About Rita

Rita Donahue is a certified Pilates instructor working in New York City. She began studying Pilates in college and graduated from George Mason University with a double major in English and Dance. She went on to be a full time dancer with the Mark Morris Dance Group for 15 years.

After dealing with chronic hip pain, Rita found Pilates to be the best method of physical rehabilitation and the surest way for her to find pain relief. This inspired her to pursue a Pilates certification to help others live a pain-free and active lifestyle. Rita received her mat certification from Core Pilates and continued her certification in Pilates equipment through the Kane School of Core Integration. She has also studied with Clarice Marshall since 2004. Rita has attended the FAMI workshop held at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital and regularly attends workshops and seminars to maintain the CECs (continuing education credits) of the Pilates Method Alliance.

Rita teaches private Pilates throughout NYC to people of all ages and abilities, helping her clients to find better efficiency and ease in their bodies through functional movement and biomechanics. She has experience working with conditions such as spinal disc herniation, scoliosis, shoulder and hip replacements, frozen shoulder, pre- and post-natal care, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and more. She is certified to teach movement classes for people living with Parkinson’s disease through the Dance for PD organization. Rita also practices Thai bodywork through her training with the Lotus Palm Institute in Montreal, Quebec.