Who Was Romana Kryzanowska? A Legacy in motion
Romana Kryzanowska
How One Woman Became the Heart of Pilates as We Know It
Romana Kryzanowska didn’t set out to become the heir to a movement method that would span generations. But when she first stepped into Joseph Pilate’s studio as a young ballet dancer recovering from injury, something clicked. Her dedication, intuition, and strength caught Joe’s attention - and she never looked back.
At Lifespan Pilates, we don’t just teach Pilates. We teach Contrology - the original method created by Joseph Pilates - refined and passed down by Romana, his protege and chose successor. To understand what we do here, you need to know who she was.
A Direct Line to the Source
Romana began studying with Joe and Clara Pilates in the 1940s. She was more than a student - she became part of their family. Joe saw in her the physical discipline of a dancer and the mental clarity of a teacher. She eventually became the person he trusted most to carry on his work.
After Joe’s passing, Romana became the face of his method - not by invention, but by preservation. She taught with rigor, warmth, and an unmistakable spark. Her mission was simple: “Keep the work pure.”
Romana’s Teaching was not a style - it was the method
Romana didn’t create her own version of Pilates. She preserved the original system and taught it as it was meant to be practiced - with progression, precision, and joy. She made refinements, not changes. Her depth of knowledge allowed her to recognize when a body needed more foundation or more challenge.
The work wasn’t about the teacher - it was about the method. That’s the heart of Romana’s Pilates International™ and what we honor every day at Lifespan.
Her Spirit Lives in the Studio
If you’ve ever been taught by someone trained in Romana’s lineage, you’ve felt it: the clarity, the intensity, the attention to detail. There’s no fluff, no filler. Just the real work - delivered with passion and purpose.
At Lifespan Pilates, we carry forward Romana’s commitment to teaching Contrology through the lens of Romana’s Pilates with integrity. Whether you’re here to move, heal, or become a teacher yourself, you’re stepping into a tradition built on strength, discipline, and deep respect.
Sari Mejia Santo, Romana Kryzanowska’s daughter continues to sustain and nurture the legacy of Romana’s Pilates. As a Pilates Grand Master, Sari is one of the most acclaimed instructors, sharing her mother’s lifelong passion for teaching the original Pilates method. Sari’s introduction to Pilates started at an early age with her mother using Pilates to rebuild her strength after a suffering physical complications. Later, Sari began teaching at the Pilates studio along side her mother, under the guidance of Uncle Joe and Clara. Sari developed a natural talent for it. Drawn to Pilates for the transformative impact it had on her own life, she soon realized her ability to help others both physically and mentally.
Sari Mejia Santo, Pilates GrandMaster, Romana’s Pilates International™
Learn more about Romana Kryzanowska’s story: Pilates Living Legend by Rosalind Gray Davis An interview with the world-renowned protegee of Joseph Pilates here