About Pilates Connection Chicago

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Joseph H. Pilates was born in Germany in 1883. A sickly child who suffered from asthma, rickets, and rheumatic fever, he dedicated his entire life to becoming physically stronger. Joe studied body building and gymnastics and by the age of 14 was fit enough to pose for anatomical charts. 

In 1914 he moved to England, earning a living as a boxer, circus performer and self-defense trainer. During World War I he was interned in England with other German citizens, where he trained other inmates in fitness and exercises. It was here that the beginnings of the Pilates Method began to take shape. After the war, Pilates emigrated to the United States.

On the ship to America, he met his future wife, Clara. The couple founded a studio in New York City and directly taught their students into the 1960s. Pilates and his method, which he and Clara called “Contrology,” developed a following in the dance and the performing arts communities. Pilates considered Contrology to be the complete coordination of the body, mind, and spirit. Well-known dancers George Balanchine, Martha Graham, and Ruth St. Dennis became devotees and sent their students to Joe and Clara for training. 

Pilates practiced what he preached and lived a long, healthy life. He died in 1967 at the age of 83. Today, Pilates is practiced around the world by athletes, dancers, fitness professionals, as well as the general public.