About Us
Our team aspires to make Pilates accessible to everybody and to cherish bio-individuality.
Founded by a PhD in Physical Therapy
With over 30 years of experience in rehabilitation and movement science, Brent is passionate about the power positive movement experiences have in changing the world.
Early in his career as a Physical Therapist he discovered the power and efficacy of Joseph Pilates mind-body work to expedite rehabilitation outcomes. This early testament to the power of the Pilates Method inspired him to create a program that merged the worlds of traditional rehabilitation with the mindful movement that Pilates provides. It also spurred the development of Polestar’s evidenced-based Pilates teacher training curriculum.
In an effort to add to the evidence of Pilates, Brent pursued a doctoral degree researching the impact of Pilates rehabilitation on chronic low back pain using psycho-emotional wellness and quality of life measures.
Brent is the creator and host of the Pilates Hour podcast, featuring case studies and in-depth reviews of movement science topics with expert guests from a variety of fields. Brent is an Assistant Professor at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in the DPT department in Miami, FL. He teaches as an adjunct professor in the Physical Therapy departments at the University of Miami, University of Southern California, and New York University.
Brent is dedicated to sharing Pilates with the world and is an active consultant for hospitals, universities, and wellness organizations internationally. He is also an avid public speaker, lecturing at health conferences and forums worldwide. Brent has always been deeply involved in community service and has volunteered on many boards within the community, profession and faith, in line with his desire to impact the world one person at a time.
Shelly Power
BS, NCPT
Vice President
Shelly is a senior Polestar faculty member teaching nationally and internationally, and works closely with the Polestar licensees and senior educators.
As a frequent presenter at international fitness and Pilates conferences, Shelly brings a unique and fresh approach to the work of Joseph Pilates. She has been a pioneer of the Polestar curriculum since 1990 conducting Pilates workshops and Polestar Educator trainings around the world.
She served on the PMA Board of Directors from 2013-to 2019, and has served on various PMA committees focused on improving the quality of Pilates education including as a Subject Matter Expert for the PMA Certification Exam, now National Pilates Certification Exam since 2011.
Her early career included dancing professionally for 12 years with the Sacramento-based modern dance company Dale Scholl Dance/Art. Shelly received her BS degree in Dance from California State University, Sacramento, where she also served on the faculty from 1992 to 1998.
She studied Pilates and worked as a physical therapy aide with Polestar President Brent Anderson at his first clinic, Anderson Physical Therapy, in their native Sacramento for 7 years, and later moved with Polestar to Miami in 1998.
Shelly is the co-founder of Polestar Pilates Center Miami, a Pilates conditioning, rehabilitation, and physical therapy studio in Miami, Florida.
Shelly has a certification in GYROTONIC®, having trained with Angela Crowley, and has completed the first year of Franklin-Method® training with Eric Franklin. She has been a member of the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS), is a member of the Pilates Method Alliance, and is a Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher.
Active in over 40 Countries
Find Your TerritoryOur exclusive representative in GCC, GEORGIA, ARMENIA
Connect pilates studio
Mari Chirinashvili, a remarkable individual whose transformative personal journey led her to become the founder of Connect Pilates Studio and the exclusive representative of Polestar education in the GCC. After 19 successful years in a corporate career, Mari faced health challenges that prompted her to seek a more holistic and sustainable approach to life and well-being.
Driven by her own experiences and a deep desire to embrace natural healing methods, Mari made the courageous decision to leave her corporate job behind and embark on a new path as a health and wellness coach. During this transformative phase of her life, she encountered Pilates and experienced its profound impact firsthand.
Through her dedication to personal growth and commitment to helping others, Mari realized the immense potential of Pilates in fostering physical and mental well-being. Inspired by her personal journey to recovery, she channeled her passion into establishing Connect Pilates Studio, a haven where individuals could embark on their own transformative fitness journeys.
WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE
We are the first Polestar Pilates studio and the Polestar Teacher Training center in the GCC. Our methods are based on the most sustainable (holistic) approach to the human body, mind and spirit which is how we do it supported by the latest groundbreaking medical research.
Our priority is the well-being of our clients and teachers. We are the first Pilates studio in Dubai that has developed an in-house team of teachers working exclusively for us! All of our teachers are Polestar-educated and well-experienced; we use only licensed Polestar Reformer equipment.
OUR TEAM
Kseniya Mishchenko
Certified Polestar Pilates Instructor and movement specialist from Moscow with over 5 years of experience. Kseniya has also served as a mentor and educator for various Polestar training courses in Russia. She has a deep understanding of movement and has completed the first 2 years of a 4-year Feldenkrais training program. Kseniya has also worked as an interpreter for Anatomy Trains courses, Franklin method, James Earls workshops, and Feldenkrais Training programs in Moscow. She believes in a holistic approach and sees Pilates as a way to improve overall well-being.
Karina
Karina is a Polestar Certified Pilates instructor with a background in ballroom dancing and modern dance styles. During her 3 years of experience in Moscow she led private and group classes, working with her clients to improve biomechanics, posture and body function. In her classes you will build awareness and a deeper understanding of your body
Christina Smith
Karina is a Polestar Certified Pilates instructor with a background in ballroom dancing and modern dance styles. During her 3 years of experience in Moscow she led private and group classes, working with her clients to improve biomechanics, posture and body function. In her classes you will build awareness aChristina Smith is originally from Germany is a fully certified Polestar Pilates Instructor with over 10 year experience in Pilates Mat, Reformer and Cadillac. Her vision as a Pilates instructor is to bring Pilates to every-BODY despite your age, shape or limitations!nd a deeper understanding of your body
Polestar Pilates
Our teachers at Polestar Pilates are real-world movement professionals. They bring extensive knowledge into the classroom to share with new generations of Pilates instructors. They are educators, mentors, movement masters, rehabilitation professionals, passionate scholars, and devoted teachers. All Polestar faculty serve as role models and guides, setting the high bar of excellence that is Polestar’s legacy.