Boston BodyWorks Studios and

The Movement Center of Boston

38 Newbury Street

 
As you walk into the new space at Boston BodyWorks Studios, it is hard to imagine that just a couple months ago this room was an expansive business suite with individual cubicles clustered side-by-side across the floor. In a matter of weeks, it was all was gutted and stripped down to be reconfigured as part of a large expansion of the Boston BodyWorks Studio. The result is marvelous: Honey-colored wood paneling spreads out into a leather seating area in one corner, a new back-room office in the other, and a large, separate private space at the back. The walls are slated with windows that look out over the tops of Newbury Street businesses and down onto the street.

Moving from the middle of the studio to the back corner you’ll discover what is tentatively called “The Movement Room”. It is where the studio offers classes that don’t involve the elaborate machines. These classes include yoga, ballet, and Gyrokinesis. Gyrokinesis is a form of therapeutic movement of the muscles and joints in the body that encourages them to loosen and regenerate.

All of this movement is what is so satisfying about visiting the studio, says Kathy Van Patten. She is the Senior Teacher Trainer for PowerPilates® and a Master Trainer for the GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® exercise systems. Every class is tailored to the needs of the client, so people of any age or condition can take advantage of it.

“This is a place where we use movement to heal the body,” says Kathy. “People come from all over Boston and beyond to take advantage of this unique exercise system. At first they come for the Pilates, but when they try out Gyrotonic, they end up doing that.”
             
It’s the 3-dimensional range of motion that they love, she explains. The studio is adorned with Gyrotonic and PowerPilates machines: a variety of elaborate pulley-contraptions and weight tables. At first, the machines can look intimidating. They are constructed of ropes, steel pivoting arms, levers, and springs. Both types are designed to allow for a greater range of motion than traditional workout machines. The new space allows Kathy and her staff to offer their clients the very best of what the systems have to offer.

“It’s a dream for me to finally have the space,” says Kathy. She envisioned expanding the studio to provide for her growing membership. Now she has discovered a wealth of new benefits in the new space. “There is a certain amount of privacy that you need to have when teaching these forms of movement,” she explains. “The new space allows us to have that privacy, but still maintain a sense of intimacy with our clients.”

Kathy has high hopes for the new space and she welcomes people from all backgrounds and abilities to the studio. For a class schedule and prices visit http://www.bostonbodyworksstudios.com/.

"I want people to know that this movement is for everybody,” she says, “and I invite everyone to come and share in some part of this beautiful new space.”