Beth Abernathie, R.N. B.S.N.

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Karen began her Pilates journey over 30 years ago as part of her rehabilitation from a dance-related injury while performing professionally in Las Vegas. From her very first session, she knew Pilates would become her second great passion—right alongside dance. While in Vegas, she trained with respected mentors such as Dolly Kelepez and Tara Foy, deepening her understanding of the Pilates method through both classical and contemporary approaches.

After relocating to Columbia, one of Karen’s first priorities was reconnecting with Pilates. She trained under Amy Higgins Stambaugh and later refined her practice under the guidance of Jennifer Drewing, who helped her master the core principles and philosophies of the discipline. Karen began teaching in 2008 and has been an integral part of Chapel Hill Pilates since 2013.

In addition to her teaching, Karen directed Mareck Dance, a professional contemporary ballet company, until its recent closure. Her extensive dance background combined with decades of Pilates experience gives her a uniquely attuned and body-conscious eye, allowing her to offer clients precise alignment cues, customized support, and intuitive guidance tailored to every body.

Karen believes Pilates is for everyone—whether you're recovering from an injury, aiming to get in shape, or seeking a challenging and energizing workout. She’s thrilled to be focusing more deeply on her teaching by expanding her offerings to include mixed apparatus private and duet sessions in addition to her evening group classes.

What the Pilates Cadillac Offers Beyond the Reformer
The Pilates Cadillac offers a broader range of support, challenge, and versatility compared to the Reformer. With its trapeze-style frame, the Cadillac provides additional equipment such as springs, bars, and straps that allow for exercises in lying, sitting, kneeling, or standing positions. This makes it ideal for both rehabilitation and advanced strength training.
Where the Reformer is often focused on flowing, resistance-based movement, the Cadillac allows for more isolated muscle work, deeper stretching, and full-body integration with greater stability—perfect for clients who need more support or are ready for more complex movement patterns.
What the Pilates Wunda Chair Offers
Compact yet powerful, the Pilates Wunda Chair is one of the most dynamic and versatile pieces of Pilates equipment. Unlike the Reformer or Cadillac, the Chair challenges balance, core strength, and control in a more vertical, upright setting—making it an ideal choice for athletic conditioning, postural training, and functional strength.
With a minimal footprint, the Chair allows for a wide range of exercises in standing, seated, or reclined positions. The spring-loaded pedal system can be adjusted for varying resistance, making it accessible for beginners while still challenging for advanced clients. It’s especially effective for building unilateral strength and improving alignment, stability, and coordination.
Whether you're looking to improve balance, deepen core activation, or explore new movement patterns, the Wunda Chair delivers a focused and energizing workout in a small but mighty format.
What the Pilates Barrel Offers
The Pilates Barrel is an exceptional tool for improving spinal mobility, core strength, and overall flexibility. Designed with graceful curves that match the natural shape of the spine, the barrel supports the body in both stretching and strengthening movements. It’s especially beneficial for opening the chest, lengthening the hip flexors, and improving posture.
Unlike other Pilates apparatuses, the barrel encourages deep back extension and core engagement through gravity-assisted movement. It's ideal for clients recovering from injuries, those working on spinal articulation, or anyone seeking greater mobility and functional movement. Exercises on the barrel can be both restorative and challenging, depending on the approach.
Whether you're looking to increase flexibility, improve posture, or deepen your core work, the Pilates Barrel offers a unique and effective movement experience that complements any Pilates practice.
Why Mixed Equipment Pilates Sessions Work for Every Body
1. Variety Keeps the Body and Mind Engaged
Mixed equipment sessions integrate the Reformer, Cadillac, Chair, Barrel, and other apparatuses, offering a diverse range of movement experiences. This variety keeps sessions dynamic, preventing both physical and mental plateaus. Clients stay motivated, challenged, and excited to come back.
2. Customized to Your Needs, Every Time
Different apparatuses offer different levels of support, resistance, and orientation (horizontal, vertical, seated, etc.), making it easier to tailor sessions to each individual’s body, goals, and energy level that day. Whether someone needs a gentle stretch or a full-body strength challenge, the instructor can adapt seamlessly.
3. A More Complete Movement Experience
Each piece of Pilates equipment emphasizes different aspects of movement—core control, balance, mobility, coordination, or strength. Mixing them ensures the body is worked in a holistic way, reducing the risk of overuse or imbalance while improving overall function and movement quality.
4. Ideal for All Levels
Beginners benefit from the increased support and clarity each apparatus offers, while more advanced clients enjoy the opportunity to explore deeper movement layers and challenges. Mixed equipment sessions scale naturally, meeting each person exactly where they are.
5. Great for Rehab, Maintenance, or Performance
Whether recovering from injury, managing chronic pain, maintaining fitness, or training like an athlete, mixed equipment Pilates can be adapted to serve any purpose. It promotes longevity, body