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Ken Gilbert

Ken Gilbert

 
Ken Gilbert, MA, teaches Integrating Pilates (Standing, Barre, & Seated) and Nia Classes in Santa Barbara at The Dance Hub (American Dance & Music). Currently,
Read More all his classes are live streamed from The Dance Hub. He teaches Spine Corrector Classes and Private Pilates Sessions at theSPACE (a shared Classic Pilates Studio on Victoria Street) as well as Zoom Classes and Sessions from his home.

Living in Santa Barbara, Ken owns ken gilbert | EMBODYMENT, Somatic Education in Body-Centered Movement. Ken is a 1st Generation Teacher of The Ron Fletcher Work™ (now Fletcher Pilates) which established him as a 2nd Generation Teacher of Joe Pilates. Ken has evolved his Pilates practice into his program of Integrating Pilates based on the fundamentals inherent of the work of Joseph H. Pilates, The Ron Fletcher Work™, and Nia® (Movement arts fitness, training, and lifestyle). Ken is a former First Generation Nia Trainer training Nia White, Green, and Blue Belts along with teaching Nia FreeDance.

Ken initiated his somatic journey into self-awareness, realization, and actualization in 1983; particularly when he began Reichian Therapy in 1986, and training in Hakomi, Body-Centered Psychotherapy. In 1987, Ken decided to take responsibility for his health, well-being, and fitness when he received a professionally traded membership at Santa Barbara Athletic Club; he initiated his fitness career working for 20 years at the Club (low and high impact, hi/lo impact, step, slide, Spinning, weighted workout and Pilates). During that time, he worked 7 years with the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) as a Primary Certification Specialist. He also worked with clients one-on-one using the Personal Training principles of the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

He became a Pilates Teacher in 1995 and in 1996 he met Ron Fletcher, with whom he studied for 10 years finding the depth, dimensionality, and expressivity of detail in spinal mechanics "for the body, mind, breath, and spirit." From Ron he learned how to live in the spirit of moving in the details of each breath and to teach each movement based on "What's it for . . .". In 1997, Ken began his study and work with Debbie Rosas and Carlos AyaRosas, co-creators of Nia®, where he enhanced his understanding and development of dynamic systemic movement (body, mind, emotion and spirit). He became a Nia Black Belt in 2003 and from 2005 – 2016 he was one of the International Nia Faculty Trainers facilitating Workshops, Master Classes, and Nia White, Green and Blue Belts in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Canada, Italy, and the United States.

In addition to his fitness/health career, he is a body-centered actor, director and producer in the theatre. Expressivity has always been a part of Ken's life journey when he discovered Dramatic Arts in 1971, first at Sacramento State College and then at the University of California, Davis, where he received in MA. His Master of Arts thesis project was a written documentation of the academic and performance development of his one-man staged performance of This Sound of Being Alone: A search and portrait of Albert Camus' 'Absurd Man' – the Actor, Caligula (from Camus' play) and Meursault (from Camus' THE STRANGER).. In 1991, Ken created his own theater company with his wife, E. Bonnie Lewis, and now, in Santa Barbara, he is actively working with DramaDogs, a Theater Company.
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