Memories of My Teacher Romana Kryzanowska
When I was asked to share memories of my teacher and mentor, Romana Kryzanowska, the word that immediately came to mind was “courage.” This woman was not only a wealth of knowledge and a true “PowerHouse,” but she also radiated a joy for life that inspired us all.
I stumbled upon Pilates as a form of physical therapy after a back injury caused by years of dance training. Later, I went to New York to study with Romana (along with her daughter Sari Mejia-Pace and beloved Bob Lieken) as part of the certification program at The Pilates Studio of New York.
Although Romana was not a master at remembering names, she had an incredible talent for remembering ailments and other details. I was quickly dubbed “Miss South Beach” (where I was living at the time). Romana joked about the day she visited me in South Beach, drank mojitos, and danced salsa.
She had a tight schedule. She arrived at Drago’s Gym at 7:00 AM and left at 1:00 PM. We would arrive there full of energy, early in the morning and ready to soak up all the knowledge we could. Fridays were particularly enjoyable because she often packed up early, pulled out a bottle of champagne, poured us all little Dixie cups, and toasted to a job well done. Then she would go home for lunch and a nap, and later dance to live music at Lincoln Center Plaza.
She called things by their name. When we were learning exercises with the magic circle, Romana mentioned that it was great for sagging buttocks. “Who here has sagging buttocks?” she called out to the whole group of trainees. Her gaze (and that of the entire group) immediately struck me.
“You, Miss South Beach. You have sagging buttocks. Come here.” I quickly approached the spot where she stood and, as instructed, grabbed hold of the high rung of the gymnastics ladder. Romana placed the magic circle between my ankles, instructed me to lift my straight legs off the bars and squeeze them together as if clapping. Everyone was now looking at my sagging butt! (Hence my ongoing obsession with the magic circle).
Some of my most vivid memories of Romana are those in which she overshadowed us all by showing us how exercises should really be done. One day, Romana was teaching a student hanging scissors and the bicycle on the Cadillac, and we were all watching. That poor girl just didn’t get it. “That’s not how it’s done!” Romana said.
She kicked the poor student off the Cadillac and, in her signature flowing tunic and linen pants, climbed onto the Cadillac, grabbed the canopy bars, turned around, and demonstrated huge scissors and smooth bicycle movements. Then she turned, landed on the mat, jumped to the floor, and tossed her hair back to show us how it’s really done.
That was Romana Kryzanowska. Intelligent, feisty, and funny. She was and still is a star in my mind.
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I’m Ana Cabán, a passionate Pilates practitioner with over 25 years of experience. I earned my Romana Kryzanowska certification in 1998 and have been passionate about sharing my innovative vision of Pilates and holistic wellness ever since. As a Contrology® by Balanced Body brand ambassador, I’m thrilled to promote the “La Buena Life” philosophy, inspiring women to live full and fulfilling lives. My bilingual (English and Spanish) DVDs and streaming services have reached over 6 million people worldwide.