December 5-7, 2026 Body Concept, Shanghai, China

Pilates Exercise as Investigation A three-day workshop with Madeline Black

Tel & Wechat  158 0067 4013 

F5, No.118 Qinghai Road, Jing’an District, Shanghai, China

Contact：trainingservice@bodyconceptpilates.com

For registration and more information (2 options): Through official website (EN version): http://view.bcpilatestv.top/ or Wechat number: bc13061620033

Course Description

What if the exercises you teach every day could tell you more?

In this workshop, Madeline Black introduces Pilates teachers to the thinking behind the Madeline Black Method: a way of working where observation, movement and decision-making happen together, inside a Pilates session. Movement, observation and verbal cueing guide the exploration.

Something catches your eye. The legs are not extending at the same time during Footwork. Instead of immediately deciding that this is the problem, you ask a better question: how can I investigate this through movement? Does the hip move when the movement asks it to? Does the body find another strategy somewhere else? Footwork on the Reformer is no longer only an exercise. It becomes your guide choosing effective movement. 

Over three days, you will learn:

• Which exercises give useful information, and what to look for in action.

• How to confirm or challenge a first impression using further movement as a guide.

• What relationships in the body may be contributing to what you see.

• When you have understanding deciding what to work on.

• How to choose a strategy across Reformer, Wunda Chair, Mat and Cadillac, then return to the original movement to see what has changed.

The process can start from a movement assessment, or from something you notice halfway through a session. The exploration will take place entirely through movement and verbal cueing, without hands-on work. Either way, you follow the same path:

Assess → Hypothesize → Investigate → Observe → Choose a strategy → Explore → Reassess

The aim is to observe asynchronies (differences in the timing of a client's movement), identify the primary cause and choose the next step in the repertoire that improves how they move. 

The Three Days

Day 1: “Footwork” Footwork as a tool for observation and investigation on the Reformer and Wunda Chair.

Day 2: “The Spinals” Pilates repertoire of torso movements known as the Spinals such as Bridging, Short spine, Long spine and more on Reformer and Cadillac. 

Day 3: Shoulder girdle and arm repertoire on Reformer, Cadillac and Wunda Chair. 

Suitable for Pilates teachers proficient in the Reformer, Chair, Cadillac and Mat repertoire who want to deepen their observation skills and move from following a program to making informed choices for each client.

You'll leave with more than new exercises. You'll leave with a clearer way of seeing, and the confidence to make decisions in the moment.