Who We Are
Hilary Opheim
NCPT: Pilates Teacher, Mentor & Educator
Hilary Opheim is a highly experienced Pilates professional with over 30 years of teaching, dedicated to helping clients realize their full potential for movement and healing and empowering aspiring Pilates teachers through a mentor-apprentice style of learning, fostering critical thinking to deeply understand the "why and how" of the full Pilates system, enabling confident and adaptive teaching.She is the founder of her own Los Angeles-based studio and the founder and director of Hilary Opheim Teacher Training Program.
A Passion for Movement:
Hilary discovered Pilates early in her fitness career while serving as a Group Fitness Director at a private club in Houston, Texas. She trained under John Gossett who brought Pilates to Houston, Texas. She opened her own studio in 2020 and her created her Teacher Training Program in 2025. She moved her business and Teacher Training Program to Los Angeles in 2019.
Hilary is passionate about seeing clients realize they can achieve more than they thought possible, fostering a positive outlook toward movement and self-discovery.
Her teacher training program is known for a true Mentorship/Apprentice style environment studying the work of Joseph Pilates and Contrology as well as the work of Kathy Grant.
Specialization and Practice:
Hilary teaches the Traditional Method of Joseph Pilates, Contrology. She also uses Pilates and Functional Training to help those with Neurological Issus such as MS and Parkinsons.
Advanced Training and Leadership:
Hilary teaches Traditional Pilates and has pursued extensive post-graduate education:
Heritage Training Graduate: a Pilates Post Graduate Program on the work of Kathy Grant for Pilates professionals, with the world-renowned Pilates teacher Cara Reeser. The program is the philosophy, vocabulary, techniques and teaching tools passed along to Cara from Kathy Grant, a student of Joseph Pilates.
Movement Science Made Simple (MSMS) Graduate: A program that integrates current concepts in biomechanics, motor learning theory, and pain science with time-tested movement strategies.
PMA Presenter Hilary has presented workshops for the Pilates Method Alliance.
Hilary has also studied the work of Eve Gentry and Carola Trier and with many first and second generation teachers.
In addition to her studio work, Hilary is honored to serve on the Board of Directors for the NPCP (National Pilates Certification Program). She also founded and co-hosts the 2 Pilates Chicks podcast, using the platform to share a passionate and positive outlook on teaching that extends beyond the studio.
Beyond the Studio:
When not in the studio, Hilary loves staying active by biking, hiking, reading, and spending time on the water with her husband and "fur babies." She shares a few favorite things with her podcast partner—specifically, a love for Pilates, cookies, and puppies!
Davita Paul
MS, NCPT, CES: Movement Specialist & Educator
Davita Paul is a nationally certified Pilates Teacher (NCPT) and Movement Specialist with over 15 years of professional practice. Her approach is built on a lifelong dedication to movement—from ballet and flamenco to yoga and Pilates—and advanced academic credentials in the science of movement and rehabilitation.
Expertise & Education:
Davita holds a Master of Science (MS) in Kinesiology, specializing in Orthopedic Rehabilitation/Corrective Exercise and Geriatric Exercise/Active Aging. This clinical expertise is perfectly balanced by a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Dance Performance, a career that began as a professional ballet dancer where she first learned to use Pilates for chronic pain recovery.
Her comprehensive credentials include being a Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES) and holding certification as a Golf Fitness Specialist (NASM). Davita is also recognized as a Subject Matter Expert Advisor for the National Pilates Certification Program (NPCP).
Specialization and Practice:
Davita specializes in using Pilates-based modalities for chronic pain relief, promoting active aging, and designing sport-specific cross-training programs.
She founded Davita Pilates Movement Therapeutics (DPMT) in 2020. DPMT focuses on creating tailored programs, often collaborating with clients' physical therapists, allied healthcare and medical providers, to support clients in pre/post-operative care and long-term orthopedic wellness. In her practice, she also introduced the Ergonomics in Motion system to prevent repetitive motion injuries from desk work.
Leadership & Education:
Davita is committed to advancing the field of Pilates through education:
Associate Program Director and Mentoring Faculty for Hilary Opheim Pilates Teacher Training (2025).
Co-Host of the 2 Pilates Chicks podcast and education platform (2023), dedicated to continuing education for teachers.
Pilates Director at the Brentwood Country Club for over a decade, where she founded, developed, and directed the Pilates program (2014–2024).
Beyond the Studio:
When she's not teaching or mentoring, Davita loves staying active by jogging, biking, and hiking with her husband, baby, and dogs. She is a firm believer in continuing to learn and is a movement science nerd, deeply enjoying studying movement science and traditional and contemporary Pilates.
How 2 Pilates chicks met!
Collectively, we have over 40 years of movement experience. We’ve been working together since 2020.
Back in 2018 both Davita and Hilary were attending the PMA conference in Las Vegas. Davita signed up for Hilary's workshop. Just over a year later, Hilary moved to the Los Angeles area and opened her studio within walking distance from Davita's studio! At the beginning of 2020, Davita recognized a familiar name on the window and reached out to connect.
Hilary invited her to come to the studio to see the space and chat. Afterward, Davita started her own privates with Hilary. After ONE session the pandemic hit and everything had to shut down. After two years of weekly virtual sessions, they finally reconnected in person back in the studio!
The rest, as they say, is history and the passion from sharing the work of Pilates has continued into a deep friendship and Pilates practice together, along with shared interests in hikes, cookies, and puppies. AND of course our continuing projects.
Here's to friends, a supportive Pilates community, and inspiration!
You never know what can develop from reaching out to someone to say hi.