I love Kim. She has decades of fitness knowledge and a background in education. On top of that,…read moreshe's a wonderful mother. As her client, she cares about my physical and mental health. I'm always learning something new from her and I look forward to seeing her every week. She's a pillar of health and strength in the Ellicottville community. I also want to note that her business is incredibly clean.

This is a new studio in Orchard Park. They use Megaformers here. Think Pilates reformers on…read moresteroids. I think there are 8 Megaformers in the lovely studio space. Parking is in back and the entrance is right there too, super convenient. Going in there is a beautiful reception area with comfortable seating. Sign In is easy. You can come dressed in workout clothes or change in one of the three large restrooms. Two of them that I saw had nice large showers as well. I didn't see bath towels so assume you bring those. I'd suggest bath mats in those rooms though as the floors will be slippery when wet. The class itself is a timed 40 min. Each day the sequence is different, I'm not sure if this is a national program that all places follow (like orange theory) or if the owner is making them up daily. But they will be different. This is not a chain so I imagine she's making up the routines daily. She holds a stopwatch and each exercise is done at your own pace, not by rep numbers. The idea is sloooow movements. And she will encourage you to go slooooower. So it's all about that movement and not relaxing or resting for that movement period. It's a full body workout, all low impact, but depending on how hard you work it could result in a raised heart rate. If done right it will likely result in some sore muscles, many you may not have felt for a long time. The movements are designed to hit areas you won't get from running or weight lifting. I enjoyed it a lot. I felt the exercises during and after the session. You'll get results quickly if you come here regularly (2,3 times a week). This is a nice addition to the options in Orchard Park and the Buffalo area. 2020

I heard about this method of exercise and was looking for a different workout for core strength. I…read morehave a slight amount of arthritis in my knees, so I wanted something that wouldn't cause pain. This workout was absolutely perfect. The instructor assisted me with how to properly stand/pull/bend/push/contort so that the proper muscles were being utilized to their fullest potential. The class flew by - we were busy working every moment and didn't really have time to think about a drink of water (I did pause to wipe sweat out of my eyes). I took my first class last night, and this morning I went to my regular work out and I couldn't believe how many muscles in unusual areas (such as in my stomach) ached. I highly recommend this Megaformer class!!

The Pilates Loft is located inside East Meets West Yoga (Buffalo Foundry location). Parking can be…read morea little wonky so you might want to get there early (this is a shared space so lots of competition for parking, but generally you can find something). When I entered I was greeted by the EMW front desk staff and directed back to the Pilates room. The room itself is quite beautiful and well appointed. There is some Pilates equipment (forgive me that I don't know the name of all of it), but the course that I was taking focused on mat work. There are plenty of mats available if you don't have one. Larry was our instructor and he was outstanding. He walked the class through a series of warm ups and then the Pilates exercises. Larry was clearly an expert in anatomy and physiology, which really impressed me. He walked us through each exercise and made sure that we were all attending to proper form. Since the class was small, Larry was able to give lots of individual attention (which I loved). After class was over, he checked in with me to ensure that everything went well and that I felt comfortable in the class. I even forgot my water bottle after class and he ran it out to me in the parking lot. Overall, I would recommend the Pilates loft if you are looking to get friendly and personal Pilates instruction in a location where you could also get your yoga on. The workout wasn't as intense as I generally like, but keep in mind tha this was only my second Pilates class and I'm sure that with time it can be intensified.

I am a huge fan of pilates regardless, but was blown away by this class and the space here. The…read moreinstructors know what they are doing and are fantastic at giving you no-touch, descriptive instruction that completely changes your form. I feel like I actually understand what I am doing when I'm in class here. Wonderful open loft/factory style space with large windows. Max I've seen in class here is four people, so you can really get the customized attention you might want. Parking is a bit of a pickle, as the spaces are two deep and you may get blocked in by someone at a longer yoga session. So just be aware when parking. If you know you have to leave in a hurry you can let the front desk know and they'll stick a cone behind your car.

Erie Dance Theater provides a very diverse range of dance styles such as Classical Ballet, Jazz,…read moreTap, Hip-Hop, Bollywood/Belly Dancing, Praise Dance, Step, Workout classes, and coming soon Yoga and Pilates! Erie Dance Theater is a great place to go if your looking for dance training or even just a hobby taking classes here and there! Brand new studios, comfortable family environment, and really welcomes you in! So if you are looking for a dance studio this is the place to be!

I've been attending stretch for over 2 years on a consistent basis, mind you this is the first time…read morein my life that I have embraced a physical fitness regime on regular schedule. Stretch Pilates is amazing, the entire staff is skilled to address any of your needs. The owner, Larissa opened Stretch over 20 years ago - many of her clients have been attending for 20 years! I was fortunate enough to join Stretch Pilates and it has transformed my physical appearance along with helping relieve my stress! Since Covid which caused much disruption; Larissa and her team have gone above and beyond to ensure there is a safe environment for all the clients! I highly recommend taking a class at Stretch regardless of your fitness regime, it's transformative!

I've been going to Stretch Pilates weekly for the last 6 months. I've lost 35lbs so far along with…read moreseveral inches. I've become more tone and increased muscle strength but more importantly I'm more confident with myself. All of the instructors have been welcoming and encouraging. I mostly take classes with Allie and she has been an amazing instructor and cheerleader with my progress, she encourages me to push myself to "harder" classes and "harder" moves. I truly look forward to class each week and encourage others to take classes at Stretch!

The Barre Studio is back up and running this summer with in person classes. Find them at their new…read morelocation, just down the street from where they were before, at 206 Lake street, The Performing Arts building. Same great workout and format as before if you are a returning student. It's awesome to come in and hear the same familiar songs and voices at an in person workout. If you are new to barre this is a challenging boutique class that is low impact and has a slow burn. You will notice improvements in tone, flexibility and strength from the mix of yoga, Pilates and ballet workout moves. Grab your barre socks and sign up on the Studio Bookings app. The studio and classes are now being run by Alex.

I was looking for a workout to shake up my routine, so decided to check out The Barre Studio,…read moreHamburg. I had only taken one barre class years ago, so was not experienced at all! My first class was with the studio's owner, Melissa. She was extremely welcoming. During her class, the directions were very clear and she made sure I had proper form. I even received a handwritten thank you note a few days later from her! What a nice, personal touch. I've been to a handful of classes since and each instructor I've had has been wonderful. If you are looking for a quick, intense workout, I highly suggest The Barre Studio, Hamburg!