About the Staff…
DAYSE TARAKDIAN
Born and raised in Brazil where she studied ballet at Vera Bublitz Dance Company and School for 10 years, Dayse performed in numerous presentations as a main character, soloist and in the ballet corps. In 1999, she moved to the United States and performed with various dance companies including La Danserie, San Pedro City Ballet, Media City Ballet, Les Ballets Persian, Motion Tribe, Glory of Christmas, Disneyland, City Ballet of Los Angeles, and Namah Ensemble (Persian, Modern, Flamenco USA, Canada and Europe tour). In addition, Dayse performed with Brazil, Brazil Show (special solo Samba Ballerina), Costa Victoria Cruise Lines, and performed samba dancing for many different groups and restaurants all over the United States.
Dayse has taught ballet in both New York and in California, for more than 20 years. She has appeared on TV shows such as Telemundo LA, NJ and Miami, the KTLA Morning News in Los Angeles, Univision LA, and The CW11 in New York. Dayse also performed with New York Theatre Ballet, Leggz Dance Company, Ballet for Young Audiences, as well as the Margot Fonteyn Academy.
Dayse is certified in Hatha Yoga by Full Circle Yoga, and in Polestar Pilates by Orange Coast College. She is a member of PMA and is CPR certified by the American Heart Association and is also Zumba certified.
SANIO GOMES FERREIRA
Sanio was born and raised in Brazil where he discovered and developed his passion for helping to bring health, happiness and quality of life to people of all ages. He graduated in 2015 from the renown Physical Therapy School at FMU, (Faculdade Metropolitanas Unidas, Sao Paulo) earning a degree in Physical Therapy and several certificates in Pilates and Yoga.
In addition to personalized training instruction, Sanio also has created health programs for corporations and specializes in treating different pathologies and syndromes. Since 2002, he has been a Hatha Yoga Practitioner and Instructor. Besides teaching Iyengar, Kuvalayananda and Kuruntha yoga to adults, Sanio has certification and experience teaching Yoga to children. Eager to broaden his knowledge, Sanio became certified in Pilates mat and apparatus in 2011.
Sanio has taught at Pilates at Club Pilates, Villa Park and Tustin, Tustin Hills Pilates, and Kineticore PT in Irvine. He currently teaches at Love Pilates in Huntington Beach, LA Fitness, and is working with private clients with physical therapy and body mechanisms at Full Body Pilates and Movement Therapy as well as at Gyrotonic Studio at Old World Village, Huntington Beach. Sanio is currently an apprentice of Gyrotonics as well.
CHRISTINE GOLDHAMMER
AMELIE HUNTER
For the past twenty years, I served as a full-time Dance Professor and director of the Pilates Instructor Certification Program at Orange Coast College. That’s right—I taught Dayse, Erika and Jessica Pilates! (I had to drag Dayse into our Pilates program from my ballet class.) In addition, I have a private practice in Redlands and Orange where I focus on building a holistic approach to health and longevity through movement. As a dancer in the MFA Dance Program at NYU, I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Pilates by Kathy Grant, a first generation Master Pilates Teacher. I have also studied with Master Teachers Jillian Hessle and Karen Clippenger. I hold certificates in Polestar’s Post-Rehabilitation and Allegro programs, Gyrokinesis and numerous Tai Chi for Health programs.
I have just retired from my academic career and am eager to begin my next chapter of sharing with others the joy and healing power of movement.
KADY LAWSON
Kady Lawson began dancing at the age of three in her hometown of Vancouver, Washington and moved to California to pursue a career in dance. She has danced for Disneyland in Anaheim and Paris, as well as worked with local theaters and dance company’s including The Gem Theater in Garden Grove. After suffering a few injuries she discovered Pilates when looking for a new injury prevention and cross training technique. Pilates saved Kady’s body, she’s never felt so strong, centered, or flexible before. Seeing how Pilates improved her own quality of life, she knew she had to share with others.
Kady earned her Comprehensive Pilates Teacher Certificate through Orange Coast College in 2022. Her goal to to continue to learn and share movement with her clients, helping them to live their happiest and healthiest life, inside and outside the studio.
MAUREEN PRICE
Maureen is a native Californian and loves living in the Golden State. She and her family have called Orange County home for some time now. After spending most of her professional career working for a computer software company in both training and customer service, Maureen is embarking on a new career in the growing field of Pilates.
Maureen’s Pilates journey began with taking Pilates mat classes and later adding Pilates reformer classes to her practice. She liked that Pilates provides a low-impact, whole-body exercise practice that promotes better body alignment and balance while building more strength and flexibility in both the body and mind. The more Maureen practiced, the more she wanted to know, going deeper into what Pilates was, where it was from, and what it meant to her. This led her to pursue the Comprehensive Pilates Instructor Certificate at Orange Coast College, Costa Mesa, CA. Maureen believes movement is like medicine and loves that Pilates can benefit everyone by giving confidence and control of the body, and a sense of physical freedom.
Upon completion of the Pilates Certificate at OCC in May of 2024, she plans to take the National Pilates Certification Exam. She plans to continue to expand her Pilates knowledge by taking workshops and continuing education courses in the future.
Maureen is excited to become part of the Orange County Pilates instructor community and is looking forward to sharing her passion in helping others get moving, improve their strength and flexibility, and leave their class session feeling energized.
KARIN PAINTER
A lifelong enthusiast of yoga, Pilates, and fitness, Karin has always been passionate about movement. Although she practiced Pilates regularly, it wasn’t until an injury temporarily sidelined her from her daily activities that she fully recognized its rehabilitative power. Inspired by its mind-body connection and restorative benefits, she decided to pursue a second career dedicated to Pilates.
Karin holds a comprehensive certification from Polestar Pilates, an internationally recognized program founded over 30 years ago by Dr. Brent Anderson. She completed over 500 hours of training, choosing Polestar for its unique integration of Pilates with advanced movement science. Her mission is to apply this approach in her teaching, helping individuals move efficiently, enhance their daily lives, and continue enjoying the activities they love.
Under the mentorship of Metta Hansen—both a classically trained and Polestar-trained educator—Karin completed her certification in 2024. She remains committed to ongoing education and is preparing for her National Certification with NCPT in March 2025. With a firm belief in the healing power of movement, Karin blends both classical and contemporary Pilates methods, empowering her clients to feel strong, capable, and at ease in their bodies.
JODI MIKKELSON
Jodi Mikkelson has an extensive background in the dance and fitness industry. Her dance training began at the age of 15 with ballet, jazz, lyrical, hip-hop, and tap, leading her to a dance scholarship at Jimmie DeFore Dance Center in Costa Mesa. She was eager to break into the professional dance world, therefore she continued her training in Los Angeles at The Edge PAC, Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio, Tremaine Dance Center, and became a teacher assistant at the Tremaine Dance Conventions. Jodi has appeared on stage, TV, and radio as well as a dancer for the NBA’s Clippers Spirit and LA Lakers. Her professional dance career has taken her to Japan, Korea, Germany, and Bosnia for the Armed Forces Entertainment. During this time, she was teaching dance classes and competition choreography for various studios and high schools in Orange County.
Pilates was introduced to her as a cross-training early in her dance career. Jodi was Pilates certified in 2003 through Studio Du Corps in Costa Mesa under the direction of Diane Diefenderfer and the Ron Fletcher Method where she attended several master classes with Ron Fletcher. She began teaching regularly and opened her own Dance, Pilates, and Fitness studio in 2004 (Higher Ground Dance and The Pilates Body of OC). To broaden her knowledge, Jodi completed a second comprehensive Pilates Certification in 2012 with BASI (Body Arts & Science International) under the mentorship of the founder, Rael Isacowitz. Other certifications include Zumba, Booty Barre, Hip Hop Hustle, Jillian Michaels BodyShred, and AFAA Personal Training. After closing her studio in 2016, Jodi has been enjoying a career as a licensed Real Estate Agent while entering her 20th year teaching Pilates. To top it off, she stays connected to her dance roots by judging high school dance competitions throughout the year.
SUNSHINE WROBEL
Sunshine Wrobel is an Orange County native, who earned her bachelors in Molecular and Cellular Biology at University of Arizona. Her background includes medical device sales along with physician and hospital management. Her passion for patient care and improving patient outcomes by maximizing their resources to care inspired her to once again help people in a more hands on way. Teaching people how to access their body on a deeper level and preventing injury are what inspire her most when communicating with her clients.
Sunshine is currently enrolled in the Pilates Instructor certificate program at Orange Coast College. Her path back to school came after being a stay at home mom to her young children. Motivated by getting back into shape during the pandemic her passion for Pilates was reignited by her trainer who encouraged her to teach in his busy gym. Being an instructor was secret passion she never had time for in her busy life prior to children. So with the help and support from her husband and family she is able to balance school, work, and life.
JESSICA CLARKE
Jessica always enjoyed a very active lifestyle, growing up in the sunny coastal city of Laguna Beach. She attended Chapman University and was awarded degrees in both Business and Film Production. Jessica discovered Pilates following a back injury, which caused significant pain that limited her mobility. She had to re-learn how to walk, sit and stand. She began to see life changing results and that is when she decided to quit her full time job in Marketing and pursue her Pilates Career. She attended Body Arts Science International (BASI) Pilates School, with Constance Holder and Rael Isacowitz, where she completed over 500 hours of training. Jessica enjoys working with clients who have suffered an injury and need rehabilitated attention (including work on the Cadillac/Tower) as well as clients who pursue Pilates for health and wellness. For fun she enjoys tennis, golf and tap dance.