World’s leading Pilates Education
A professional pathway to becoming a confident, skilled, and certified Pilates instructor.
Blue Moon Pilates is Orange County’s first and only Authorized Training Center for Balanced Body Education. For over thirteen years, we’ve been training successful teachers through in-person and hybrid courses, all within a supportive community.
Led by Kelly Leonardi, NCPT, Balanced Body Principal Educator with nearly four decades of teaching experience and instructor/educator Heidi Coles, NCPT, our team brings knowledge, creativity, and care to guide you at every step of your Pilates education.
The Pathway
Before you begin
It is strongly recommended that students:
Have had at least a year or more of a consistent personal Pilates practice
Experience Mat, Reformer, and Apparatus regularly
Gain familiarity with the exercises while developing strong teaching skills. Courses focus on deepening your understanding of movement principles, anatomy, contraindications, and modifications, and on how to apply key concepts effectively in practice. These courses are not designed to teach you the exercises themselves, but rather to teach you how to teach them safely, confidently, and effectively.
What this commitment requires
Students must complete:
Personal practice hours
Observation hours
Teaching hours
Written examination
Practical examination with a live model
You must demonstrate:
Clear cueing
Safe programming
Appropriate modifications
Professional presence
Application of the Pilates Principles
The entry point
All pathways begin with:
Movement Principles & Pilates Essentials
This foundational module introduces:
The Pilates paradigm
The Pilates Principles
Movement analysis
Alignment and programming frameworks
It sets the lens for all future coursework and is required for all Balanced Body certifications.
The journey forward
After the entry module, students progress through:
Mat 1–3
Reformer 1–3
Anatomy
From here, students may continue toward Comprehensive Certification or “exit the road” with:
Mat Certification
Reformer Certification
Mat & Reformer Certification
Each certification pathway includes required practice, observation, teaching hours, and final examinations.
The Gold Standard: Comprehensive Certification
The most complete and industry Gold Standard pathway is a Comprehensive Certification, preparing you to teach the full Pilates system. This certification represents the full professional journey.
Required Courses:
Movement Principles & Pilates Essentials
Mat 1–3
Reformer 1–3
Anatomy
Apparatus: Chair, Trapeze Table, Barrels
Additional Required Hours:
20 Mat/30 Reformer/35 Apparatus Personal Practice
65 Observation
220 Teaching
Total Hours: 540
Final written and practical exam required.
Mat Certification
Required Courses:
Movement Principles & Pilates Essentials
Mat 1–3
Anatomy (not required - strongly recommended)
Additional Required Hours:
20 Personal Practice
15 Observation
35 Teaching
Total Hours: 150
Final written and practical exam required.
Reformer Certification
Required Courses:
Movement Principles & Pilates Essentials
Reformer 1–3
Anatomy
Additional Required Hours:
30 Personal Practice
30 Observation
90 Teaching
Total Hours: 214
Final written and practical exam required.
Mat & Reformer Certification
Required Courses:
Movement Principles & Pilates Essentials
Mat 1–3
Reformer 1–3
Anatomy
Additional Required Hours:
20 Mat Personal Practice
30 Reformer Personal Practice
15 Mat Observation
30 Reformer Observation
35 Mat Teaching
90 Reformer Teaching
Total Hours: 332
Final written and practical exam required.
Mentorship & Continuing Development
• Mentoring with Kelly provides personalized guidance at any stage of your journey
• Workshops that are focused on expanding your skills
• Continuing Education Courses for current instructors to grow, refine, and stay inspired
Timeline
Most students complete the Comprehensive Certification in 12–24 months.
This is a professional commitment requiring time, study, and real teaching experience.
What our students are saying
“Kelly was extremely knowledgeable! She made everyone feel very comfortable & welcome. Her instruction was easy to follow & she made the experience fun! I would recommend Kelly to anyone interested in expanding their own personal practice or looking to become fully certified.” ~ Balanced Body Student
“It has been a joy and privilege to be a part of this Pilates program and more specifically to be taught by Kelly. Her multifaceted knowledge with bits of humor thrown in is a great combo for me. I’m feeling motivated, excited and ready for more!” ~ Balanced Body Student
Get in touch.
We understand choosing an education program isn’t easy. Let us help you. Simply fill out the form with any questions you may have and we will get in touch with you shortly.