We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Danya Shaar Dewolfe. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Danya below.
Danya, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
As a former gymnast and figure skater, I had always admired Pilates from a distance. Like gymnastics, it is a repertoire of graceful movement purely controlled by mental and physical strength. As I grew into adulthood, I knew I wanted to embody everything Pilates encompassed. On one weekend morning in 2006, I was in search for a space to stretch and warm up in my college gym. By happy accident, I approached the wrong room and found the Pilates studio. I peeked at the studio schedule and returned an hour later for my first Pilates reformer class. It was magical. At first I found the intricate moves to be intimidating, but creating power in the body to control the movements was one of my best accomplishments. The fluidity, the core control, and the counting in and out of breath work was unlike any other athletic training I had endured. It was unique and different and corrected the posture of the human body unlike anything else.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Like me, I discovered that many have been intimated by Pilates. It was a range of feeling from feeling self-conscious to believing the moves and exercises were impossible. It was then I knew I had a mission to make everyone and every body feel welcomed into the beauty of Pilates. I found my company, the American Pilates Co. in 2021. I committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive space where everyone feels valued, encouraged, and inspired to thrive. By emphasizing the principles of breath, concentration, control, centering, precision, and flow, we enable our community to develop not only physical strength but also mental clarity and emotional balance. In the shared experience of practicing Pilates, my greatest hope for my friends and clients to find common ground, support one another, and emerge feeling united and empowered.
At this time, The American Pilates Co. will be opening our new main studio in the summer of 2025 in Greenwood Village, Colorado.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
In my practice and in life, I turn to determination, confidence and consistency to serve the world as my best self. I wish I had a magical wand to light up this fire of inspiration for all of us everyday, but I only have Pilates and my voice to encourage these qualities. Determination is what awakes us up in the morning to begin our day. It is our why. Confidence is our shield against self-doubt and everything that holds us back from living. Finding confidence is never easy, and I have been ever challenged to keep channeling my strength daily. For me personally, I choose to break free from external expectations and focus on my own goal of the things that will grant me bliss. Consistency is what will always make us successful in the end. It has proven itself time and time again that repeating good habits will always gift you a reward.
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
After enduring compromising health issues and overcoming cancer, I learned how to advocate for myself. I learned how to ask for help, even with the fear of being turned away or judged. I learned how to speak up for my body and mental health. I researched and learned what medicine was in my best interest for my body, mind and soul. I sought love and consolation in friends and family, which I had not done very much of prior to becoming unwell. Beyond fighting for myself, I found my fire and saving grace in Pilates again. I learned it had been building my resilience and disturbing the calm into my life when everything else felt heavy. YOU really can become your own cheerleader, whether you or not you have fans in the background, you can ignite something very special by simply advocating for yourself.
I feel very strong at this time in my life. I love that things can be imperfect so as long as I make my health and wellness a priority. I love that I have encompassed a resilience and power that fuels me through every test of time. Creating that environment for myself has brought so much joy and opened doors of unlimited possibilities.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://AmericanPilates.Co
- Instagram: @americanpilatesco
- Linkedin: Danya Shaar DeWolfe
Image Credits
For professional photos in mountains only, Joe Freemond photography, @jfreemond
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
