Bronwyn Beck
Bronwyn Beck is the founder of Balance Pilates Cashmere, she is a qualified STOTT Pilates instructor, a Certified Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner and a Certified Menopause Lifestyle Coach.
Bronwyn has always been passionate about mindful movement. She has worked in the health and fitness industry since she was 17 years old, discovered Pilates and its benefits in 2003, and began her Pilates teacher training in 2006.
In January 2017, Bronwyn founded Balance Pilates from her home
in Cashmere, Christchurch, offering small group reformer classes
and private sessions.
What began as a boutique, home-based studio quickly grew through
word of mouth and a strong sense of community.
By September 2019, Balance Pilates had outgrown the space, leading Bronwyn to open what is now the Balance Pilates Health Hub, located
in the beautifully restored, iconic Masonic Lodge in Cashmere.
Today, Balance Pilates is home to a team of over seven highly trained
and experienced teachers. The studio has built a reputation for not
only having some of the best-trained instructors in Christchurch,
but also some of the most experienced, a combination Bronwyn believes is essential to delivering safe, effective, and truly personalised Pilates.
Bronwyn is deeply inspired by watching her clients achieve and master movement, gain strength, alleviate pain, recover from injury, and improve their everyday movement patterns. Equally important to her
are the mental and emotional benefits of Pilates, which she weaves
into every session.
Bronwyn is also passionate about creating a space that brings people together. Balance Pilates is more than a studio, it is a welcoming, supportive community where clients feel connected, empowered,
and cared for.
Bronwyn loves being part of such a diverse and dedicated team and takes great pride in seeing her teachers grow, thrive, and contribute to the positive energy within the studio.
Outside the studio, Bronwyn lives with her husband Andy, her ten-year-old son Oliver, and her two 20-year-old stepsons, Matt and Dan.
She enjoys walking her dog Poppy, practising yoga, and spending time with her family at the beach in summer and skiing in winter.
She also has a Russian Blue cat called George.
Pieter Symonds
Introducing the lovely Pieter.
Pieter is a former professional dancer and yoga teacher. She is also mum to an adorable and super energetic 6-year-old, as well as a gorgeous and outspoken 10-year-old lilac Burmese cat.
Pieter has spent her entire life exploring movement and choreography. She knows she needs to move, and that a stagnant day leaves her feeling tense and unfulfilled.
She wants her classes to be a space where people can come to stretch the kinks out from whatever they have done, or are about to do, that day. A space where they can become aware of how strong and connected they can feel, step away from the endless tasks and lists, and simply enjoy moving for a few peaceful moments.
Pieter was born in Christchurch and was introduced to Pilates in her late teens while in her second year at the New Zealand School of Dance, after injuring her knee while performing. She used Pilates to rehabilitate successfully, and it became an important tool that supported her through a 17-year professional dance career without too much long-term damage.
During that time, she saw many dancers struggling with injuries and knew that becoming a Pilates teacher would allow her to support injury rehabilitation and prevention, while also offering new ways to think about movement and the body.
For Pieter, Pilates is like an endless play session. Thirty years after her first class, she is still discovering new sensations.
In Pieter’s classes, she hopes you will leave feeling balanced, challenged, and awakened in your body, with a calmer mind and a greater sense of freedom. She hopes you will breathe out stale energy and leave feeling more vibrant and at ease.
Noelia Baquero
Noelia is originally from Argentina. In 2015, she moved to New Zealand and has called Christchurch home ever since.
Noelia discovered Pilates while studying for her degree as a ballet and contemporary dance teacher. Pilates has been part of her life from a young age, and she is passionate about sharing its benefits with her clients.
After receiving her first Pilates certification, Noelia began teaching in 2007. In 2023, she further expanded her knowledge by completing her Polestar Pilates certification and is now a qualified Pilates practitioner.
In 2024, Noelia completed the NZQA Level 4 Certificate in Personal Training.
Noelia strongly believes in the power of Pilates for rehabilitation, improved movement, and wellbeing. She would love to help you discover its benefits, build strength, and feel ready for your next challenge.
Hannah Dellow
Hannah discovered Pilates through her dance training as a way to recover from injury and was instantly hooked.
With a professional background in dance and specialised training through Polestar Pilates, she brings a deep understanding of movement, alignment, and the body’s innate ability to heal.
Hannah later went on to further her training through Modules 1 and 2 of Scolio-Pilates and Pains & Brains, expanding her ability to support clients with scoliosis, persistent pain, and nervous system-related challenges.
Hannah’s teaching style is technical but fun, with a focus on helping you move with greater awareness, confidence, and ease.
Sarah Pele Mounsey
Introducing Sarah Pele Mounsey – Certified Pilates Teacher
Sarah teaches group reformer, semi-private, and private rehabilitative Pilates, with specialist training in pre- and post-natal Pilates and Makarlu myofascial release.
Sarah began her comprehensive Pilates teacher training in Australia in 2017 with Body Organics Education, followed by her Barre Attack instructor certification in 2018. After relocating from Darwin back to Nelson, Sarah expanded into strength-based group fitness taught through Pilates principles, while also deepening her work supporting women through pregnancy and motherhood — a journey she experienced personally while welcoming her third child.
Following another move during Covid, Sarah now calls Christchurch home. She is passionate about delivering high-quality, mindful Pilates for every body, while continuing to grow her own family. Her dedication and breadth of experience have been recognised by Exercise NZ and the wider fitness community, earning her the Fitness Pilates Instructor 2025 award.
What inspires Sarah:
“Building trust to discover positive changes in clients’ bodies and mindset has had a profound effect on my teaching. This connection allows me to guide people through mindful movement with control, free from pain or fear.”