Meet the Team

  • Emma Laybourne

    Emma is the proud owner of Pilates at the Coast and a Body Control Pilates teacher. Emma has been teaching Pilates since 2017. Emma also holds additional qualifications in Level 2 Gym Instruction & Level 3 Personal Training.

    “We have a fantastic team here at our studio. The sense of community and friendly atmosphere really do make it a lovely space for our clients to work on their fitness goals

    Pilates is a fantastic method of improving your physical and mental wellbeing. I would encourage everyone to try Pilates and am a huge advocate of the Pilates discipline in complimenting other sports and exercise as well as improving the way we move and feel in our everyday activities.

    I feel very lucky to have turned my passion of fitness into my daily work by helping others get fitter, stronger and move better. We look forward to welcoming you in to our Pilates community.”

  • Evonne Smith

    Evonne has been teaching modified Pilates at Pilates at the Coast since 2015.

    Evonne gained a BSc Hons degree in Physiotherapy in 2002 and is accredited with the Australian Physiotherapy and Pilates Institute (APPI) – specialising in matwork, modified Pilates, small equipment and antenatal/postnatal support.

    “The team there are brilliant to work with and we all bring something different to our teaching. I particularly enjoys introducing new people to the joy of Pilates and watching people grow stronger and healthier in body and mind with regular practice.

    Combining my work in physiotherapy with Pilates I like to work with people who have different health challenges and modify the traditional Pilates technique to fit the clients needs, I really believe Pilates is for anybody.“

  • Catherine Johnson

    Catherine qualified as a Physiotherapist in 2011.

    In 2015 she began working with women who were recovering from surgery for Breast Cancer and as part of this, completed training in The Pink Ribbon Programme; a Pilates - based rehabilitation programme for post-operative breast cancer patients. This ignited her love of Pilates and she went on to complete her Australian Physiotherapy & Pilates Institute (APPI) training in 2017.

    Catherine previously taught Pilates within a private physiotherapy clinic, however she now works full time in the NHS and teaches at Pilates at the Coast in her spare time.

  • Ellie Fletcher Robbins

    Ellie qualified as a Body Control Pilates teacher in 2008 and has taught at Pilates at the Coast since 2011. She has vast experience of teaching small groups and individuals in a studio setting and also delivers antenatal and postnatal Pilates sessions, supporting women on their Pilates journey through pregnancy and beyond. Ellie also teaches Reformer Pilates at our studio.

    Ellie approaches her teaching practice in an open , supportive and interactive way. Ellie is passionate about Pilates and the physical and mental health and well being it can bring to all.

  • Stephanie Wallace

    Stephanie began attending classes at Pilates at the Coast in 2010 and has been an advocate of Pilates ever since. She qualified as a Mat Pilates Instructor in 2017 and upgraded to Body Control Pilates (BCP) in 2023.

    As a former teacher, Stephanie has experience of supporting and encouraging people as they learn new skills, identifying and meeting individual needs and managing group dynamics in a class setting.

    Stephanie also works as a part of a physio-led team that supports people living with the condition of Multiple Sclerosis, applying her knowledge of Pilates to contribute to rehabilitation programmes.

    More recently Stephanie gained the BCP Back4Good qualification and is therefore recognised as a BackCare Professional (BackCare is a UK charity for healthier backs) qualified to teach ‘Healthy Back’ classes for the prevention and management of lower back pain.

    “The Body Control Pilates Association describes its graduates as ‘movement specialists’ and it is in this role that I have found the greatest reward in teaching Pilates. Helping people to find freer movement, potentially less pain or a greater feeling of strength and confidence elevates Pilates beyond an everyday workout to something potentially life changing and that is what I love about it.”