A native of Massachusetts, Tonia moved to South Carolina in 1993 to dance professionally with the Charleston Ballet Theatre.  Pilates was first introduced as part of her training at the Boston Ballet School and was practiced throughout her career to help maintain and balance her strength. While still dancing, she began her teacher training in 1998 with Colleen Glenn and has continued to learn through classes and workshops with teachers from all over the country.  Although most of her time now is spent taking care of her young twins, Tonia is dedicated to studying and understanding the intricacies of the body through teaching the Pilates method.