FRISCO — When Emily Smith was sidelined from ballet in 2000 with back and hip injuries, pilates was not only her physical therapy, but eventually became her new passion and career.

“My physical therapist said if you want to get over this back pain you need to stop dancing, and the studio that I was at offered pilates class, so I tried it out and just loved it,” said Smith.

Soon after Smith discovered pilates in her home town of Philadelphia, Penn., she moved to Hawaii where she got really serious about the activity and met an instructor.

“I kind of made it a working vacation. I was doing mat classes and also taking some private lessons with a teacher on the equipment, and there was definitely a moment where I think I had the epiphany and realized this is what I am meant to do,” said Smith.

From there she trained through the Physical Mind Institute and became a certified instructor. In 2002 Smith moved to Summit County where she taught pilates at various resorts throughout the county.

“I was kind of running myself ragged, running all around the county,” said Smith. “So I decided to start my own thing because I wanted to offer it to the community versus just to the tourists in the resorts.”

Smith eventually obtained a space on main street in Frisco; today she is the sole owner of Trinity Wellness Studio where she offers pilates, yoga and massage.
“One thing just kind of led to another, I found this space three years ago and started Trinity, and just kind of rolled with it since then,” she said.

Smith says one of the biggest components in owning her own studio and teaching pilates is that she is able to help people through movement.

“Movement is the key, it keeps you fit and it makes you feel young, this is a great way for me to help people,” she says. “Getting people to move and seeing the change. You see the benefit of your work, you see the results in the people pretty immediately.”

Smith also appreciates the generosity of her clients and the interaction she gets to have with the community.

“The gratitude that’s there from people and having the opportunity to give, I love it,” says Smith.

<i>Larisa Graham can be reached at lgraham@summitdaily.com.</i>