Meet our instructors
Our Team
Meet Our Instructors
Amanda Marley - Biography
Suffering back injury in Jamaica playing professional golf, Amanda tried, a then newly introduced exercise, Pilates for rehabilitation. Experiencing the positive effect of Pilates to her body she, in 2003, relocated to New York to study at the Physical Mind Institute. Her interest was piqued! She wanted to learn all disciplines of Pilates. She moved to Florida and started the Romana’s Pilates apprenticeship in Fort Lauderdale.
Receiving certifications from Titleist Performance Institute, Pilates for Golf and Prenatal Pilates. In 2005 Amanda started training clients in their homes and studios in Florida. The effects of Pilates were immediately felt by her clients. Pilates had also grown in popularity nationwide. Word of mouth has made it an exercise endorsed by athletes and celebrities. Amanda opened Zoeli Pilates in Las Olas, Florida in 2009. Zoeli Pilates focuses on Classical Pilates for both rehabilitation and athletic performance. Amanda is passionate in the authentic method and works hard at keeping true to Joe Pilates teachings.
Zoeli Pilates expanded its scope of services to embrace the holistic aspects of physical performance: Nutrition. In 2013 Amanda became a Certified Health Coach and Ayurvedic Consultant extending nutritional advice to clients. Incorporating physical and nutritional services clients are experiencing an elevated level of personal fitness and health. In 2016 Zoeli Pilates started the teacher training certification program under The United States Pilates Association. The director of the U.S.P.A and second generation master teacher David Freeman works out of Zoeli Pilates adding an increased level of training for future teachers. Amanda’s unique methods and unswerving dedication to clients have earned her a position as one of the most sought after pilates instructors in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Leslie King - Biography
Leslie Ann was born and raised in Baltimore, MD. Leslie Ann graduated high school from Carver Center for the Arts and Technology where here primary focus was dance. At this point is where she began her concentration of study in the disciplines of ballet and modern dance. Leslie Ann was also recognized as a Maryland Distinguished Scholar while studying dance at Carver. She won many awards there including Best Choreography and Technique. Throughout her studies in high school she received scholarships to study dance at many places around the country including Virginia School of Ballet, Bates College, and Goucher College. Her studies at Carver Center and Goucher College was when Leslie Ann was first introduced to the Pilates Method.
Leslie Ann attended Goucher College and Graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance with a concentration in Choreography and Education. She spent time in New York City complete her certification in The Language of Dance (tm) Level 1 with Tina Curran and Ann Hutchinson Guest. From here she continued to study dance in Los Angeles with Denise Leitner, Malaya, and Terri Best. While in Los Angeles Leslie Ann traveled throughout the county with a local artist as a dancer and was featured in many shows on MTV, as well as in the film “Step Up” featuring Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan.
In 2011, Leslie Ann then began her Pilates Teacher Training with the United States Pilates Association ™, a licensee of the New York Pilates Studio ® Teacher Certification Program which is the first and oldest professional Pilates training program in the world. She had the fortunate opportunity to work under the tutelage of Romana Trained Laura Ward-Moran and Master Teacher Brett Howard.
Valerie Griffiths - Biography
Douglas Banker - Biography
Jana Yanover - Biography
Jana has been teaching Pilates for over 20 years. While originally hailing from the Midwest, Jana found Pilates while raising her children in upstate New York. After a short time taking classes at a local studio, Jana embarked on the certification process.
She gained her comprehensive certification through Pilates Inc. NYC with Romana and Shari in 2001. Soon after, she started her own studio.
After twelve years of owning and operating her own space, Jana relocated to Chicago when her husband changed jobs. To expand her personal practice and deepen her understanding of movement, she pursued a certification in Power Yoga and Hot Power Fusion with Corepower Yoga. This experience combined with her background in Pilates and personal training informs Jana’s holistic approach to fitness.
Jana spent the next four years teaching both yoga and Pilates in Chicago at a private studio and corporate gym before relocating to South Florida. Throughout her career Jana has seen Pilates change the lives of hundreds of her clients. She is excited to continue her Pilates journey with Zoeli!
Christa Carpani - Biography
Christa Carpani has been competitively dancing since she was 10 years old. She began to audition and was casted in music videos, live performances, and commercials at 15. She has worked with artists such as Ricky Iglesias, Pitbull, Thaila, and Becky G. In 2019, she was an NBA Miami Heat Dancer and was cast as one of the main dancers on the first season of Nickelodeon/Mundonick’s TV show “Club 57”. Christa has taught at various studios in South Florida for the past seven years in the genres of hip-hop, contemporary, lyrical, jazz, modern, and stretch/conditioning.
She has choreographed for competitions and college preparatory dance schools, winning choreography awards. She graduated from Florida International University with a BA in Business, Law, and Society but could not let go of her passion for movement and wellness. In 2017, Christa obtained a Classical Pilates Certification and opened a home studio training athletes and dancers to incorporate her love of Pilates into her dance instruction for total body wellness. In 2023, she obtained a second Classical Pilates USA certification under the direct instruction of Amanda Marley. She is excited to be a part of the Zoeli family
Felice Fontana - Biography
For the past 30 years+, Felice has been practicing the Art of Contrology or Pilates. She was first introduced to it in the dance world, more specifically ballet which is her passion and background. In 2002, she decided she loved Pilates so much that she wanted to become a Certified Instructor. Her quest led her to Power Pilates in NYC, which was led by 2nd generation instructors, meaning those who had been directly trained by Romana, a woman who worked with Joseph Pilates in his studio for decades until his death.
“I wanted to learn and teach the system as Joseph Pilates designed and intended it to be”. The rest is history as they say. Since 2002, Felice has been training students from children to octogenarians the fabulous work which heals the body from the inside out. Her extensive experience and knowledge enables her to safely train anyone from being in great shape wanting to get stronger, to anyone with physical limitations and challenges.
Other than Pilates, Felice’s other interests are taking ballet, singing, going to the beach, swimming, theater, reading , hairdressing, dancing of all kinds, laughing, and hanging out with her 3 cats. She is born and raised in Miami and has resided in Fort Lauderdale for the past 30 years.
Lori Collier - Biography
Lori is certified in not only Pilates but also has a 200 RYT Yoga Certification and Yin and Restorative Yoga. She brings a multitude of skills to the table. Not only does she love teaching and practicing Pilates and yoga, her experience with weight, HIIT and spinning helps make her an all around fitness expert. Lori exudes a love for Pilates, fitness, and health. She loves nothing more than helping others become healthy and strong.
Our latest workshops
JAN 5-7
Intermediate System Workshop at Balanced Birch Studios, Amherst, MA
Intermediate Classical Pilates repertoire, involving all applicable apparatus. This is an interactive program designed for attendees to actively participate, obtaining hands on knowledge of the exercises in their entirety, from application, through modifications, and execution. Balanced Birch Studios...
Dec 10
"It's A Matter of Principles" - Virtual Seminar with Senior Teacher Trainer David Freeman
Sunday, December 10, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM EST
Join Senior Teacher Trainer David Freeman for his seminar on "It's A Matter of Principles" This seminar will be offered virtually and is two hours long. Two (2) CEC's will be earned for those that attend. The Pilates Haus...
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What our clients are saying

”I had a lot of hip issues from competitive dance but with consistent conditioning in Pilates I was able regain my strength and prevent further injuries. Amanda's extensive Pilates background combined with her passion for helping others has provided an optimal learning environment to complete my certification. Her detailed instruction has enabled me the ability to teach at all levels, from beginners to clients with injuries”
Christa Carpani

”Eight years ago, my doctor recommended Pilates to help with my scoliosis. When I became a client at Zoeli I felt a significant difference in my body. So much that I enrolled in the teacher training program . The training at Zoeli goes beyond the surface level of the exercise but gives you an understanding of the biomechanics of movement and its purpose. I now have the knowledge of Classical Pilates and how it transforms your body and mind.”
Kerensa Carpani

”During my home search I asked about Pilates studios and Zoeli Pilates was recommended. I learned that Zoeli is a USPA training center, the owner, Amanda Marley, is a Supervising Instructor for the USPA and 3rd generation teacher, and David Freeman, a Principal Director of the USPA and 2nd generation teacher, bases himself out of the Zoeli studio. All of this had great appeal - an opportunity to learn from experience like this doesn't come around every day. I spoke with each of them and with an apprentice of the program and their encouragement and enthusiasm were contagious, both for the training program and for Classical Pilates as a whole. After further thought and research into my other options I couldn't shake what felt right - to join the USPA and dive into the world of Classical Pilates. It was the best decision I've made, both personally and professionally.”
Jayne Saretsky
