I have always said that the key to life is balance, and that couldn’t be more true than the concept of Pinot and Pilates.
Taking the movements of pilates and pairing them with the best wines around, makes for the perfect exercise experience.
Lead by the beautiful Laura, the class is fun, uplifting, and exactly what 2020 needed.
So what is the class all about and what will it look like as we come out of lockdown?
I had the pleasure of chatting with Laura to find out what we can expect …
How did the idea for Pinot & Pilates come to fruition? And what does a class entail?
A few years ago, I started an events company called Eight Elements. With the impacts of Covid-19 and lockown restrictions I was forced to temporarily close Eight Elements and increased my workload in the virtual Pilates space.
I was highly motivated by the response to wellness during this time and found myself practicing and teaching more often.
As a Pinot-loving Pilates instructor, I was practicing some of my own Pilates one Covid Friday with a bottle of Pinot, and right there, at that moment the Pinot Pilates concept was born. I remember thinking at the time that it would be a perfect incentive to add the wine for a couple of my clients and then started practicing with the bottle as the weight and the glass to challenge balance.
With what was meant to be a 4-week virtual series, the response to Pinot Pilates was so exciting that I am now continuing the virtual event series for the remainder of 2020.
What can attendees expect – and how much of a workout are they getting?
Throughout each session we have Pinot time, where we group together for discussions, and Pilates time, where we work out. The classes are designed for beginners, but you will work for that wine.
You have teamed up with some amazing local wineries – will you continue collaborating with local businesses?
I have some really exciting partnerships planned for the coming months. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed bringing the spotlight to local winemakers and local businesses. Supporting local is something I am very passionate about, and I will continue to team up with other amazing brands so that the Pinot Pilates goers can continue to learn new things and have new experiences with the Pinot Pilates sessions.
Now that we are (finally) coming out of lockdown will the classes remain both online and in person?
It is such an exciting time for all of us. I am going to be offering both online and in person classes, however, the in person classes won’t have the Pinot included just yet.
From next week I will be running Pilates in the Park, teaching instructional Pilates for small groups. Next year I will introduce in person Pinot Pilates sessions in destination locations. I am so excited to see so many faces in person.
What do you hope people get from the class?
Ultimately this class is designed to bring people together to have fun! Whether they are experienced with Pilates or more experience on the Pinot front, these sessions are designed for you to have a workout, while sharing some laughs over a glass of wine!
What is your favourite Pinot Noir?
A personal favourite is Rob Dolan White Label Pinot Noir.
Living in Warrandyte the Rob Dolan cellar door is quite literally my local bottle shop. Not only do they have an incredible setting, but they also make some incredible wines – the Pinot being no exception to this.
