About Me
I’m a GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® Master Trainer, and a Pilates Instructor Trainer, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. I had my own studio for 15 years, but left small business ownership behind to focus more on my true passion, which is teaching.
With over 20 years of teaching experience, I often find myself having coffee with students at all stages of their movement careers as they ask for advice on issues ranging from business, movement and programming, client relationships, work life balance, career paths, anatomy, finances, and even how to organize course materials.
I thought it might be time to start blogging about these topics, as there seem to be recurring themes that come up in our industry, as a way to sort of sit down over coffee with all of you who might have these questions. This is why I started Aimee McDonald Moves.
I live with my 12 year old son, wonderfully supportive partner, and two amazing cats. I'm also a dancer and choreographer, working on live and video projects.
Professional Bio
Aimee McDonald is a Specialized GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® Master Trainer, former pilates instructor trainer, and was owner of The Movement Center for 15 years. Aimee was in the first pilates teacher training certification course at Equilibrium studio in Bloomfield Hills, MI, when it opened as the first STOTT Pilates Licensed Training Center in 1998.
She opened The Movement Center in Downtown Ann Arbor in 1999 and soon after immersed herself in the study of the Gyrotonic® work. Having had to travel extensively for her Gyrotonic® training she became determined to make this training available to her community and those living throughout Michigan.
In 2014, having found the studio to have grown to the point that the management and administrative work was detracting from her ability to focus on her true passion of teaching, Aimee phased the studio over to new owners. This enabled a return to a deeper dedication to teaching and continuous growth and learning.
Aimee has also written several Pilates Teacher Training manuals. Her blog, Aimee McDonald Moves, helps movement professionals navigate the complexities of the industry. She was at the forefront of converting from in-person to online training at the onset of the COVID crisis, and has assisted numerous trainers and studio owners make the transition.
Aimee’s Gyrotonic® mentors have been numerous and generous, notably long time teacher and great source of support and guidance, Juergen Bamberger. Aimee has also been fortunate to have so many opportunities to work with creator of the Gyrokinesis® system, Juliu Horvath. In pilates Aimee’s early teachers include Cherie Boschma and Moira (Stott) Meritthew.
In her many years of teaching Aimee has gained extensive experience and knowledge working with diverse populations and issues, including dancers and athletes of all disciplines, prenatal and postpartum, shoulder, neck, back, and knee issues, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, older populations, osteoporosis, scoliosis, and general fitness. Aimee holds a BFA in Dance from The University of Michigan and is a dancer and choreographer.