KRISTEN DOCKTER
Kristen Dockter established Studio KDRx Pilates in 2018 after a long career as an engineer and project manager in the oil & gas industry. She embraced fitness passionately in her 20s when her mother was diagnosed with MS and deteriorated rapidly. During her fitness journey, she earned a black belt in karate, completed century bike rides, ran half marathons, backpacked and competed as a national level figure athlete. Today she enjoys hiking and agility training with Emmy and stays fit with pilates.
Kristen completed training in classical pilates at Washington Avenue Pilates. Finding that she still had alot to learn, she completed a 3rd generation bridge training through Real Pilates NYC in 2020. As a lifelong learner, she strives to find puzzle pieces to optimal health. She recently completed Neurokinetic Therapy Level 1, a method to reprogram the nervous system and change repetitive patterns. She was selected for Kathi Ross-Nash’s (KRN) advanced teacher training program in 2024. Many clients claim that Kristen’s engineering mind, weightlifting experience and newfound passion for anatomy give her the intuition to progress you faster.
GIMELL RUIZ
Gimell Ruiz holds a bachelors degree in nursing. Past difficulties with her health led her to explore alternative therapies leading her to work with an Oriental Medical Doctor. This led her to learn massage therapy and Reflexology. She continued to expand her knowledge from teachers including: Dr. Aris Latham, Piper Yoga, and Catherine Allen of Poppy Perinatal. She realized that people were trying to resolve the same health issues over and over and the search for a way to move beyond these issues led her to Pilates and juicing. Gimell was selected for the Kathy Grant Scholarship by Control Studios-Houston and completed Real Pilates Teacher Training in May 2023.
Gimell now teaches Pilates full time. As part of her philosophy, she sprinkles in her passion for achieving and maintaining health goals through alternative approaches, including reflexology. She has a great eye for lines and alignment, inspires students to believe in themselves and try hard things, and weaves her previous experiences into her teaching. She is truly an anatomy nerd, which is beneficial in helping people to progress their practice. Her dream is to establish “Pilates and Juice”.
SHAUNA PROLER
Shauna Proler grew up hiking in Utah and worked as a massage therapist at Sundance where she met her current husband and moved to Houston. She started her pilates journey after herniating a disc and completed her first pilates certification through Peak. She then enrolled in Alycea Ungaro’s Real Pilates teacher training program where she met Kristen. COVID opened up opportunities for online learning that Shauna took full advantage of – studying with Rachel Segal, KRN, Sherri Berkowitz (a biomechanist), Eric Franklin, Niedra Gabriel and others – all of whom are well known practitioners in the pilates method. Shauna is on a learning journey and is continually studying pilates and complementary modalities to heal her body from a hiking injury and limitations caused by repetitive motion. Best of all, Shauna will keep you smiling and laughing when you train with her.
EMMY
Emmy, the pilates dog – or affectionately known as MC for C-curve, is our relationship manager. She ensures that everyone knows they are loved and cared for and adds a bit of playfulness to your hour. She senses when clients are sad or tired and sometimes lays beside them while they work out or curls up in their lap.
TESTIMONIAL
I did body pump for 17 years but after hand surgery, I had to stop and no longer had an ongoing fitness routine. In almost 3 years of pilates practice with Kristen, I resolved pain from sciatica, a rotator cuff injury, and knee sublaxation. I gained strength and stability, improved muscle tone, opened up my chest and back, and my boyfriend loves my curvier figure. The amazing variety of equipment gives me options when an exercise is too much for my hands. Karen K