For twenty-five years, the Pilates Method Alliance has served as one of the central unifying forces within the global Pilates community, bringing together educators, studio owners, researchers, movement professionals, and advocates dedicated to preserving and advancing the work of Joseph and Clara Pilates.
As Pilates continues evolving from a niche discipline into a worldwide movement, the PMA’s role has become increasingly important: establishing educational standards, supporting professional development, promoting research, and helping safeguard the integrity of the method in an era shaped by social media, digital fitness, and mass-market expansion.
To reflect on the PMA’s legacy and future, PilatesStyle spoke with two leaders deeply connected to the organization’s mission: PMA President Pat Stevenson and PMA Executive Director Stella Hull-Lampkin.
Together, their perspectives reveal an industry balancing innovation with lineage, accessibility with rigor, and global growth with the enduring principles of Contrology, not an easy task!
ABOUT STELLA HULL-LAMPKIN
Stella Hull-Lampkin is a Pilates educator, industry leader, and advocate for excellence in movement education. As Operations Manager of BASI Pilates Newport Beach Headquarters and Executive Director of the Pilates Method Alliance, she is dedicated to advancing professional standards, education, and community within the global Pilates industry.
With more than two decades in fitness and wellness, Hull-Lampkin is a BASI Pilates Faculty member, Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher, IMX Master Trainer, and graduate of the BASI Pilates Legacy Program.
ABOUT PAT STEVENSON
Pat Stevenson has been a fitness professional since 1992, first as a personal trainer and later as a Pilates instructor teaching throughout South Florida since 2001.
She collaborated with Pilates Elder Lolita San Miguel on Lolita’s Legacy Pilates Teacher Training Program and previously served the PMA as Secretary, Vice President, and International Teacher Training Program Coordinator before being elected President in January 2026.
Currently teaching from her home studio in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Stevenson has served the Pilates community in numerous leadership roles, including Subject Matter Expert for the National Pilates Certification Program, where she contributed to exam item writing for the Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher examination.
A GLOBAL COMMUNITY BUILT ON SHARED PRINCIPLES
When asked what the PMA’s greatest contribution has been over the past twenty-five years, both leaders pointed to one central idea: unity.
“While we may differ in approach (classical, contemporary, rehabilitative, athletic) we are united
“Pilates was never about performance; the exercises are simply the vehicle—the real goal is transformation.”
— Rael Isacowitz, Founder, BASI Pilates
by a common purpose,” Hull-Lampkin explained. “To preserve and advance the transformative work of Joseph Pilates for generations to come.”
That spirit of collaboration has become increasingly important as Pilates has expanded far beyond its original circle of dancers, performers, and rehabilitation professionals. “The setting has moved from spas and elite studios to home studios, gyms, and dedicated large group settings,” Stevenson explained.
According to Hull-Lampkin and Stevenson, the PMA has played a critical role in helping the profession grow without losing connection to its roots.
“One method expressed through many voices,” Hull-Lampkin said, describing the organization’s philosophy toward the wide spectrum of Pilates approaches practiced today.
Rather than declaring one style “correct,” the PMA has focused on identifying the foundational principles that unite the profession: breath, concentration, precision, control, centering, flow, and mindful movement.
FROM COURTROOM BATTLES TO PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
The origins of the PMA are deeply connected to one of the defining legal moments in Pilates history.
The organization was formed shortly after the landmark 2000 court decision which established that the term “Pilates” could not be trademarked exclusively.
That ruling opened the door for broader public access to Pilates, but it also created a new challenge: without legal regulation over the term itself, virtually anyone could market a class as Pilates.
In response, the PMA emerged as an organization focused on professional standards, educational guidelines, and industry credibility.
One of its most influential initiatives was the launch of the first third-party professional certification exam in Pilates in 2005.
“With the creation of the Pilates School Approval Program (PSAP) in 2017, the PMA developed standards for Pilates training programs around the globe,” Stevenson explained.
“The program evolved into the International Teacher Training Accreditation Program (ITTAP) with expanded and clarified standards.”
She added that the long-term goal of the PMA is to coordinate an International Teacher Training Summit bringing organizations together worldwide to help establish global standards for Pilates education.
“The PMA’s role is increasingly important in helping both professionals and consumers distinguish between quality education and misinformation,” Hull-Lampkin noted.
CONTROLOGY IN THE MODERN ERA
Joseph Pilates famously referred to his method as “Contrology,” describing it as “the complete coordination of body, mind, and spirit.”
For both women, preserving that philosophy remains essential, even as the industry modernizes.
“Pilates was never about performance,” Hull-Lampkin explained. “The exercises are simply the vehicle; the real goal is transformation.”
Yet both acknowledged that the explosive popularity of Pilates has created tension within the industry.
On one hand, greater visibility has introduced millions to mindful movement, rehabilitation, posture improvement, breath awareness, and functional strength and given knowledgable instructors the opportunity to educate.
On the other hand, social media and commercialization can sometimes reduce Pilates to Tik Tok posts.
“There is a risk of losing the depth, precision, and holistic philosophy Joseph Pilates intended,” Stevenson said.
Still, both leaders remain optimistic that thoughtful education and mentorship can help preserve the integrity of the method while allowing room for innovation.
“Another defining moment has been seeing the growth of PMA conferences and educational initiatives,” Hull-Lampkin said. “Watching instructors from around the world come together to learn, share ideas and build relationships made it clear that the PMA was doing more than hosting events — it was shaping the future of Pilates by fostering a true global community.”
SOCIAL MEDIA, DIGITAL FITNESS, AND THE FUTURE OF PILATES
Online platforms, virtual training, livestream classes, and social media have introduced Pilates to audiences unimaginable twenty-five years ago.
At the same time, the PMA has had to evolve alongside those technologies.
“The landscape has changed dramatically,” Hull-Lampkin said. “Technology has amplified the PMA’s mission: to unify the global Pilates community, uphold professional standards, and ensure the method continues to evolve without losing sight of its roots.”
Yet both women stressed that standards matter more than ever.
For programs seeking ITTAP approval, online education alone is not enough. Oversight, testing, and adherence to educational guidelines remain critical components of preserving quality and safety.
“Preserving lineage is not about limiting creativity,” Stevenson said. “It is about maintaining high standards while allowing the method to evolve responsibly.”
She also emphasized the importance of expanding access to Pilates education itself.
“I would also like the PMA to continue to embrace those who wish to teach and practice the Pilates Method,” Stevenson said. “Just as Pilates is now available to all, so should the opportunity to study and learn the Pilates method.”
The PMA is currently working toward establishing a scholarship fund to support future teacher training opportunities.
PROTECTING THE FUTURE OF THE METHOD
Looking twenty-five years ahead, both leaders hope the PMA will be remembered as an organization that protected the essence of Pilates while guiding it confidently into the future.
A profession rooted in movement.
A global community connected through education.
And a method that continues to transform lives through the timeless principles of Contrology.
As Pilates enters its next era, the PMA’s mission appears more relevant than ever: preserving the past while preparing the profession for the future.
INVITATION
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