Carrie started her Pilates training in Seattle with Dorothee Vandewalle, Lori Coleman-Brown, and Lauren Stephen. She also had the good fortune to study with Romana Kryzanowska who ultimately certified Carrie in 1999. She moved home to Boise, Idaho a year later and opened Idaho’s first Pilates studio, Forte Pilates.
Through the years Carrie has taught dancers and football players and the young and the aged. She has appreciated and learned from using Pilates in her own body to pursue athletic endeavors and for longevity as she ages and enjoys passing on Pilates to clients in various stages of life.
In 2015, Carrie was accepted into and completed The Work at Vintage Pilates in Los Angeles. This opportunity has proven to be the biggest influence in Carrie’s teaching. She continued learning from Jay Grimes until his passing in 2024, and still enjoys Sandy Shimoda's mentorship. Carrie is on staff with Vintage Pilates as one of the Expert instructors teaching private lessons, VP Classes, workshops, and mat consultations. She enjoys opportunities mentoring current instructors and future instructors in and outside of Boise.
She is very proud of Forte Pilates and feels very lucky to work with an excellent team of instructors.
Tsarra was first introduced to Pilates when Carrie Shanafelt opened Forte Pilates in 2000. It immediately became clear that Pilates was something she wanted to do for the rest of her life. As a professional dancer, Tsarra used Pilates as a form of cross training, injury prevention, and recovery. After retiring from performing, Tsarra trained with Carrie to complete her Pilates teacher certification in 2020.
Selected to participate in a program called The Method in 2024, Tsarra continues to study the art of teaching Pilates with a small group of international instructors. This program is taught by Sandy Shimoda of Vintage Pilates in Los Angeles. It is designed to help train teachers to carry on Joe Pilates' method as Sandy learned it from Jay Grimes. Before his passing in 2024, Tsarra was fortunate to get a bit of Jay's teaching, and continues to study with teachers he worked with closely.
Tsarra is Carrie's assistant in the Forte Pilates teacher training apprenticeship program. She also hopes to inspire her students to develop a Pilates practice that is consistent, confident, independent, and fun.
Desiree has been a certified Romanas Pilates instructor for over 16 years, with a professional dancing background for over 17 years (Performing and Teaching). With her dance career cut short due to an injury, Desiree decided to head back home to Washington to attend college. While studying for her BA, Desiree discovered a love for Pilates and started training from Pilates Seattle International. After graduating from college, she worked for the next 8 years at PSI.
Desiree had the opportunity to work with many master teachers such as; Lori Coleman-Brown, Dorothee Vandewalle, Larry Gibas, Jerome Weinberg MeJo Wiggin, Sari Mejia Santos , Cythina Lochard and last but not least Romana Kryzanowska. After coming to Boise on a family visit, Desiree decided to move and has been here ever since. Currently she is teaching Dance at Ballet Idaho, instructing at Forte' Pilates, and is a proud mother of 2.
Heidi was trained in 2009 by master Pilates teacher Dorothee Vanderwalle, recognized as one of the leading teacher-trainers and Pilates practitioners in the world. Through Seattle’s Metropolitan Authentic Training program, Heidi has focused on the original, authentic method developed by Joseph Pilates. She has over 900 hours of teaching, training, and observing in authentic Pilates instruction.
Prior to Pilates, Heidi received her masters in teaching from the University of Washington and has worked as a secondary science teacher in Seattle, Boston, Germany, and on the Navajo Reservation.
Physical activity has always been integral to Heidi’s lifestyle. She enjoys biking, running, hiking, dance and skiing. Her previous career in education, combined with her focus on physical activity and body awareness provided a perfect segue into a career in Pilates instruction.
In Heidi’s private or semiprivate lessons, your workout will be structured around your physical needs in caring and yet challenging format.
