Tasha Norman Jacobs is the founder of Tendu Magazine, Fitengine.com and NYC Dance Week.org and proud to be a co-owner of LifeSpan Pilates. Tasha has a prominent background in athletics and business, with many talents and skills. Tasha is a former gymnast, coach, athlete and dancer with an expertise in fitness and conditioning. Her clients appreciate her depth of skills, knowledge, and compassionate approach to fitness and skills development. With over 15 years teaching experience in fitness and dance and multiple certifications in Pilates, Bio-Mechanics and Anatomy, Tasha continues her teaching journey at LifeSpan where she teaches Pilates, Stretch/Flexibility/Mobility and substitutes as a coach for Gymnastics. Tasha trained at Dragos starting in the late 90’s and was fortunate to be taught by Joseph Pilates’ protege Romana Kryzanowska and master trainers at the NYC studio. “I was the probably one of the longest Pilates apprentices trainees, ever. At the time, was no such thing as work-life balance (LOL). I used vacation/sick days and weekends to train. But I was dedicated."

With a career spanning diverse realms, from Media and Advertising to Fitness, Pilates and Real Estate, my professional journey mirrors a tapestry woven with innovation, strategic vision, and relentless pursuit of growth. As co-owner of Lifespan Pilates in NYC, “I unite my entrepreneurial flair with a passion for wellness.” Our goal is to strengthen and grow the Romana’s Pilates community and offer a welcoming space for all involved and to continue the Romana’s Pilates legacy. Establishing LifeSpan Pilates in NYC with Cynthia, a Level X (Senior Master Instructor Trainer) ensures our high standards for excellence, and as the go-to certification center for Romana’s Pilates in NYC.

Cynthia Shipley is a Romana’s Pilates Level X Instructor (Senior Master Instructor Trainer) and a former dancer. Cynthia began her dance career with The Baltimore Dance Theatre. Soon after, Cynthia attended The Dance Theatre of Harlem School and performed with the student company, The Workshop Ensemble. After graduation, Cynthia became a member of The Dance Theatre of Harlem Company, performing nationally and abroad. Cynthia discovered her talent for teaching and joined the Harlem School of the Arts as an instructor in dance.

It was through The Dance Theatre of Harlem that Cynthia was introduced to, and found a passion for, Pilates. Cynthia was taught by the very best – Joseph Pilates’ protege Romana Kryzanowska and Romana’s daughter, Sari Mejia Santos. Cynthia has achieved the title of Master Teacher Trainer through her talent and dedication to the method.

Cynthia has over 30 years of teaching experience in dance and Pilates. She is responsible for introducing, training and mentoring apprentices throughout the Pilates certification process and teaches both nationally and internationally. Cynthia has helped launch innumerable teaching careers and continues to improve the lives of her clients, through the method, every day.

Her mission is to strengthen and grow the Romana’s Pilates community, to offer a welcoming space for all involved and to present the Pilates method as it was taught to her.

Jeanne Gross has over 20 years of experience teaching Pilates and was trained by Romana Kryzanowska in 1991. Jeanne received her Pilates certification in 1993 and is a Level 4 Teacher Trainer. While working abroad, Jeanne was the resident Pilates instructor at Stuttgart Ballet in Germany and taught Pilates at Corpea Fitness in Rome and at Ballet Art Center in NYC. Jeanne is a recreational runner, cyclist, gymnastic and fitness enthusiast.

"My mother started Pilates in the early 90’s with Romana, so I was exposed to Pilates when I was young. In 2021 I decided I needed a lifestyle change and began my Pilates journey at Lifespan Pilates. Since then, my life, my body and my mind have improved exponentially. I love teaching Pilates and helping clients reach their goals."

"I am a teacher at Lifespan Pilates. I was certified by Romana Kryzanowska in 2004. My passion for Pilates grows as the years go by. The satisfaction of watching achievement being realized when a client leaves a session feeling stronger, or when an apprentice understands an exercise more clearly after you’ve taught it, is unmatched."

Nancy-Jean McNamara (aka Nano) was certified by Romana Kryzanowska and Sari Mejia Santo in 2000. She has now attained Level 3 status as an Instructor Trainer. From 2000 until 2018 she taught at Drago’s (Now, True Pilates N.Y. 2005-Present), the home of Romana’s Pilates for many years. Since 2018, she has a new home here at LifeSpan Pilates and a new beginning.

LeeJu first experienced Pilates in 2012 because of her bad posture when she worked in finance. After that, her eagerness for Pilates led her to become a Pilates instructor. In 2015, she obtained a contemporary Pilates certificate and started to teach Pilates. She always desired to improve her skills so she took a lot of seminars and studied anatomy to deepen her knowledge of the human body. After LeeJu met Sari (daughter of Romana, Level 1 Instructor) and Cynthia Shipley (Level X Instructor), her concept of Pilates has totally changed. She believes that this authentic classical Pilates method works for everybody and can guide people find their healthy lives. Her commitment now is to preserve and teach Pilates as it was originally created with great passion and energy.