Our Story
Donna Parise-Byrne learned of Pilates while studying ballet in NYC. Upon retiring from the Washington Ballet she pursued a career in physical therapy and was fortunate to meet Elizabeth Larkam who was combining Pilates with dance medicine rehabilitation. Donna went on to become one of the first certification classes of Polestar Pilates in Rehabilitation and opened her Pilates studio in the Chicago metro area. Ten years later Donna took her first Postural Restoration Institute course and immediately began integrating the principles of PRI in her Pilates PT practice.
Sarah Petrich also grew up dancing which fueled her fascination of movement and biomechanics leading her to pursue a career in physical therapy. She was aware of the Pilates approach and intended on studying it after she completed her doctorate in physical therapy but was sidetracked when she was introduced to the Postural Restoration Institute® approach. PRI’s innovative approach to the human body was exactly what she was looking for when she went to graduate school but didn’t get with that education alone. After getting her certification in Postural Restoration®, still interested in Pilates, she pursued her certification through the Polestar Pilates training program.
In 2011, Sarah and Donna met for the first time at the Postural Restoration Institute in Lincoln, Nebraska while taking advanced coursework. They were invited to lunch by Ron Hruska, founder of the Postural Restoration Institute® where the seeds of the first Postural Restoration Integration for Pilates Course were planted.
Both appreciating the commonalities in the principles of Pilates and PRI, Donna & Sarah recognized that integrating PRI and Pilates enhanced both disciplines. After proudly teaching for the Postural Restoration Institute for several years, they decided they could expand upon their 2-day course for the institute by launching Re-Balance Pilates where they can offer more advanced education courses for Pilates, physical therapists and movement professionals alike.