About

Esperanza, Owner

I am a mama, daughter, tía, sister, prima, partner, Xicana, Arab-American, and second-generation San Franciscan respectfully residing on stolen Yelamu Ohlone land. I have worked with BIPOC, LGBTQIA, and immigrant pilates teachers throughout 20 years of my own pilates practice. Despite this, I often rejected the healing benefits of this exercise because of the way in which it’s been taught.

The expectation to move in a prescribed way made me feel captive in my body. So, I founded nueva era pilates to expel the idea that Western-patriarchal standards of fitness are integral to exercise. When we work together, you experience how connecting with your strength through pilates exercise undeniably supports your healing.

“The more I studied and learned pilates, the more it became clear that the power does not lie in the exercise nor the teacher. It is simply in us: our muscles, our bodies, and our minds.”

The Studio

Individual and small group sessions are in my home gym in Mission Terrace, between San Francisco’s Excelsior and Glen Park neighborhoods.

Virtual or on-site sessions may also be available on case-by-case basis.

  • Accessible by BART and MUNI with a 5-15 min walk

  • Bike parking in protected area

  • Dedicated car parking spot

Exact address is provided upon confirmation of your session time.

Individual sessions for beginners generally begin laying down on the raised mat or the reformer machine. Using my understanding of your needs and how you’re moving each session, I design your workout to help you deepen your ability to safely and effectively move your body in and out of the studio.

Pilates machines help support and explore your body’s diverse needs during exercise. The reformer, tower, chair and various pilates props are available for use during private sessions. We will explore how they can be both supportive and challenging all at once.

The nueva era pilates Experience

  • "Esperanza has changed the way I view my strength. I never thought I would say that as a personal trainer, body builder and boxer.

    Ricardo V.

  • "Learning to breathe through discomfort has been the greatest benefit for me."

    Vik A.

  • “I learn something new about my body every session."

    Jeanne R.

Book a session

Ready to begin your journey with nueva era pilates?

Fill out this form and click Submit. We’ll get back to you within two business days by email.

For individual sessions:

  • payment will be collected at the start of your session via cash, Zelle, venmo or paypal.

  • you may provide your cell phone if you prefer a text reply.

  • provide two dates and times you are available during these time blocks:

    > Sunday & Sat AM

    > Monday PM

    >Tuesday

    > Wednesday and Friday midday

    > need another time? No guarantees, but feel free to ask.

 FAQs

  • Pilates is helpful to bodies of all ages. We currently work with bodies 18 years old and up. We use pilates equipment and soft props to support bodies that need a gentler experience due to injury, age or preference.

  • Nope. Doesn’t matter! This exercise is for every body. Individual sessions are tailored to your specific needs. Share your goals or limitations with us in your booking request to get the most out of your experience.

  • If you are under active medical care (physical therapist, specialists, pre or post op), please provide a note from your doctor that states you are able to do pilates exercise. We welcome their recommendations to do specific types of exercises or to focus on an area of the body. Share our email with your medical professional, nuevaerapilates@gmail.com

    If you are not under active medical care and suffer from chronic illness or pain, pilates exercise when taught by an appropriately trained and experienced instructor can drastically reduce your discomfort and support your healing. Send us as much information about as you would like in your booking form. We’ll let you know how we can work together.

  • Anything you are comfortable exercising in. We are 100% body positive.

    Pilates exercise is done without shoes on. If you prefer to wear socks, socks with silicone grips (search for grippy socks or pilates socks) are best. Barefeet are also ok.

    Loose shorts or loose pants may not be best as many sessions include laying down and standing up to transition to different exercises.

    Avoid hardware, zippers or accessories that could damage equipment upholstery when lying down on your back or tummy.

  • You will feel different at the end of your first session, and most will start to feel lasting effects after 4-8 sessions.

    If you are new to pilates exercise (or any exercise) we recommend sticking to weekly routine. Tell us your goals and we’ll work with you to create a plan.

    More experienced movers may benefit from 1-2 sessions per month. Again, this depends on your goals and health.

  • Joseph Pilates used his own experience with chronic illness and studied yoga, body building, injured soldiers and natural movements of animals to create pilates exercise in the early 20th century. An immigrant to New York fleeing early Nazi Germany, his exercise gained notoriety among professional dancers for its ability to rehab serious injuries completely and leave dancers stronger than they were pre injury.

    Joe named his exercises, “contrology,” the study of control. Some pilates practitioners today still practice his original contrology routines. However, the concept of controlling our minds and bodies during exercise are part of nueva era pilates as well.

    He also designed individual workouts for each of his clients. He was an inventor and designed new equipment to train and rehab a wide range of conditions, often tailoring the design of a prop to one client’s body.

  • There are many different schools of pilates around the world. Nearly all of them have a connection to the original Joseph Pilates through the instructors he personally trained in his method (also referred to as “lineage”). Kathy Stanford Grant and Lolita San Miguel were two of Joseph’s original trainees, Black and Latina respectively. For most of their careers, they spread the benefits of pilates exercise, training thousands of students, without much notoriety. During the same time, the dominant image of pilates (that persists today) was that white women and men, specifically thin dancers, and those conforming to their ideologies were the experts on the subject.

    In many ways, the present day influence of whiteness on pilates has lessened. Black Girl Pilates is a collective of Black pilates instructors offering resources and support to BIPOC trainees and business owners. Fringe Pilates is an east coast studio centering BIPOC and LGBTQIA communities in their business.

    nueva era pilates takes inspiration from all of their work and continues the effort to spread health and strength to BIPOC, LGBTQIA and immigrant communities through pilates exercise.

    Kathy Grant and her pilates philosophy:

    https://www.kathygrantpilates.com/

    https://carareeserpilates.com/heritage-training/#participants-list-1

    Lolita San Miguel and her pilates philosophy:

    https://www.lolitapilates.com/

    Black Girl Pilates:

    https://www.blackgirlpilates.com/

    Fringe Pilates:

    https://www.fringepilates.com/

  • Similar to yoga or personal training cetrifications, each school of pilates has slightly different requirements for certifying instructors. Some are only online based, some in person, and so on.

    My personal pilates practice spans 20 years and primarily includes instruction from Kathy Grant and Romana’s teaching lineages. I have taught group and private sessions for five years. I unofficially completed 1575 hours of a 2100-hour Romana’s style classical apprenticeship prior to beginning the Balanced Body comprehensive teacher training certification.

    Under Balanced Body’s comprehensive teacher training, I was required to

    • take over 160 hours of in-person training courses focused on: body anatomy; movement and training principles; and teaching pilates with/out pilates machines and props

    • complete 220 teaching hours

    • complete 85 self-practice hours

    • complete 65 observation hours

    • teach a 1 hour private session observed by a Balance Body certified educator who either passes or fails my instruction

    • take a 100 question written test covering all the material from the training courses.

    To complete each in-person training course, you must pass a test and receive a certificate of completion. With this certificate you can teach the pilates exercises covered in the course. I began this certification in 2024 and will be certified by mid 2025.

    I am also seeking National Comprehensive Certification (NCPT). 

    Prior to teaching pilates, I worked as a licensed engineer in the construction industry. I have two engineering degrees. When appropriate, I enjoy providing geometry and physics-based descriptions to help you understand how to functionally move your body.

  • Sessions before noon: please reschedule or cancel your session 12 hours before your session time to avoid paying for the full session.

    Sessions after noon: please cancel or reschedule your session 6 hours before your session time to avoid paying for the full session.