Alycea Ungaro - Real Pilates

Who's that Girl?

Teacher, author and licensed Physical Therapist, Alycea Ungaro is recognized around the world as a Pilates leader and guru. Her three books with DK Publishing; Pilates: Body in Motion, The Pilates Promise and Everyday Pilates, have been bestsellers on six continents and in 17 languages.

After a career in classical ballet, Alycea opened her first studio, Tribeca Bodyworks in 1995. As a pioneer in the Pilates fitness wave, she was instrumental in organizing the very first Pilates Mat classes in large New York gyms such as Chelsea Piers and New York Sports Club, and thereby raising public awareness of the method.

In order to accommodate clients with limitations and disabilities, Alycea expanded her own education attending New York University's prestigious Physical Therapy program to become a licensed physical therapist in 1998. In 1996, Real Pilates was officially established. Now, nearly 15 years after it's opening, it is the largest studio devoted exclusively to the Pilates Method in New York City.

In 2000, Alycea released the innovative Portable Pilates™, an easy-to-use at-home mat workout. She authored Pilates: Body in Motion for DK Publishing in 2002, and launched her third title, “The Pilates Promise” in April 2004. Not content with the written medium alone, Alycea again broke new ground by partnering with Mobile Mind, Inc. to launch a digital version of Portable Pilates™. This go-anywhere mini-workout, designed to run on a cell phone, once again broadened Pilates accessibility.

From 2004 – 2006, Alycea established and operated additional Real Pilates satellite studios housed within the New York Health and Racquet Club. It was during this period that together with long-time client Christy Turlington, Alycea collaborated on a Pilates Booty for Puma. The booty, was aptly named “The Alycea”.

In February 2007, Pilates: Body in Motion was re-released by DK publishing in a brand new deck format for ease of use and portability. Working again with DK, Alycea released her first DVD in a groundbreaking new product titled “15 Minute Everyday Pilates.”

Operating on the belief that Pilates should be available to everyone regardless of age, geographical location keeps Alycea inspired to develop new products. As a featured trainer on iAmplify.com and Podfitness.com, Alycea blends tradition with technology to bring Pilates to iPods and MP3 players worldwide.

Currently an advisory board member of Fitness Magazine and a regular contributor to Pilates Style magazine, Alycea is committed to the idea that Pilates is the perfect fitness foundation for every body. In an effort to provide accessible Pilates to the masses, Real Pilates has created a library of Pilates downloads available to everyone, everywhere.