Pilates Connection INstructors

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Level II Master Instructor Trainer

After a successful career as ballroom dancer, Rhonda Celenza was introduced to Pilates as an avenue to strengthen and enhance her dance skills. Her first Pilates lesson was with Romana Kryzanowksa. Rhonda was certified as a Romana’s Pilates International teacher in 1995. Her desire to teach and perpetuate the Pilates legacy led her to open The Pilates Connection in Evanston, IL, in 2005. 

Rhonda is a Level II Master Instructor and is the Midwest Region Director for Romana's Pilates International. She was personally chosen to become an Instructor trainer by Romana Kryzanowksa herself and studied for many years with Romana and with Juanita Lopez. Rhonda prepares all apprentice teachers for testing in the Romana’s Pilates International teaching method. 

Rhonda teaches private clients at Pilates Connection and leads Basic and Intermediate Seminars at Pilates Connection and studios throughout the Midwest. Rhonda is sought after as a teacher of teachers throughout the United States and the world.

Level IV Instructor Trainer

Co-Owner, Pilates Connection  

Andrea began studying Pilates in 1991 following a neck injury. She was excited by the improvement in her daily functioning that Pilates gave her and sought out a way to share this with others.  

Upon moving to Evanston, Andrea decided to leave the field of social work and began training under Rhonda Celenza and Juanita Lopez. She completed her training and became a certified instructor of Romana’s Pilates in 2007.  Andrea was promoted to Level IV Instructor Trainer in 2018.  

In 2023, Andrea and Dawn Friedman took over ownership of Pilates Connection Chicago. Andrea teaches private clients and leads the teacher-training program at Pilates Connection.

Level IV Instructor Trainer

Co-Owner, Pilates Connection  

A former professional dancer and dance teacher, Dawn was drawn to Pilates for the discipline of the method and its balance of strength and flexibility.  After receiving other Pilates certifications beginning in 2004, Dawn began studying with Rhonda Celenza and Juanita Lopez in 2010 and was certified as a Romana’s Pilates instructor in 2012. 

Dawn has taught at private studios as well as master classes and workshops for schools and college in the Midwest.

Dawn became a Level IV Instructor Trainer in 2022; with Andrea Versenyi, she became Co-Owner of Pilates Connection in 2023. Dawn feels grateful for a career that is personally challenging physically and mentally, allows her to help clients feel and move better, and helps to prepare the next generation of Pilates teachers.

Level IV Instructor Trainer

Chris found Pilates and immediately fell in love.  As an active person who loves skiing, tennis, and golf, nothing compared to how Pilates made her feel.  In fact, it made everything she loves to do easier, stronger, and more fun!

Chris began the Romana’s Pilates Instructor Training Program at Pilates Connection in Evanston in 2005 and feels that it prepared her, challenged her, and taught her everything she needed to know to become an instructor. She was certified in 2006.  Chris became a Level IV Instructor Trainer in 2022.

Chris has taught at Pilates Connection since 2007 and also owns and teaches at Pilates Studio 6 in Barrington. It’s the best job ever!

Senior Level V Instructor

After exploring many different exercise systems, Sheila discovered Pilates in 2005.  She was certified as a Romana’s Pilates Level V instructor by Juanita Lopez in 2017. Sheila was motivated to teach so that others might experience the benefits in health and well-being that she finds in the work.   

Sheila has taught Pilates at Hubbard Street Dance Center, Chicago, Classic Pilates, Oak Park, and Pilates Practice at Ruth Page Center for the Arts, Chicago.  She has an MAEA from DePaul University and an MFA from Plymouth University, UK.

Senior Level V Instructor

A lifelong athlete, Danielle has been studying Pilates since college. She has experience teaching many sports, from gymnastics to skiing to yoga. She loves how Pilates has helped her to be stronger, healthier, and more confident in her body and to overcome autoimmune issues.

Danielle enjoys working with clients of all ages, learning styles, and physical challenges; it has taught her patience, compassion, and adaptability. She says  she learns every day from each person. 

Danielle became a Romana's Pilates Instructor in 2014, certified by Juanita Lopez. Danielle is grateful for this wonderful community of amazing teachers, mentors, and friends. 

Level V Instructor

With fourteen years of dance experience, Emma was naturally drawn to Pilates. An Evanston native, Emma started taking ballroom lessons taught by her dad in 2010. Eventually she found her passion for hip-hop and competed for seven years. In 2019, she started teaching hip-hop to K-12th graders and continued until 2022. That same year, she started taking Pilates lessons at Pilates Connection and loved it right away; she became a certified Romana’s Pilates International instructor in 2023.  She is excited to continue to grow in her Pilates journey, which shows clearly in her passionate, energetic, and fun approach to teaching.

Level V Instructor

Movement was always part of Jamie’s life. She started dancing at a young age and continued all the way through college as she earned her BS in Zoology. Even the first season of her corporate career was very physically demanding. However, after taking a senior leadership role, she started spending her days sitting and slowly felt the pain of poor posture as her core muscles weakened. She tried all different types of exercise and nothing really stuck until she discovered Romana’s Pilates in 2014. Through diligent application of the system, she became stronger, feeling better than ever.  The results were so profound that she wanted to learn and share Pilates with others and decided to start her teacher training at Pilates Connection in 2022 and was certified in 2023. Jamie passionately believes that Pilates can literally help any body. She is especially dedicated to helping others counteract the many challenges that our computer-centric lifestyles place on our bodies.

Level V Instructor

Yiseul proudly hails from South Korea and came to the Chicago area by way of New York. With more than a decade of experience in the service industry, Yiseul decided to explore other career opportunities by studying in the United States in 2015. Driven by a deep interest in nutrition and health, Yiseul discovered her love for Pilates and soon became eager to share her passion with others. Having relocated to Chicago, Yiseul officially began her Pilates journey at Pilates Connection Chicago. She became a Romana’s Pilates International Level 5 instructor in 2023.

Yiseul is characterized by her calm and delicate demeanor, coupled with a great sense of humor. She is fluent in both English and Korean, offering lessons in both languages. Yiseul welcomes those seeking a transformative Pilates journey.