Lineage
Passed down,
hand to hand.
Our teaching connects to Joseph and Clara Pilates through generations of shared practice and study. That history informs the care and attention we bring to each session.
First generation
Joseph & Clara Pilates.
The method was developed by Joseph Hubertus Pilates (1883–1967) and his wife Clara at their New York studio on Eighth Avenue. Joseph was a boxer, gymnast and self-defence instructor who built his system around the deep stabilising muscles most people ignore — designing his apparatus, in a WWI internment camp, as rehabilitation equipment first.
Second generation — the Elders
Jay Grimes.
The teachers who trained directly with Joseph and Clara are known as the Pilates Elders. Coconut's teaching line runs through Jay Grimes — one of a small number of Elders still teaching the classical work in its original form, and the founder of the Vintage Pilates studio in Los Angeles.
Third generation
Amy Kellow.
Amy Kellow trained under Jay Grimes and carries the classical work into her own teaching and mentorship. She is Jade and Jo's teacher, and her guidance continues to shape their approach to classical Pilates.
Fourth generation
Jade & Jo.
Jade — founder of Coconut — and Jo carry the line into the studio at Thorpe Estate. Jade and Jo are both currently enrolled on the Everybody Pilates Master Mentor Programme, continuing to deepen her knowledge through ongoing practice and study.
Why the line matters
A foundation for our teaching.
Our classical approach brings together traditional apparatus, established exercise sequences and thoughtful progressions. This shared foundation helps our teachers understand the work in depth and adapt it to your body, experience and goals.