Meet the Instructors

Heather McGinnis is owner of Pivot & Thrive. She is a Pilates and movement educator and a culinary nutrition coach, having a passion for preventative medicine through both food and exercise.  Specializing in post injury rehab/injury prevention, sport conditioning, and Multiple Sclerosis, as well as, holistic nutrition in the kitchen, Heather is fully able to address issues from multiple perspectives. She is a fully certified STOTT Pilates Instructor and had the privilege to learn from Pilates Elder Kathy Grant while in NYC.  Heather is a certified FMT Basic & Performance RockTape movement professional, and a Pilates for Neurologicial Conditions  certified trainer.  She has been published in Dance San Diego and is also a NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) certified personal trainer.  Heather completed her Masters of Fine Arts in Dance and Choreography from New York University's TISCH School of the Arts where she had the opportunity to dance for a number of choreographers, including dancing primary roles in world premieres by Robert Battle and Nicolo Fonte.  She has danced professionally for DancEnlight, Kun-Yang Lin, Saving Grace Dance Ensemble, DanceFusion, Myra Bazell/SCRAP, Allied Motion,  & apprenticed for the Pennsylvania Dance Theatre.  Heather was founder  and choreographer for FreeFall Contemporary Dance Company.  Her own work has been shown in New York City, Philadelphia, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Heather has served on the leadership committee of the New Hampshire Dance Alliance and the Board of Directors for the Sonia Plumb Dance Company. Heather is also a graduate of the Academy of Culinary Nutrition, and enjoys guiding individuals towards a healthier, disease preventative lifestyle - in and out of the kitchen.

Stephanie Leslie studied dance for fifteen years under Patricia Rousseau-Duggan, Lynn Briggs, Jayne  Persch and Margot Parsons.  She concentrated on ballet and pointe but also studied jazz, tap, modern and  lyrical styles.  She received a BS in Health Studies and a MS in Physical Therapy from Boston Universityʼs  Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.  She has worked as a physical therapist for nearly 20 years in both the outpatient and school settings, specializing in pediatrics and aquatic therapy in Southern New Hampshire.  She has recently relocated to the metro Atlanta, GA area.  Stephanie  has published articles in both the Journal of the National Association of Orthopedic Technologists and  Rehab Magazine.  She has a special interest in dance related injuries and rehab, and is a member of International Association for Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS).