About Alissa

Alissa Waller has been teaching the GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® movement methods since 1998. She is a Certified Specialized Master Trainer, trained by the systems' creator Juliu Horvath, in all aspects of both methods. Her movement practice specializes in the applications of Pilates and Gyrotonic exercise to conditioning programs for the general public and specialized programs for dancers, athletes, and those needing a rehabilitative approach to movement. Alissa has trained and mentored many fellow movement teachers over the past two decades. She currently offers Teacher Training and Continuing Education opportunities year round in both the GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® movement systems. Ms. Waller is also a Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher, comprehensively certified through two Pilates educational systems (one as a Master Trainer) with more than 30 years of experience teaching Pilates to clients and training instructors in the professional studio setting.

Her Story

Ballet

Alissa Waller received her early dance training from Rose Marie Floyd in Royal Oak, MI. Known as a dancer with strong technique, clean line, and a good eye for detail Ms. Waller naturally gravitated toward teaching and started instructing Ballet to both children and adults in her early 20's. Besides her early training in Metro Detroit, Ms. Waller furthered her dance education with summer programs at the Cleveland Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, New School of the Arts in Amsterdam, Cecchetti Summer School in Chichester, England and the Joffrey Ballet School in NYC. In 1997, she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Ballet Performance with honors while on full Full Scholarship at the University of Arizona. She has performed professionally with the Detroit Contemporary Civic Ballet, the Chicago Ballet, and Elements Contemporary Ballet.

Always knowing her love for teaching, Ms. Waller pursued several teaching certifications in the field of Classical Ballet. She has passed her Advanced Professional Teaching Examination in the Cecchetti Method with honors and is also an ABT® Certified Teacher, having successfully completed the entire ABT® Teacher Training Curriculum from Pre-Primary through Level 7. Most recently, Ms. Waller was on the faculty of the Charlotte Ballet Academy and Pre-Professional Divisions where she taught Ballet/Pointe technique and Dance Conditioning. She holds a certificate in Performing Arts Medicine from PAMA, and specialized Dance Conditioning training with the Inner Life of Ballet, Perfect Form Physiotherapy, and the Dance Medicine Education Initiative.

Ms Waller has taught for Florida State University, Northwestern University, and at Hope College as well as for numerous dance studios, summer intensives and regional dance workshops since 1997. The many students she has trained over the years have gone on to professional careers in the arts with some of the most highly regarded ballet companies in the world including the American Ballet Theatre, Paris Opera Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Louisville Ballet, Pittsburg Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet, and the Miami City Ballet.

Pilates

Ms. Waller began her practice of Pilates at age 14 when she was treated for a knee injury with physical therapy and then Pilates conditioning. She continued regular Pilates practice through her teens and began her formal Pilates education with the Ron Fletcher method in 1995. She then completed her first comprehensive Pilates certification with STOTT PILATES® in 1998. An additional comprehensive Pilates certification was attained through McEntire Pilates for whom she served as a Pilates Master Trainer in the Chicago area for several years. Besides this formal education, Ms. Waller has been fortunate enough to study the classical Pilates repertoire, and to attend many Pilates conferences, workshops and seminars to become exposed to a variety of teachers and styles. Ms. Waller has fine-tuned her teaching practice for dancers by completing the Pilates for Dancers Specialization through BASI Pilates. Alissa has close to 30 years of practical experience teaching Pilates in the professional studio setting. She is a Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher (NCPT) and has completed multiple advanced trainings in the applications of Pilates to specific populations. Her teaching practice encompasses general fitness, post rehab, dancer specific applications, equestrian and elite athletic emphasis. She is a member of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science, the Pilates Method Alliance and the Performing Arts Medical Association.

GYROTONIC® & GYROKINESIS® Methods

Ms Waller is a Certified Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis Level 2 Specialized Master Trainer and conducts teacher training in all aspects and levels of the system. She was introduced to the Gyrotonic method in 1997 and has studied extensively with the system's founder and creator, Juliu Horvath over the past 27 years. Ms. Waller has trained with Juliu Horvath in New York, Denver, San Francisco, Miami, Austria, Italy, and multiple times in Germany. In 2008, she was chosen by Mr. Horvath to demonstrate the Level 2 Gyrotonic (advanced) material for the International Gyrotonic Educational Convention in Rome, Italy. Ms. Waller was certified by Mr. Horvath in 2003 as a Master Trainer in the Gyrotonic method and in 2006 as a Master Trainer in the Gyrokinesis method - which enables her to conduct teacher trainings for future teachers. She has furthered her Gyrotonic education with advanced training in Gyrotonic Level 2, Gyrokinesis Level 2, Gyrotonic, Gyrokinesis Applications for Dancers, the Therapeutic Applications of Gyrotonic for the Pelvis, Spine, Upper Body, Shoulders, Scoliosis Programs (with both Paul Horvath and Uwe Herbstreit), the Psoas Program, Equestrian Program, and the Gyrokinesis Breathing Programs. She is certified in all aspects of the system, on all of the equipment, and is also a Master Trainer on the: ARCHWAY™, Jumping-Stretching Board, and GYROTONER®.

Studio Founder

In 2003, Ms. Waller founded her first studio: Chicago Northshore GYROTONIC®, a licensed studio and educational facility, which served the greater Chicago area with comprehensive teacher training in the Gyrotonic & Gyrokinesis Methods and Pilates Teacher Training. She owned, operated and directed the studio from 2003 - 2012 when she relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina. In 2014, she founded Charlotte Movement Arts Studio where for 11 years she taught client sessions full time while also conducting teacher trainings, workshops, and serving as a faculty member of the Charlotte Ballet Academy and Pre-professional Division. Ms. Waller has guest taught for movement studios nationwide and was brought in to design the Pilates and Gyrotonic studio at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel (formerly the Elysian Hotel) in downtown Chicago. A lifelong student, she re-educates herself regularly and stays up to date with the most current advances in movement science. She has deepened her teaching practice with extensive study of dance technique, dance science, anatomy, physiology, bio-mechanics, physical therapy, kinesiology, Thai bodywork, energy healing, yoga, meditation, breathing practices, osteopathy, and the brilliant work of Philip Beach, Robert Schlep, Gil Hedley and Tom Myers. In 2025, she and her family relocated to the sunny sands of Anastasia Island / St. Augustine Beach where she continues to instruct movement sessions and offer teacher training our of her newest studio ~ Anastasia Movement Arts.