“I began working with Amber in January of 2013. I turned to Pilates as a means to cope with a dance related knee injury. I already knew I was in good hands given Amber’s impressive performance career and physical knowledge. Being able to relate on that level allowed me to really trust in her guidance. I can honestly say that my sessions with Amber not only allowed me to move past my knee injury soundly, but also gave me a passionate connection to Pilates and enhanced my performance capabilities as a dancer. My dance world before and after Amber is profound. Now that I am healed, I continue to work with her because the joy, inspiration, and insight she brings to my physical practice. My needs shift time to time and Amber is always ready to tailor her teaching to accommodate my body while creatively aiding my personal goals. Plus, when it is time for the teaser or another round of the hundred, it is really great to have a personality like Amber cheering you on with both humor and constructive criticism. Professional, enthusiastic, precise, and nurturing in nature, Amber does an excellent job of creating a quality experience for her clients. The sense of knowledge, investment, and attention as a Pilates instructor makes her top notch. I frankly look forward to my sessions and at this point can’t tell if I’m treating myself or actually seriously training . . . I’m pretty sure it’s both.”
“Amber is a fantastic teacher, coach, and therapist! I have flexibility and alignment constraints given four knee operations and two Achilles tendon operations, nevertheless, Amber continually pushes me to my Pilates limits. Amber is extremely thoughtful and creative in designing every one of my sessions to me personally.
Given my stressful work day, I truly look forward to my 60 minutes with Amber. She clearly challenges me physically, and equally important, Amber strengthens my mental focus. I leave mentally rejuvenated at the end of every session. Amber has made a tremendous change in me, both physically and mentally. Over the past six years, I have had four one-on-one Pilates instructors and numerous mat class instructors... and Amber is by far the best!”
“My name is Anna and I have been doing Pilates since before it became all the rage, almost 33 years ago. At the time I was nursing a nasty back injury that caused me to have weakness on one side and be lopsided with my center off by about 5 to 10 degrees when I tried a jackknife, for instance. Nothing seemed to help. Once I started Pilates with Romana, Joe Pilates’ principal student, it saved my life. Pilates helped me with resuming sports such as tennis and skiing and to have a safe uneventful pregnancy and delivery. Sure enough, I vowed to continue for as long as I lived. Over the years I had many instructors for both semiprivate and private Pilates lessons and group classes for mat and tower. Subsequently I overcame other injuries such as shoulder, knee and I developed some pelvic floor issues not uncommon for women my age with sedentary jobs. I have continued to practice Pilates two to three times weekly and do some mat work when away on vacation to keep my flexibility and strength and to protect my back. I combine it with aerobic activities such as hiking and swimming. But the practice of Pilates is the foundation of my physical strength and flexibility on an ongoing basis.
About one year and a half ago I started working with Amber, first once, and then twice a week. I felt like I had encountered another incarnation of Romana. For those of you who never knew her, Romana had “eyes in the back of her head” to give corrections from across the room. Like Romana, I feel that Amber has an intuitive understanding of the body and what it can do on a given day, by reading subtle body language. She knows exactly when and where to push and prod. With her steady and calm manner (unlike Romana’s fiery temper), I find working with Amber a focused, serious experience and she is always getting me to accomplish more than I thought I could, without injury. For instance, my shoulder, which had remained stiff after an injury several years ago, has gradually loosened up, in spite of my anxiety about hurting it further. My abs and pelvic floor became stronger than I thought possible for my body, and my new posture makes me stand proud like a dancer: something I could never do before. Now that Amber is moving to St. Louis I was trying to figure out her secrets, so I could hold on to what I have learned.
I think that part of Amber’s secret is her dedicated professionalism. Amber’s concentration inspires the same of her pupils. She also uses her body generously with the sole focus on her client, gently an firmly prodding and helping with physical cues where the words alone do not suffice. Bravo, Amber. I hope you open your own studio and become a master teacher!”
“After 25 years of karate training, I added Pilates and cycling to my routine for cross training. Pilates has helped me connect my extremities to a stronger core and greatly improved my overall athleticism. Training with Amber has allowed me to study the Method in great technical detail and get the maximum benefit out of each session. She studied under world class instructors and now has become one herself. The time and treasury spent with Amber is the best investment you can make in yourself.”
“Amber is an amazing instructor. She gives clear and specific instructions for every exercise, while providing encouragement and motivation. She has an exceptional ability to explain each activity clearly and concisely. Each hour with her flies by. After our sessions, my body feels great and I have so much energy. Working with her has completely transformed me… there are not enough words to express how wonderful it is to work with her!”
“Amber Stone is an example of a Pilates instructor that is extremely knowledgeable about the body and is one of the best instructors I have ever worked with. Since meeting Amber, I have become stronger and more in touch with my core. She is there to push you in the best of ways. Having her be so hands on has helped me be aware of where I need to improve and has made me realize that I can push myself to become stronger. I like how each session is a little different then the last, and very thought out. As an instructor she is always watching and is clear and concise. I am so thankful for finding Amber and pushing me each session. She has truly made my love for Pilates grow!”