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Our Team

The people behind the precision

Meet the certified instructors behind Elin Pilates — thoughtful coaching, precise cueing, and a calm studio atmosphere for every level.

Jooyoung Son, Co-founder and Lead Instructor

Co-founder & Lead Instructor

Jooyoung Son

Jooyoung is the co-founder and lead instructor at Elin Pilates, where she brings a thoughtful, detail-oriented approach to helping clients build strength, improve body awareness, and move with greater confidence. Her passion for Pilates began through her own postpartum recovery, where she experienced firsthand how intentional movement could restore strength, support healing, and create a deeper connection with the body.

She holds certifications in Rehabilitation Pilates through MagicBody Academy International, including Functional Anatomy, Mat, Reformer, and CCB, as well as Prenatal & Postnatal Pilates through the Method Body Pilates Association. She has also completed the STOTT PILATES Intensive Reformer 2nd Edition program, further strengthening her foundation in contemporary Pilates education.

Jooyoung has worked with over 400 clients in both Korean and English, supporting a wide range of goals including strength building, posture improvement, mobility, prenatal and postnatal care, injury prevention, and long-term movement health. Her background allows her to work with clients at different stages of life and fitness levels, while tailoring each session to the individual needs of the body in front of her.

Known for her calm presence and attentive eye, Jooyoung maintains a focused, intentional teaching environment where each session stays centered on movement quality, alignment, and the client's individual goals. She is highly results-oriented and takes pride in helping clients see and feel meaningful progress through improved strength, posture, control, and movement confidence.

Her teaching philosophy reflects the heart of Elin Pilates: precise, supportive, and deeply mindful. Her goal is to help every client move with better control, greater confidence, and a stronger connection to their body.

Certifications & Training

  • MagicBody Academy International Rehabilitation Pilates Certification (Functional Anatomy, Mat, Reformer, CCB)
  • Method Body Pilates Association Prenatal & Postnatal Pilates Certification
  • STOTT PILATES® Intensive Reformer 2nd Edition (IR II)
  • Clinical Kinesiology & Pilates Theoretical Seminar — Dr. Junggi Hong, Certificate of Completion
  • Knee Pain & Glute Activation Workshop — Hosted by Hojin Song, Movement Pattern Specialist
  • Shoulder Pain & Scapular Upward Rotation Workshop — Hosted by Hojin Song, Movement Pattern Specialist
  • Breathing for Prenatal & Postnatal Clients Workshop — Essential Lab
  • Shoulder, Neck & Upper Back Workshop — Essential Lab
  • Scoliosis Workshop — Essential Lab
  • Postural Assessment Workshop — Fit of Queens
Leah Shevkenek, Instructor

Instructor

Leah Shevkenek

Leah is a comprehensively certified Classical Pilates Instructor, having completed extensive training through The Pilates Standard in Sweden. Her teaching is grounded in the original method of Joseph Pilates, with a focus on precision, control, and mindful movement to help clients build strength, confidence, and lasting body awareness.

Her path to Pilates began during her career as a professional volleyball athlete, competing across Europe for more than six years. She first turned to Pilates to support her performance and manage scoliosis, and quickly experienced how transformative the method could be for correcting imbalances, preventing injury, and deepening her connection to her body. What began as training support grew into a lasting passion that continues to shape her approach as both a teacher and a lifelong student.

Leah has worked with a wide range of clients, from beginners and postnatal clients to individuals recovering from injury and elite athletes. Believing that no two bodies move the same, she tailors each session to the unique needs, abilities, and goals of the person in front of her. Her goal is to create a welcoming, supportive environment where clients feel safe to explore movement, challenge themselves, and leave every session feeling stronger, more balanced, and inspired.

Kendra Swan, Instructor

Instructor

Kendra Swan

Kendra is a Stott Pilates–certified Mat and Reformer Instructor with additional training in Functional Breathing and an evolving focus on Prenatal and Postnatal Pilates. Her teaching journey has taken her across different parts of the world, where she deepened her skills working with diverse client populations before returning to build her practice at home.

Kendra's path to Pilates was driven by a genuine fascination with efficient movement and the mind-body connection. Her teaching style centers on purposeful, efficient movement paired with intentional breathing to build stability, control, and lasting strength. She values creating an inclusive, supportive environment where clients feel safe to challenge themselves and progress at their own pace.

Known for her adaptable, thoughtful approach, Kendra works with clients at all levels and stages of life. Her goal is to create a space where every client feels encouraged, supported, and capable of achieving their personal movement goals.

Dagyo Lee, Instructor

Instructor

Dagyo Lee

Dagyo is a comprehensively certified Pilates Instructor, trained through Merrithew in Stott Pilates Mat, Reformer, Cadillac, Chair and Barrel. Her teaching is built on clear, multi level cueing and thoughtful sequencing, so that every client in the room, from first timers to experienced movers, knows exactly what to do and why it matters.

Before joining Elin Pilates, Dagyo spent two years teaching at a Toronto studio, where she was part of the opening team. Building a studio community from its very first day taught her the value of consistency: clients progress fastest when they feel genuinely known and motivated to keep showing up, and that relationship is at the heart of how she teaches.

Dagyo teaches in both English and Korean and works with clients across all levels and goals. Her classes are structured, encouraging and precise, with a strong emphasis on alignment and control across every piece of equipment. Her goal is for every client to leave feeling stronger, more confident and more connected to their body than when they walked in.

Train with people who care

Every instructor at Elin Pilates teaches the way we would want our own family instructed.

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