INSTRUCTORS

JILL ECONOMAKOS | OWNER

STOTT PILATES® Certified Instructor

Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach | Wellness Advocate

Additional Training: Injury and special populations, pre/post natal, Pilates for golf, athletic conditioning, fascia release, diastasis healing. Oov Certified. Halo® Certified.

Jill studied dance on scholarship at Northern Illinois University; and after graduating with a BFA in Dance Performance, Jill went on to dance with companies in Chicago and Denver – performing in North America and Europe. She was invited to teach dance at Northern Illinois University and North Central College as well.

Teaching dance opened up new ways for Jill to study, explore and analyze movement. This allowed her a greater understanding of anatomy and body mechanics, so the move to teaching Pilates was a natural progression. Jill became a STOTT PILATES® certified instructor in 2007 and immediately began teaching at the certification center in Chicago. In 2009, she received her certification in Peyow Aqua Pilates.

Later that year, Jill packed her bags and moved to Denver. She quickly built a loyal clientele by working with a variety of clients ranging from individuals requiring rehabilitation to athletes. In 2013, Jill traveled to the Merrithew Health and Fitness headquarters in Toronto, and became a CORE™ Qualified Instructor. In 2016, she became a Halo Training® Qualified Instructor. Jill became a Certified Oov Instructor in 2018.

Jill has studied the body and how to move it efficiently her entire life. By focusing on postural alignment, technique and quality of movement, she creates workouts that are safe, fun and challenging for her clients. Jill is passionate about helping her clients develop strength, flexibility, mobility, body awareness and more confidence in what they can do throughout their daily lives.

In 2017, wanting to help her clients live vibrantly in all aspects of their health, Jill enrolled in the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy, and was certified in 2018. In 2020, following her passion for essential oils, she became a Wellness Advocate for doTERRA.

JOANNA RICHARDSON | INSTRUCTOR

STOTT PILATES® Certified Instructor

Joanna moved to Colorado from Central Florida where she has been teaching Pilates for seven years. She began her certification to become a STOTT Pilates instructor in 2012 after being drawn to the method for its strong base in functional anatomy and attention to detail in every exercise.

Her own interest in Pilates started as a compliment to her dance training for injury rehab and prevention. Joanna has been performing professionally for over 15 years and some of her more notable credits include Tokyo Disney, Disney World, and the Radio City Rockettes for 13 years.

She enjoys sharing her love of movement and looks forward to helping clients find balance and strength in Pilates for a better quality of life.

Testimonials

Kelly R.

Jill is an amazing Pilates instructor. I appreciate how Jill adapts each workout to match what is going in with my body that day. Jill’s skills range from making Pilates concepts approachable to beginners, to choreographing challenging advanced exercises. She is sensitive to the individual needs of her clients, including those recovering from injuries. Most of all, I have fun in our sessions, and never grow bored. In the three years I’ve trained with Jill, I’ve never had the same workout twice. I’ve experienced a lot of benefits from training with Jill, including improved posture and flexibility. One side effect I didn’t anticipate was that I would need to buy a new wardrobe as my body toned and I lost inches through my waist and hips!

Andy D.

Jill has an exceptional ability to observe bodies in motion and give precise, targeted instructions that create alignment and awareness. She has both the humor and energy to keep the workout fun while pushing you to new limits. There is no one like her. The bottom line: if you’re looking to develop grace, strength and real power, she’s the best teacher in the biz…

Larry W.

As a 60+ year old with a prior history of back surgery, pilates has been a very important tool for me to use to maintain and improve my overall posture, core strength and flexibility. I have used several instructors over the years but none has worked as hard to address my individual needs as Jill has. She makes our sessions fun, fast paced and productive. Jill took the time to learn about my history and what I wanted to achieve by doing pilates (mostly golf related) and she structures our sessions to help me reach my goals. She took the time to meet with my personal trainer to ensure that they were both working toward common goals and coordinating their efforts. This made a big difference in the effectiveness of all my training. Her enthusiasm and encouragement make me look forward to pushing the limits in each session as I know I will feel great afterwards. As she did with me, I am sure that Jill makes all of her clients feel like they are the most important part of her day and focuses all of her attention on helping them improve their health..

Christine G.

Because of Jill, I can still rock a bikini after two children, and I don’t have to pee every time I stand up. Her pre and post-natal pilates classes, barre, mat and reformer alike, helped me through (and more importantly helped me recover from) two childbirths. My son was breach and was born via emergency c-section, and Jill helped me safely and fully recover in warp speed. Two years later I successfully vbac’d with my daughter, which my doctor and several veteran nurses informed me was quite the feat given my small size and prior c-section. Through clenched teeth I replied, “it’s those damn pilates.” My pelvic floor and I are forever indebted to Jill.

Nicholas E.

As a former professional hockey player, my body has been through a lot. As a current lawyer, I wasn't taking care of myself the same way that I used to. Jill's former experience as a professional dancer combined with her knowledge of how to maintain, heal, and improve the body through exercise and nutrition is second to none. There is so much literature out these days on what constitutes a healthy diet. She can help whether you live in Denver or you live somewhere else because she can design a program specifically for you-- that's my favorite part. Jill's approach is simple and tailored to each individual (meaning I can still eat pizza, sometimes haha). Under Jill's direction, we spent about 40 days figuring out how different foods affect/effect my body. During this time, Jill directed me to literature about food that was simple, and made sense. I lost 20 pounds during this time frame, and have a sustainable plan of success to keep looking more like an athlete, instead of a former athlete. Any time I had a question, no matter how small or stupid, Jill was there to answer quickly and thoughtfully. Manna is about lifestyle, not just trying to look good for a wedding or a beach trip. If you are serious about wanting to live a healthier lifestyle and be the best version of yourself, I highly recommend Manna Pilates + Health. Jill is like having a mentor, coach, friend and Buddha all rolled into one. She is there when you need to be pushed or encouraged. Jill's holistic approach to health is inspiring and easy to follow. Manna Rocks!

Scott Q.

Manna Pilates is far and beyond being the BEST experience in physical and mental fitness I have found in my 31 years of life. Jill Economakos is a miracle worker and just all around a beautiful person and dear friend. My husband and I have been working with her for over a year now. We found each other following a very serious foot surgery. She has become like family to the two of us and we are forever grateful! I have also been seeing Joanna regularly for over a month now. She is perfectly in line with Jill's philosophy and has a beautiful and complementary style of teaching Pilates. I cannot recommend MANNA PILATES enough!!!! If you are looking for Pilates or any kind of exercise whatsoever LOOK NO FURTHER. LOVE YOU Jill and Joanna <3