We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Cynthia Rube Klein a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Cynthia, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
Being from the Midwest, and a proud Chicago girl, I was raised to work hard and then play. Both my parents came from little money and worked their way up to success. My dad started working for Sears when he was a teenager selling fences. By the time he left 16 years later, he was designing kitchens and opening stores in the Chicagoland area. My mom Barbara operated a licensed daycare center in our home. Her days started at 6:00 AM and sometimes didn’t end until 7:00 PM. At the same time she volunteered weekly for the child abuse hotline, all while raising 3 kids and managing a household.
Early on I was taught what it meant to be responsible and that if I wanted something I had to earn it. To teach me the value of money, there were many times I’d be asked to use my weekly allowance or birthday money from family to be used towards the purchase of an item or experience I wanted. I bought my first new bike at age 7 with my own earnings, and my birthday money helped my family put in an above ground pool!
For as long as I can remember, I have had the drive to be a “go getter”. It’s been both a blessing and a curse. A blessing when it’s a no brainer to just show up on time or at all. A curse when I’ve taken on too much and my schedule becomes unbalanced.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I moved to LA in the Fall of 2000 to pursue my acting career and to specifically study at The Groundlings. Ever since I can remember I have always been a performer. From modeling Winnie the Pooh pajamas for the Sears catalogue as a kid, to being cast as the “mom” in sketches on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. I have been fortunate to have booked acting work throughout my life. But not all years are good ones as far as booking acting jobs is concerned. So I needed to find a way to generate income doing something that I was passionate about. Helping others to move and feel better in their bodies seemed like a good fit.
As a creative, comedic and quirky person, I find teaching Pilates, Yoga, and the Franklin Method allows me the freedom to be ME! My nickname is The Queen and I literally have a chaise lounge chair I call The Queen Chair (also the name of my business The Queen Chair, LLC). Creative Wellness is how I describe what The Queen Chair offers. I teach privates and group classes via Zoom, FaceTime, and in person. Now that the pandemic is over and studios have been allowed to reopen, I have returned to teaching group reformer classes and privates in studios and in homes. Clients who are referred to me know that I use my comedy and high energy to motivate them to move their bodies and my extensive knowledge and training to keep them doing so safely. And sometimes they just show up because they know I’ll leave them feeling more uplifted and that also makes ME happy!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Hmmm Just three? (lol) I think my ability to communicate to my clients in a clear and concise manner so that they can get the most benefit without brain overload is one of my best qualities. We all learn differently and not everyone is an anatomy geek like me! So finding ways to simplify what otherwise could be so complicated and overwhelming, is a gift I have. My fun and positive (mostly) personality definitely helps to make what could seem like hard work feel like a good time party. And at the core (pun intended) of it all is that I truly care. Not just about how well a client moves, but I also care about their actual life.
I would offer that if you are just starting to study and are trying to figure out YOUR path, that you be open to change in the course of YOUR journey. Early on I had to make a choice as to whether or not I was going to try to please everyone or be authentic and stick to what my gut was telling me. Along the way I may have lost a few clients or acting gigs but I feel like staying true to ME allows me to live my life more confidently and happier.
What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?
For me investing effort to improve in areas I’m not as strong in has been the way to go. Anytime I am learning a new skill or experiencing something in a different way I am changing for the better. I feel more secure and can then relate to others in ways I may not have been able to do before.
During the Pandemic I was able to partake in the first ever online Franklin Method Level 1 educator training program with Eric Franklin and other Franklin Method educators. Franklin Method uses Dynamic Neuro-cognitive Imagery™, anatomical embodiment and educational skills to create lasting positive change in your body and mind. This six month course was a bit overwhelming and at times I wanted to quit. But with the support of other online students from all over the world, and my mentor Alison, I was able to finish and pass my test. And then I “drank the Kool-Aid” and signed up for Level 2! My home studio now has a disarticulated skeleton named “Dahmer”, as well as a spine and pelvis named “Frankie” and several other props that help me teach more effectively.
I incorporate my deeper knowledge of bone rhythms and muscles using the Franklin Method when I teach Yoga and Pilates. This has definitely improved my confidence, knowledge and teaching technique. This July 2023 I will attend the Institute of Anatomical Research to further my knowledge of the body. One of these days my nickname just might be “Dr. Queen”!
Contact Info:
- Website: thequeenchair.com
- Instagram: cynrube
- Facebook: The Queen Chair in Hollywood
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/cynthia-rube-7537a178
- Youtube: Cynthia Klein
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1400286
Image Credits
Ray Klein
