Meet Our Team
About
Pilates and Barre with Grace are a friendly and highly educated team of professionals, who tailor workouts to suit your needs. Read below to see why they made teaching Pilates their career.
Graci-Marie Sims
Graci first began her Pilates journey whilst dancing full time. Pilates was an integral part of her training as it helped strengthen and condition her body, and assisted her training as a dancer. Then a few years later after she completed her Associate Diploma as a Cecchetti Ballet teacher, she decided to become a qualified Pilates instructor.
Graci has currently been teaching Pilates and Barre for many years now and is excited to share her knowledge and love for Pilates and Barre with everyone.
She is passionate in helping people move and feel better about themselves and is excited to open ‘Pilates and Barre with Grace,‘ as a space for anyone and everyone, from absolute beginners to advanced levels. She wants to create a space of wellness for the community, for people to feel empowered to improve and become stronger. Not only stronger in their muscles but creating a stronger connection within the body AND mind.
Graci creates classes that are fun whilst also challenging. She can cater all sessions around injuries and pre- and post-natal. She also enjoys incorporating stretching and breathing techniques at the end of classes to help calm the mind before returning to the general busy and stressful lives we live.
The benefits of Pilates and Barre are endless, and Graci encourages everyone to give it a go.
Carmen Sims
Carmen's daughter introduced her to Pilates when she was struggling with excruciating sciatic nerve pain down her right leg, which kept her awake most nights and limited her ability to walk without pain. Since starting Pilates, Carmen has experienced a remarkable transformation. The once debilitating pain has vanished, allowing her to enjoy long walks with ease. Not only has she regained her mobility, but she has also become fitter and stronger.
Inspired by her own journey, Carmen has become a Pilates instructor, eager to share the benefits she has discovered with others who may be facing similar challenges.
Kimberly Thomas
Kim discovered Pilates in early 2023 after spending hours at her desk creating wedding invitations. With a sore back and her wedding approaching, she decided to give it a go, and was soon hooked!
After a year of feeling stronger, more balanced and happier, Kim completed her Reformer Pilates training to help others experience those same benefits.
Now part of the team at Pilates and Barre with Grace, Kim loves teaching alongside her fellow instructors and connecting with the studio’s fun, supportive members. She hopes to help every client discover how movement can build strength, lift their mood and grow their confidence.
Kristy Russell
Kristy has naturally been immersed within Pilates practises from her time spent growing
up as a dancer. After graduating from fulltime, attaining her Diploma in Dance, Kristy
wanted to develop & enhance her fitness journey that not only physically benefitted her
body, but also empowered her mentally.
Wanting to reignite her spark & passion for the fitness industry, Kristy began on the
journey to becoming a qualified Pilates Instructor.
Kristy is passionate & inspired to continue developing her education around Pilates
practises. One of Kristy’s main intentions is for anybody & everybody to feel safe,
challenged & motivated to explore their movement within her classes. Whether it is your
very 1ST or 100TH class, Kristy is excited to be a part of each & every client’s fitness
journey’s.
Mitsuki Otaka
Mitsuki started her Pilates instructing journey back in January, and what began as something to make her feel stronger and more balanced, turned into a genuine love and passion for the practice.
Alongside teaching, Mitsuki is also studying midwifery and nursing, and that background plays a big part in how she teaches. She’s spent a lot of time learning about the body, about care and about really listening to people, and she brings all of that energy into every class.
Mitsuki is very passionate about creating a space where everyone feels welcome, no matter where they’re starting their Pilates journey from. Whether you’re brand new to Pilates or you’ve been doing it for a year, she wants you to walk in feeling supported and walk out feeling stronger and more confident than when you arrived.
For Mitsuki it’s about so much more than a workout, it’s about building a space and community where people feel good in both their body and mind.
No matter where you’re at in your fitness journey, Mitsuki cannot wait to move alongside you and be part of it!
Courtney Crawford
Courtney first discovered Pilates four years ago while looking for a way to manage chronic back pain. What she found was so much more than physical relief. She found a welcoming community and a deeper connection with her body and mind.
With a background in Health Sciences, Courtney realised that while corporate work was a path she had followed, it wasn’t bringing her a true sense of purpose or peace. Pilates felt like the missing link, and her desire to share that love inspired her to qualify as a Reformer instructor and choose a path that truly nourished her soul.
Passionate about creating a warm and supportive environment, Courtney strives to help people feel comfortable, confident and empowered. Her relaxed, down-to-earth energy brings plenty of giggles, genuine connection and fun to every class.
Blending purposeful challenge with a mindful approach, she helps clients connect their mind, body and breath while building functional strength.
Courtney loves watching people surprise themselves, build confidence and leave class feeling stronger, refreshed and more connected.
