Pilates Plus RVA

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Richmond, VA
Pilates Plus RVA

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Pilates for the way you actually live. Private sessions, duets and teacher training in Richmond, led by Dara Galasso and a team of expert instructors.

Every session is shaped around you, from first-timers to athletes. No experience needed.

11/04/2026

Monday, 8:30 a.m.

Six women walk into our group class. Ages 30 to 75. Six different histories and six different reasons for being here. A new hip. A chronic illness. A busy brain that needs an hour off.

Different apparatus. Different needs. One shared goal: move well and start the week feeling a little better.

That's small-group Pilates at Pilates Plus. Everyone gets seen, and everyone gets what they need.

11/01/2026

This is how neuro-spicy Pilates can change the world. ❤️

My son, Neil, is autistic and has ADHD. When he walks into the Pilates studio, something shifts. He is happy. He is joyful. He is connected. He is challenged, curious, and completely himself.

Teaching him pushes me to think differently, adapt constantly, and meet him where he is. And honestly? It reminds me why I do this work.

Watching my kiddo find so much joy in a place I love so much, and having something that brings us together in a way that feels so natural to both of us, is pretty special. As an autistic person myself, sharing this space and this love of movement with him means more than I can put into words. ❤️

10/29/2026

Every session here comes with the why: why an exercise matters, what it should feel like, and how it connects to lifting a car seat, carrying the groceries up the stairs in one trip, or getting down on the floor and back up with ease. That understanding goes home with you, long after the session ends. It's what Dara means when she says we teach the work.

10/28/2026

We don’t teach a type of Pilates. We teach the body in front of us.

Every body comes with a different history, different needs, and different possibilities. Our job is to meet those bodies with knowledge, creativity, and a deep respect for the Pilates method.

We’re rooted in the method, but we’re never here to force every body into the same mold.

Rooted in the method. Responsive to the individual. Always teaching the human, not just the exercise.

Come see what Pilates can look like when it meets you where you are. ✨

10/23/2026

A little nuance to yesterday’s spirited conversation 🤍

This isn’t about planks being bad. I use them all the time! It’s about understanding the method we’re teaching, where it came from, and what makes it distinct.

You can absolutely incorporate other movements into your teaching. But I think there’s value in knowing the original repertoire and the principles behind it before deciding how to build upon it.

Classical Pilates has a rich history, a specific vocabulary, and an intentional system. That context matters. It’s what gives the method its identity and distinguishes it from simply exercising on a piece of equipment.

We can evolve, adapt, and explore while still respecting the foundation we’re building from. Those things aren’t mutually exclusive.

Dr. Adam McAtee PT, DPT , loved your argument. Two brilliant minds can still disagree 🤗

And if you’ve decided I’m the Pilates Police based on one reel, I invite you to take a stroll through my entire page. My clients are absolutely belly laughing at this characterization of me as some rigid Pilates enforcer. 😂 Maybe I’m more of a Pilates mall cop. 👮🏻‍♀️

10/23/2026

Hi, I'm Dara. Welcome to Pilates Plus!

For me, Pilates moves beyond exercise. It's about helping you feel more at home in your body, and creating a studio where you feel genuinely seen and supported.

I opened Pilates Plus in 2017 with that in mind. Today our team teaches privates, duets and small groups for clients from age 3 to 93, and every session is built around you: your body, your goals, and the life you live outside the studio.

I also train the next generation of instructors. Our teacher trainings blend classical foundations with critical thinking, so every new teacher learns to see the body in front of them and find their own voice. And for certified instructors ready to grow, I offer one-on-one mentoring.

Brand new to Pilates, years into your practice or ready to teach, there's a place for you here. We'd love to meet you. Send us a DM to book your first session.

10/22/2026

Our new website is live, and we built it the same way we teach: with care, intention, and you at the center. 🤍

Every page answers the questions we hear most. What a first session feels like. How private and duet sessions work. Who our instructors are and what our teacher training looks like from the inside.

For Dara, Pilates has always been about helping people feel more at home in their bodies. We wanted our home online to feel the same way.

Same studio. Same people. A brand new front door.

pilatesplusrva.com

10/21/2026

🤫 So here’s the thing… there’s no exercise called Plank in the classical Pilates repertoire.

Now, does a plank shape show up in classical Pilates? Absolutely. But a shape is not the same thing as an exercise.

Maybe it’s time we got a little more precise with our language. 👀

Wait… who said that? 😂

10/20/2026

🚨 Props aren’t just for making Pilates harder! 🚨

Sometimes the magic is in making things more accessible. ✨

In this Climb a Tree prep on the short box, grabbing behind the leg was a challenge, so we brought in the magic circle to create a little more space and make the connection possible.

Props can add resistance, sure. But they can also provide support, improve access, and help someone find a version of the movement that works for their body.

Props for good, not just evil. 😈

Because Pilates isn’t about forcing your body into a shape. It’s about finding ways to make movement work for you.

Address

5409 Patterson Avenue
Richmond, VA
23226

Telephone

+18047506095

Website

http://Pilatesplusrva.com/

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