Amanda Owens, studio owner
Senior Instructor Trainer for Romana's Pilates lv3
Amanda Owens has devoted more than two decades to the disciplined study and teaching of Classical Pilates. After moving to Dallas in 2005, she committed herself fully to the rigorous certification process of Romana’s Pilates, completing her training and earning her Level 4 designation in 2009.
That same year, Amanda purchased Park Cities Pilates Center and began cultivating a studio grounded in precision, integrity, and uncompromising standards. Under her leadership, the studio has grown into one of the most respected Classical Pilates environments in Dallas.
In 2016, Amanda was promoted to a Level 3 instructor — a distinction reflecting advanced mastery within the Romana system — and today leads the only Romana’s Pilates teacher training center in the Southwest. This designation carries both honor and responsibility: to preserve the method exactly as it was taught.
Deeply rooted in the lineage of Romana Kryzanowska, protégée of Joseph Pilates, Amanda continues her education through advanced seminars and ongoing study at training centers across the country. She regularly brings master instructors to Dallas to elevate the knowledge and skill of her team and to support the continued development of Classical Pilates instructors throughout the region.
Her work is defined by clarity, strength, and fidelity to the original system — ensuring that both clients and teachers experience Pilates as it was intended: exacting, transformative, and enduring.
Susan Kim, Studio Manager
Instructor Trainer with Romana's Pilates lv4, Lessons in Korean
Susan Kim was born in South Korea, raised in California, and moved to Dallas in 2012. With a background in Fashion Design and over fourteen years in the apparel industry, she brings discipline, structure, and attention to detail to her work.
After experiencing the transformative impact of Classical Pilates during her postpartum recovery, Susan committed to the rigorous certification program of Romana’s Pilates. In 2023, she was appointed a Level 4 Teacher Trainer by Sari Mejia Santo and Daria Pace — a distinction reflecting technical mastery and trust within the Romana lineage.
She continues advanced study and mentorship with Juanita Lopez, Rhonda Celenza, Sari Mejia Santo, and Daria Pace to deepen her knowledge and uphold the integrity of the original system. She teaches with clarity, strength, and fidelity to the method, guiding both clients and teacher trainees with confidence and precision.
Emily McDaniel
Senior Pilates Instructor
Emily began running cross country and track almost 20 years ago. During college at UT, she continued to run 5K, 10K and half marathon races. After graduating in 2001 with a BS in Chemical Engineering, she moved to Dallas and worked in the corporate world for 7 years and kept running as a hobby. Emily found Pilates in 2009 after a knee injury ended her running. From the very first lesson, she knew she had found a new obsession! Pilates combines the discipline, strength and athleticism of running with graceful movements and full body workouts. Emily loves teaching and sharing her love of Pilates with her clients.
Roxana Emami
Senior Pilates Instructor
Power Pilates in 2005, returned to Parkcities Pilates in 2013 and completed her certification with Romana’s Pilates. Roxana is also a Yoga teacher based on 200-hour certification program from Gaia Flow and a licensed massage therapist from Sterling school of massage in Dallas TX.
Mary Beth Leal
Pilates Instructor
Lauren Perella Wilson
Pilates Instructor
Lauren was born and raised in Dallas, TX and attended Highland Park High School, just around the corner. Lauren graduated from the University of Alabama with a Fashion Merchandising degree and spent almost 11 years with Neiman Marcus in the buying office and then the marketing sector before leaving and becoming a mom to her young son Knox.
In 2018, Lauren became a certified yoga instructor while in the corporate world. She has always had a passion for helping others and teaching. After suffering a fractured pelvis at the end of 2019, she had to take time off and recover. She was first introduced to Pilates through her mother who has been taking classes at Park Cities Pilates for almost 20 years. Lauren credits Classical Pilates for helping her regain her strength and flexibility and changing her mindset. Her injury and postpartum still limits her from doing certain exercises, but she only continues to get stronger. With her love of teaching and helping others, Lauren is excited to join the Park Cities Pilates team.
Kathryn Alexander
Pilates Instructor
Kathryn was introduced to Romana’s Pilates at age fourteen, through ballet when she trained in the Dallas–Fort Worth area under Paul Mejia, son of Romana Kryzanowska. That early immersion in the lineage instilled in her a deep respect for discipline and exacting standards.
Now a Level 5 instructor within the Romana system, Kathryn teaches with advanced technical command and progression-based clarity. As a former ballet dancer, she understands both performance demands and injury recovery, valuing the alignment, durability, and strength the system develops.
Committed to mastery, Kathryn takes weekly private lessons, attends monthly workshops, and multiple continuing education seminars a year to continually refine her understanding of the method. Her work reflects precision, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to the integrity of Classical Pilates.
Grace Alexander
Pilates Instructor
Grace was introduced to Romana’s Pilates at the age of fourteen through her ballet training under Paul Mejia, son of Romana Kryzanowska. That early immersion in the lineage instilled in her a deep respect for discipline, technical precision, and the uncompromising standards of the original method.
Now a Level 5 instructor within the Romana system, Grace teaches with advanced progression-based clarity and technical command. As a former ballet dancer who trained, performed, and taught across multiple states, she understands the demands of high-level performance and values the structured strength, alignment, and control the system develops.
Born in Japan and raised in a military family, Grace developed resilience and adaptability from an early age. North Texas remains her home base, though her experiences living in multiple states broadened her perspective and strengthened her appreciation for disciplined mentorship.
Committed to mastery, Grace takes weekly private lessons and participates in multiple advanced workshops and seminars each year to continually refine her understanding of the system. Her work reflects precision, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to the integrity of Classical Pilates.
Julie Zhang
Pilates Instructor
Julie, originally from China, moved to California to pursue a degree in Materials Science Engineering at UC Irvine. In 2019, she relocated to Dallas to continue her graduate education at SMU, where she advanced her engineering studies. Fluent in both Mandarin Chinese and English, Julie is able to connect with a diverse group of clients.
In 2021, after struggling with a herniated disk, Julie was introduced to Romana Pilates as a way to address her injury. The experience not only helped alleviate her discomfort but also ignited a deep passion for Pilates. She has since embraced Pilates as an integral part of her fitness routine and decided to pursue formal training and certification to share its benefits with others. Julie is incredibly excited to share her knowledge and help others experience the physical and mental benefits of Pilates, just as it has positively impacted her life.
Outside of teaching at PCPC, Julie enjoys spending time on the Katy Trail and relaxing with a cup of coffee at a nearby café.
Tatiana Angustia
Pilates Instructor
Tatiana grew up in Plano and was a childhood actress at the Dallas Theater Center. After high school, she left to explore the world, seeking adventure and new experiences. Her experiences include working with a sea turtle conservation program in Bali, teaching English in Italy, and participating in ocean cleanup efforts in Portugal. After her mother suffered two diabetic strokes, Tatiana returned home to care for her. Witnessing firsthand her mother’s loss of independence, Tatiana decided to devote her life to helping others prioritize health and movement. Tatiana, a self-described biohacker, is passionate about combining Pilates with biohacking to optimize performance, nutrition, recovery, and mindfulness for better strength, flexibility, and overall wellness. For her, health isn’t just about lifespan it’s about health span. More years mean little without quality health, and she’s committed to helping others live not just longer, but better.
Michelle Hoffman
Senior Pilates Instructor
Michelle Hoffman came to Pilates in her mid-20s looking for a way to look better physically. She had spent her childhood and college years playing team sports, and wanted to have a leaner physique. She loved Pilates so much as an exercise regimen that she started to eliminate other forms of exercise she had been doing for over a decade- indoor soccer, heavy weightlifting and kickboxing- to see how Pilates could and would change her body. Her passion became her profession through a series of serendipitous encounters, and Michelle was soon working on her first certification with a master instructor outside of Boulder, Colorado. Michelle has been teaching Pilates for almost ten years now since 1993, but in truth, has had Pilates in her own body for almost 20. She decided to return to Pilates education in 2009 and immerse herself in Romana’s Pilates, as it carries on the traditions from the early beginnings of the art. Throughout her journey, Michelle has seen the benefits Pilates has brought aesthetically and physically to her body and life to provide her with strength, flexibility, and endurance for all her daily challenges. She is more than capable of helping you find your own path in Pilates for good health!
