Our Instructors

Meet The Classic Pilates Center Team

Classic Pilates Center is a female owned small business in Wixom, MI. Our passion for the Pilates method is evident in how we teach, practice, and promote it within our community.

Each studio instructor holds a classical Pilates certification and has worked at our studio for 3 years or more! Our instructor team works as a close knit community and looks forward to sharing our Pilates passion with everyone that walks through our door.

Instructors

We don’t do Pilates to get better at Pilates—we do Pilates to get better at everything else.

Helena Shepherd, Co-Owner

Certification: The Pilates Studio Brasil 2010
Helena started her Pilates journey in Brazil where she completed a college degree in Personal Training. She was able to make Pilates a specialization after her degree and knew right away that it was what she wanted to do as a career. Soon after, she made Michigan her home and was excited to teach people how to move and live better through Pilates. More than a decade later, she has never lost interest and has continued to get deeper into the Pilates work while making a difference in people's well being.
Erica Larson, Co-Owner

Certification: STOTT Pilates 2008, Peak Pilates 2012
Erica found Pilates when healing from knee surgery in 2007. She was excited to find an activity that was gentle enough for recovery but progressed in difficulty as she progressed in strength. She joined a certification program less than a year later and never looked back! Pilates eventually became her full time career and she is still a passionate student of the method even 15+ years later. She finds immense reward in seeing the physical and mental improvements Pilates brings her clients.
Kim Leary, Instructor

Certification: Peak Pilates 2020
Kim has been doing Pilates for over 20 years. She loves the way it makes her body feel after she's done- it's like her body says, "Thank you" After raising children and becoming an empty nester, Kim felt she had time to complete a Pilates certification. Pilates is her passion and she enjoys making a difference in people's bodies. It's an investment in your future body! As Joseph Pilates said, "Change happens through movement and movement heals."
Judi Hernandez, Instructor

Certification: NPCP 2021
Judi first discovered Pilates in 2015 and was immediately captivated by the positive changes it brought to her body. Years of back strain from mild scoliosis eased in ways she never thought possible. A lifelong fitness enthusiast, she was amazed at the dramatic improvements Pilates offered, inspiring her to delve deeper into the practice and ultimately complete her Pilates Certification in 2021.
For Judi, Pilates is more than just exercise—it’s a holistic approach to building strength, flexibility, and resilience, not just for sports but for the everyday activities. After a successful career as a financial advisor, she is now dedicated to sharing her love for movement and its power to sustain us as we age.