
About Us
I wanted to express how grateful I am to take over ownership of Scoop Pilates in 2026. This studio is deeply meaningful to me as it is where my Classical Pilates journey began as a client and apprentice instructor.
During my apprenticeship, I met Laiza at Pilates Unlimited in Auckland where she was teaching. She played a big part in supporting my training before later joining us at Scoop in Christchurch. It is wonderful that our paths have come full circle to continue caring for this studio.
In 2016, I established Your Space Pilates to bring Pilates into workplaces, community spaces, and homes. Returning to Scoop in 2025 felt like coming home. It is a pleasure to reconnect with long standing clients and welcome those who have joined over the years.
I am delighted that Sarah and Rhonda continue as part of our teaching team. Both are exceptional instructors who care deeply about our clients. Scoop has always been a welcoming community, and my commitment is to honour the high standards and traditions that make it so special while helping everyone move well and stay strong.
— Mary Griffiths-Hurrell
Meet Our Instructors
"Pilates is about quality over quantity. Performing one or two repetitions well with your powerhouse engaged is far better than ten strained movements. Respect your body and guide it to enjoy movement."
- Mary Hurrell

Mary Hurrell
SENIOR ROMANA'S PILATES INSTRUCTOR & STUDIO MANAGER
My fascination with movement drew me into the fitness industry, where I have worked as a fitness instructor, physical education teacher, and personal training assessor. I first discovered Pilates in 2000, but experiencing the authentic Romana's method a few years later was truly transformative. I retrained as a Romana's Pilates instructor in 2011 to make it my full time career. Helping clients connect with their bodies is incredibly rewarding. My goal is to teach with calmness and kindness, offering options so you can work safely and effectively at your own pace.

Rhonda Gooding
ROMANA'S PILATES INSTRUCTOR
Passionate about holistic well-being, I have seamlessly woven my love for Pilates into my journey. As a dedicated dentist with a penchant for teaching yoga, my commitment to fostering wellness took a new dimension during lockdowns. When the world pressed pause, I took the opportunity to deepen my connection with Pilates. Determined to share the transformative impact of the Romana's Pilates method, I embarked on a journey to become a fully certified instructor. I believe in the profound difference Pilates can make not only in rehabilitation journeys but also in positively impacting everyday lives. Eager to expand my understanding of the Romana's Pilates method, I actively pursue ongoing education with a mission to empower individuals to experience the significant impact of Pilates on their well-being. Join me, discover the difference, embrace the practice, and let me guide you toward a more vibrant, balanced, and resilient you.
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Sarah Cuthbert
ROMANA'S PILATES INSTRUCTOR
Before pursuing a career as a Pilates instructor, I worked as a receptionist and administrator in both a Physiotherapy and Podiatry practice. These roles gave me a deep appreciation for the importance of exercise in maintaining health and aiding recovery from injury. My own Pilates journey began when my children were young. Struggling with shoulder and neck issues, I was recommended to Pilates as a way to improve my condition. Although I was already an avid runner and gym-goer, I quickly fell in love with the challenge and the focus that Pilates offered. I joined Scoop Pilates on a friend's recommendation and was introduced to Romana's Pilates method. At first, the approach was different, but I quickly appreciated the discipline and the way the exercises worked together to benefit my body. The decision to do the Romana's Pilates training instructors programme was a natural next step for me. I truly enjoy helping people achieve their goals and supporting them on their own fitness journeys. It’s incredibly rewarding to see clients not only improve their strength and mobility but also feel empowered in their bodies. Outside of Pilates, I love spending time with my family, reading, going to the movies, and gardening when I can.
Studio History
By original owner Charrette van Eekelen.
I began practising Pilates in New York City in the 1990s, training under Romana Kryzanowska, Joseph Pilates’ chosen successor. I owned two studios in the United States before moving to Christchurch in 2005 to establish Scoop. My intention was simple: to bring authentic Pilates to New Zealand, using the original exercises, apparatus, and teaching principles rather than modern variations. Scoop became the South Island’s only Romana’s Authentic Pilates studio.
Mary first came to me as a student eager to learn the authentic method, eventually undertaking her apprenticeship at the studio after the earthquake. Laiza Lima also joined us in our post-earthquake studio space, quickly becoming a genuine devotee of Pilates and a close friend. When it was time for me to move on, Laiza carried the torch of Scoop before continuing the Romana lineage at Pilates Unlimited in Takapuna, where she became an international teacher trainer. Seeing both women carry this lineage forward is one of the great rewards of my career.
The Scoop logo emerged after the earthquake when one of my clients, Grant Margison, and I worked on ideas until it came together. It represents the sun, hills, and water coming together to symbolise balance, place, and belonging—the same feeling of being at home in your own body that Pilates provides.



Why Authentic Romana's Pilates?
Authentic Pilates refers strictly to the complete system developed by Joseph Pilates, proven for over 85 years as a safe and effective method of exercise. Scoop Pilates is the only Romana’s Authentic Pilates studio in the South Island.
"Everyone is the architect of their own happiness."
- Joseph Pilates
We teach the original system using authentic apparatus created by Joseph Pilates. Our focus is on preserving these time proven techniques, empowering you to gain strength, posture, and self-sufficiency in a supportive atmosphere.
"You can say what Pilates is in three words. Stretch with Strength and Control. And the control part is the most important because that makes you use your mind."
- Romana Kryzanowska


“We first started Pilates 10 years ago and we have been going regularly ever since. Without a doubt it is one if the best things we have done for our ageing bodies. We are stronger, more flexible and it helps immensely with the sports we participate in such as skiing, golf, cycling and paddle boarding. We have better balance and a stronger core and this helps significantly with the sports we love doing.”
- Milson and Leigh
“I have been involved in Scoop Pilates since it began and I cannot imagine life without it. I started Pilates because I had a significant back problem, which healed very quickly. Pilates is a wonderful form of exercise for strengthening not just your core but your entire body. It develops your flexibility, balance and coordination and is great for your mind as well. The Scoop Pilates staff are extremely professional, talented, warm and caring and I cannot recommend them highly enough. I attend both apparatus and mat lessons and they are the highlight of my week!”
- Lesley
