Karen Best, BA, ACE certified instructor, Certified Sports Conditioning Specialist, Behavioral Change Coach, and Stretch to Win LifeStretch Instructor, was first exposed to Pilates and meditation in 1983, while in high school, and taking dance classes at the University of Connecticut. Her first dance teacher, Jean Sabatine, was a student of Jerome Robbins, who practiced Pilates with Joseph and Clara Pilates in NYC. Karen further developed her knowledge while a dance major at the Philadelphia University of the Arts, and has been teaching fitness and movement since 1986. With almost four decades of teaching experience, she believes in bringing her life experiences to her teaching. She understands working one’s way back from injuries, the challenges of making time for oneself, and the difficulties of making good habits last. For the last two decades, she has taught mostly Pilates. After feeling the effects of time, dance injuries, and osteoarthritis, Karen developed her specialty Mobility Stretch classes, which are amazing for joint relief, posture, and comfortable movement.

Karen has been performing professionally under her cultural dance name, Samira Shuruk, for over 2 decades. You can see more about that and about her wellness and culture retreats on her website, SamiraShuruk.com.