Flash Mob Pilates}

Flash Mob Pilates

by

Amy Leibrock

By Amy Leibrock

When Bethany Mateosian noticed her mat class attendance dropping off in the summer months, she knew exactly why. The summer weather. Mateosian is the owner of Springboard Pilates in Portland, Maine, a place where residents savor their three months of summer as much as possible before the winter buries them in snow again. So while her private and duet clients were committed to their time slots, some of her mat students didnt seem to want to spend their precious warm-weather time in the studio.

So last summer Mateosian decided to join them by bringing mat class outsidewith a twist. She organized a series of flash mob classes that she would hold at different public spaces around the city. By the end of the summer, she had created a lot of buzz, added a few new clients and got to enjoy the summer herself.

OK, lets back up a little bit. You might be wondering what a flash mob is. Flash mobs are typically public stunts, where a group of people gathers at a meeting place, does something a little wacky and then disperses. The meeting place is often communicated by text message and the people might not know one another. (One of the coolest examples was when 100 people froze in place for a minute in New Yorks Grand Central Station.)

Mateosians version isnt quite as wacky (but it might be to someone whos never seen Pilates). And its a little more planned. Last summer she would email the when and where a few days before the class. This year, shes listed the dates and times on her website, and you have to sign up for her email list to get the location, which shell send out a day ahead of time. The once-a-week class is free and meant to keep people engaged over the summer, generate some buzz and enjoy the weather.

Its a fun, hip concept but also takes advantage of the fact that in Maine we hibernate all year and then for three months its just like crazy summer energy, says Mateosian. So being outdoors is really tapping into that sort of natural energy but keeping people coming to Pilates.

Last years locations included an after-work class on a promenade, a sunset class at a beachfront park and a 7:30 a.m. class on the Maine State Pier, one of Mateosians favorite spots. Youre right on the working waterfront and you have the fishermen standing at the end of the dock and the ferry going buy and the sailboats coming in and out, she says.

Mateosian chose public spaces and made sure there were no events going on. Because shes not charging any money and the classes were smallusually two to six peopleshe didnt investigate getting a permit. She also asked the participants to bring their own towels or mats.

Last summers turnout wasnt hugea few clients took full advantage and others popped in and out when they could. But the buzz is building. She met someone at a party who had heard of the classes, and she also picked up some new clients who were friends or relatives of her flash mob group.

One man who joined the mob had never done Pilates. He was totally grunting and working his way through the whole thing and he said that afterwards he went to pick up a piece of trash and realized that his body didnt hurt when he bent over, says Mateosian. Now he comes to Pilates.

http://www.pilates-pro.com/pilates-pro/2008/5/30/flash-mob-pilates.html

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Flash Mob Pilates}