Cristina Lazarescu
Founder & Classical Pilates Teacher
"Throughout my decades of elite coaching, I learned that understanding biomechanics is only half the work; the true transformation happens in the execution. That is the definition of Praxis—turning theory into action. This studio exists to help you take the profound, historical system of classical Pilates and actively embody it in your everyday life."
Born into a family of elite athletes and coaches, Cristina’s life has always been defined by a deep passion for sport, structure, and physical mastery. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education and Sport alongside an Advanced Coaching Diploma. For over two decades, she built a highly successful career as an elite speed skating coach, culminating in her work with the Elite Athlete Pathway Program at the Calgary Olympic Oval before stepping away in 2025 to dedicate herself entirely to private movement education.
Cristina’s introduction to Pilates in Montreal in 2009 completely transformed her understanding of physical literacy and movement. Recognizing the profound impact the Pilates Method could have on athletic performance, she entered her first Pilates Teacher Training in 2013 to help her skaters build technical, physical, and mental resilience. Teaching the Method since 2014, she ultimately achieved her Peak Pilates® Comprehensive Level II Certification, beautifully bridging the gap between high-performance coaching and classical structural alignment.
A true "forever student" of the human body, Cristina is continually expanding her expertise. She is currently enrolled in the UP University of Pilates Bridge Program to deepen her classical practice and honour the original lineage of the work. While her foundation is deeply classical, she maintains a progressive, open-minded approach, consistently integrating modern biomechanics and research from the Franklin Method, Polestar, and Tom Waldron into her methodology.
Whether drawing from her years of coaching on the ice or her expertise in the studio, Cristina’s philosophy remains unwavering: efficient, powerful movement requires a deep, deliberate connection to the body. At The Praxis Room, her goal is to help every client find their critical internal connections—establishing the unshakeable stability required to unlock true mobility, purposeful movement, and lifelong strength.
The Classical Lineage
Preserving the Original Architecture of Movement
The brilliance of the Classical Pilates Method lies in its unbroken history. Joseph Pilates developed "Contrology" over decades, refining it alongside his wife, Clara, in their New York City studio. When we speak of "Classical Pilates," we are speaking of an absolute commitment to their original, comprehensive blueprint.
To ensure the Method survived, Joseph and Clara passed their knowledge down to a highly select group of first-generation teachers, known today as the "Pilates Elders."
Romana Kryzanowska: The primary torchbearer of the Classical Method, Romana trained closely with Joseph and Clara and ultimately took over the original New York studio, dedicating her life to preserving the precise, vigorous sequence of Contrology.
Carola Trier: A former performer and the first person Joseph Pilates officially endorsed to open her own studio, known for her strict, rehabilitative, and highly detailed approach.
Mary Bowen: A direct student of Joseph and Clara and a Jungian psychoanalyst, she uniquely bridged the physical and the psychological, bringing a profound awareness of the unconscious mind to the Classical Method.
Kathy Grant & Lolita San Miguel: The only two practitioners officially certified by Joseph Pilates himself, both bringing profound structural awareness to the Method.
Eve Gentry & Ron Fletcher: First-generation students who applied the principles of Contrology to dance, rehabilitation, and expansive movement.
Our Place in the Lineage
At The Praxis Room, we do not reinvent the work; we honour the lineage. Founder Cristina’s classical foundation traces directly back to the profound, unedited teachings of Joseph Pilates and his Elders. Through her background in Peak Pilates®, the UP University of Pilates Bridge Program, and intensive study from and with esteemed second-generation Master Teachers—including Kathi Ross-Nash, Brett Howard, Blossom Leilani Crawford, and Clare Dunphy Hemani (to name a few) —Cristina ensures that the absolute integrity of the Method is preserved. We teach based on Joseph Pilates’ original blueprint, applying his profound system to the body in front of us. We trust the Classical Method because quite simply, it works.
THE PRAXIS ROOM
4 Parkdale Crescent NW, #20Calgary, T2N 3T8info@thepraxisroom.caThe Praxis Room is discreetly located inside the Apex Massage Therapy Building. Upon arrival, please enter through the main Apex door and proceed down the stairs to the lower level. Once you pass through the lower-level door, you will see our practice space immediately.