves watching her clients transform and build better bodies. She is a Classically trained, third generation Pilates instructor [Joseph Pilates – Romana Krysanowska – Sari Mejia Santo]. She is a proud graduate of the world renown Romana’s Pilates Teacher Training Certification Program where she studies under Sari Mejia Santo and Cynthia Shipley as well as Jerome Weinberg and Jamie Trout.
Chrissy currently trains with The Pilates Studio Brasil, Inelia Garcia. She completed several workshops with Inelia Garcia and has ongoing lessons weekly with Daniel Azambuja and Jose Miguel Garcia. Chrissy is also constantly updating her kinesthetic learning and has training in teaching Pilates for clients with Parkinson’s, MS and other auto immune dysfunctions.
She is always learning and evolving her practice. Chrissy is passionate about helping her clients change their bodies. She believes the mind body connection can empower a deeper, more intelligent approach to fitness, and that the principles of Pilates can be incorporated into all aspects of movement and everyday life. She feels fulfilled when someone finishes their lesson feeling invigorated and ready for the rest of their day!
Chrissy is also an expert in essential oils. She has created hand sanitizer sprays and other great essential oil remedies available for purchase in our treasure chest. She has remedies and helpful tips on her personal website. She carry’s Young Living Essential Oils- available on her site. Authentic Method Pilates Pilates uses her oils to clean and sanitize our equipment and keep the studio smelling great.
Chrissy is also a senior teacher at Symmetry Studio in Southampton, NY. She divides her time between both studios and enjoys working with clients from around the world. When Chrissy is not teaching Pilates she loves to cook, especially Italian food, and spend time with her family.
Daniel Azambuja
Instructor
Daniel Azambuja grew up and lives in Brazil. He has his undergraduate degree in Physical Education and post-graduate in Exercise Physiology. (He also studied engineering in his university but opted to graduate in Physical Education.) Daniel has worked as a fitness instructor since 1992 with aerobics, step classes and stretching.
His life in Pilates started when he decided to look for a fitness method that provided a higher quality of life and longevity for himself and his clients. In his pursuit of this, he met Inelia Garcia. Inelia introduced him to the Pilates Method and he fell in love with Pilates. He completely change his mind about the relationship between physical activity and HEALTH! He totally turned around his thinking of how to workout – respecting the body. He loved how Pilates improves strength and flexibility of the body, mind and spirit together.
For Daniel, Pilates goes beyond a fitness activity, it’s about getting better in every possible way!
He completed his certification under Romana Krysanowska and Sari Mejia Santo with the Pilates Studio Brasil in 2005. At that time Romana would travel from NY to São Paulo to train the Brasilian teachers under the guidance of Inelia Garcia (Romana’s Teacher of Teachers).
Daniel teaches in The Pilates Studio Brasil Vila Nova, São Paulo, Brasil and he teaches online at The Authentic Method Pilates here in the USA. He brings his engineering mind to his teaching. Dani always finds creative ways to work with each person to bring them to better health in body, mind and spirit.
Tom Oksner
Instructor
Tom found the authentic Pilates method in college. He loved it and stayed with it, eventually getting certified through Romana’s Pilates in New York City many years later. He also recently completed the full Instructor certification program for The Pilates Studio Brasil, with Inelia Garcia in Sao Paulo. Tom has been lucky enough to train with some of the best instructors in the world, including many years as a private client of Jay Grimes.
His sessions are individualized for each client, and imbued with his experience, enthusiasm and love of the Method. Tom loves to see the life enhancing changes the Pilates Method brings to clients of every age and ability. Pilates has made him realize what ease in the body is worth.
Glenda O’Connor
Instructor
Glenda came to the US for the first time in 1991 having been chosen to train at the Illinois Gymnastics Institute (IGI) on scholarship. Originally from Laois, Ireland, she spent her childhood training and competing in top-level gymnastics; however, her passion and talents hold a wide spectrum. Glenda not only has an interest in sports and movement, but she earned a B.A. in film and photography from Columbia College, Chicago.
Over the years, after experiencing her fair share of injury, she discovered Pilates. Realizing its restorative effect on her body while increasing strength, in 2012 she enrolled in the True Pilates New York (TPNY) training program through the lineage of Joseph Pilates- Romana Krysanowska- Sari Mejia Santo; and now she continues through the Authentic Pilates system.
Glenda is grateful for her practice in Pilates, which keeps her flexible, strong, and able to continue working on her varied passions, including bartending. She continues learning Pilates Method from master teachers and furthers her explorations in emerging science with teachers and doctors from all disciplines. During her downtime, she often can be found researching the latest medical science about specific topics such as back pain, neck injuries, etc., to help her clients and enhance her knowledge.
She loves to implement the concepts and techniques she has learned with clients from beginners to advanced. Glenda believes strongly that Pilates is for everybody and strives to dispel the myth that Pilates is only for the already fit. She uses a keen eye for correcting imbalances and anomalies, and cares deeply about keeping her clients engaged and excited for their next Pilates lesson!