Instructors

 

Samantha Ingram

Samantha is a lifelong mover that discovered Classical Pilates in 2009 and was instantly hooked. With increased body awareness and greater muscle control, she was able to see how The Method made every other activity more efficient whether it was working long night shift hours or doing a 6 round boxing workout.  Inspired to investigate further, she completed Urban Body Studios 700 - hour teacher training program in 2013. Since completing her initial training she has enjoyed learning from some of the best instructors in the world to keep her skill set fresh and up to date.

She created Align Movement Design in 2017 as a place to explore The Method further with her mentor, Patricia Russell, and bring Pilates in its truest form to all that are interested.  Samantha enjoys working with clients of all ages and abilities to design more efficient movement patterns using the Classical Pilates Method. She also enjoys inspiring her clients to explore new ways of moving and work safely outside their comfort zone while being mindful of their individual abilities and goals. By providing honest feedback in a down to earth style, Samantha strives for her students to be consistent, enthusiastic, and have a sense of humor about their body’s Pilates journey. Her goal when you leave your lesson is for you to feel stronger and uplifted with a better awareness of your body.

Training / Education:

  • B.A., University of Georgia, 2007

  • Urban Body Studios teacher training with Penelope Wyer-Barrow, 2012

  • Completed Classical Progressions with Karen Frischmann, 2021

  • Continued mentorship with Patricia Russell, Karen Frischmann and Joel Crosby

Patricia Russell

Patricia Russell has over 40 years of experience training and teaching choreography, dance, yoga and Pilates in NYC. She first began practicingPilates as a teenager, in combination with modern dance training. Following a successful career teaching dance and choreography at the high school and professional levels, she also studied Tai Chi, yoga, meditation, therapeutic yoga and the healing arts of Reflexology, Reiki and Polarity.

Prior to joining Align Movement Design, Patricia was a lead instructor (10 years) and teacher trainer (5 years) at Urban Body Studios in Atlanta Georgia. She studied and taught at the Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy in NYC. She continues her training in Classical Pilates and Yoga (specifically Iyengar); participating in workshops, conferences, and classes with luminaries in the field.

Patricia’s teaching threads her varied modalities to ensure that everyone she works with has a positive experience, moves, and discovers their inner sanctuary. This vision is the cornerstone of the teaching philosophy of Align Movement Design. Patricia loves movement, watching people move, and assisting and guiding folks to move. To this end, her love of body alignment, and particular interest in correcting misalignments, drives Patricia to guide people to become stronger, further their physical awareness, and increase their mind-body connection.

Training / Education

  • B.A. in Dance and Psychology, Brooklyn College M.A. in Dance Education, NYU

  • Advanced Classical Progressions (2023)

  • Eric Franklin Level One (2020)

  • Pilates Advanced Training (2017) Yoga Medical Classes (2016) TRX (2011)

  • Pilates Apparatus (2007)

  • Thai Yoga Massage (2005)

  • Mat Certification (2004)

  • RPP Polarity(2000) Reiki 2nd Degree (1997)

  • Reflexology (1996)

  • Reflexology (1996)

  • Yoga (1994)

Notable Pilates instructors and mentors have included: Karen Frischmann, Jay Grimes, Noam Gagnon, Dana Santi, Brooke Siler, Kathi Ross-Nash, Mari Windsor, Joel Crosby and Chris Robinson.

Notable Yoga instructors have included: Katheen Pringle, Nancy Mau, Kquvien DeWeese, Scott Schrader, Manouso Manos, Nishit Patel, Sandra Anderson and Rolf Sovik.

 

Amber Runyan

Amber’s love of movement started early. She first discovered ballet at a young age and continued to pursue it as a professional career as both a performer and teacher. As part of her ballet training, she was introduced to Pilates while at Pacific Northwest Ballet School in Seattle, Washington. Through her Pilates practice, she was able to improve her strength, alignment, body control, and ultimately her dancing.

Upon relocating to the Atlanta area in 2012, she joined The Georgia Ballet and had the opportunity to expand her range as an artist performing in both classical and contemporary works. Amber was inspired to become a Pilates instructor after meeting Samantha Ingram and Patricia Russell at Urban Body Studios. In 2020, she completed her 600-hour comprehensive training through Energy Form Alignment under the direction of Patricia Russell.

She continues to train alongside her mentors and participates in continuing education with top instructors in the field. Amber has been honing her eye for detail throughout her dance career and brings that experience into her sessions with her clients. She enjoys helping those she works with to discover new things about their bodies as well as more efficient ways of moving. She strives to be a positive and encouraging partner in her clients’ Pilates journey and believes that everyone has the ability to improve their wellbeing through movement.