About Me
Kimberly Spencer is a former professional dancer with over 25 years of experience teaching Pilates and dance. Introduced to Pilates over 25 years ago, Pilates became an integral part of her dancing, eventually getting certified through Long Beach Dance Conditioning in 2000. In 2018, she began adding mobility specialty to her movement toolbox under the Functional Range® systems and is now a certified Functional Range Conditioning (FRC®) Mobility Specialist, Level I Kinstretch® instructor, and a FR® Internal Strength Method Coach.
​
She is the proud momma of two very talented kids and is constantly reminded breath and movement can help maintain balance in life as a business owner and mother.
Join her every October on Instagram where she hosts a challenge called Pikes for Pink to raise funds for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. For more details on Kimberly's movement journey and Affiliate links scroll down
I originally began Pilates with Marie-Jose Blom Laurence as a 13 year old student, after incurring shin splints from dancing with poor alignment and strength. Pilates reshaped my body and kept me injury free while training for Royal Academy of Dance exams and attending the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA). My dance training also included Ceccheti, Vaganova (ballet), Modern, and Flamenco. I performed with several LA dance troupes from ballet to post modern (Rudy Perez) to Folklorico. While at LACHSA, I also taught ballet for Cal State University of LA's Saturday Conservatory program and a local ballet school--choreographing for students of all ages.
After graduating, I performed with several local ballet companies including a tour with Los Angeles Classical Ballet, and as a soloist with State Street Ballet of Santa Barbara. During that time, I continued to teach ballet and choreograph at the company's school, Gustafson Dance. Alongside choreographing original works and setting many classical variations for their Young Dancers troupe, I also coached several students for competitions and performances. I also taught Pilates for two years in Santa Barbara before getting certified in 2000. I continued teaching Pilates in San Francisco for another two years before relocating to Los Angeles in 2002. For the next six years, I became a Pilates instructor and the administrative manager for a Pilates studio and outpatient Physical Therapy clinic in South Pasadena where I gained invaluable experience by working with clientele of all physical abilities, patients and Physical Therapists. During this time, I also appeared in a couple fitness DVD's including Denise Austin's Fit & Firm Pregnancy for the post-partum segment, just seven months after the birth of my second child.
I continue to enjoy learning from therapists and leaders in Physical Therapy, research and science of the body, movement and biomechanics specialists, and mobility and strength trainers to enhance my knowledge and growth.
I am particularly interested in the development of young athletes and adults with physical/movement challenges. As a former coach and choreographer to high level competitive gymnasts on dance technique at an elite gym for nearly eight (8) years, I continually expanded this teaching skill set.
​
In 2018, I became a Functional Range Conditioning (FRC®) mobility specialist and have embraced integrating these drills to expand joint and movement capacity to my students' Pilates sessions. I wanted to deepen my knowledge and skills in the FR® system and be able to guide Movers in a group setting so I became a Level I Kinstretch® instructor in 2019.
Six (6) weeks into teaching Kinstretch® in-person, COVID-19 changed in-person training and I have been teaching Mobility online since with my KWK Mobility Membership. After finally returning to in-person training, I also began training professional soccer players at the LA Football Club, as well as providing on-site pain relief and wellness to nearly every level of mover at Universal Studios - from cashiers and cooks to office workers and stilt walkers. In order to increase my knowledge and tools even further, I dove once again into the heavily science driven FR® system to become an Internal Strength Method coach.
I believe my extensive knowledge of movement comes from a lifetime dedicated to movement, over 20 years of teaching, forever being a student of Pilates, science and movement, and a keen awareness to details. Being enriched by all my experiences and training I thrive in helping all clients improve their daily living and fitness abilities. I particularly enjoy specializing in training high performance athletes, dancers, pre and post natal women, and injury or pain rehab/prevention. I enjoy the challenge of working with people of all ages and truly marvel at the limitless possibilities of the body and mind to create and elevate the spirit.
​
I am continually challenged with balancing my career and supporting my kids in their endeavors. Just as I challenge clients to bring balance to their body and mind, I strive to bring symmetry into my life as well.
New to Pilates?
Want to learn more about this innovative, posture building, functionality enhancing form of fitness?
Discover the benefits of Pilates!
See some Pilates exercises!
Join the Studio Focus Pilates Team
for some tutorials, creative Pilates and mobility flows, helpful tips and more!