ABOUT ME

I’m a GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® Master Trainer, and a former 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.

In 2024 I finally achieved my dream of having a purpose designed studio built behind our house. This fully equipped studio is a like a quiet, airy treehouse, creating the perfect environment for deep focused study of the Gyrotonic® and Gyrokinesis® work.

With over 25 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. So several years back I started blogging about these topics

The blog posts are all still here, but I've gotten pretty sporadic with writing new ones since I relaunched my dance company, Terpsichore Collective. So when I'm not teaching I'm usually at rehearsal, choreographing, making costumes, or off dancing somewhere.

I live with my 14 year old son, my wonderfully supportive partner, and two amazing cats.

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, with her primary interest being working with dancers. Aimee holds a BFA in Dance from The University of Michigan and is a dancer and choreographer.