Shelter Island Pilates Celebrates 20 Years on Shelter Island

Suzette Smith, owner and founder of the Shelter Island Pilates and Shelter Island Barre studios will mark the milestone with her signature and well attended mat Pilates, barre, stretch and strengthen, and meditation classes, as well as a ‘Celebration of of Gratitude’ for current and former students, employees, friends and neighbors.

 “I want to let my team and clients know, past and present, how much I appreciate them,” says Smith. “Without them I wouldn’t be here. I would like to use this opportunity to thank the Shelter Island community for their support and enabling me to express myself and live the life of my dreams.”

20 years ago Suzette Smith came to Shelter Island and offered Pilates classes in her home. Next came the Pilates studio in Shelter Island Heights, followed by the Barre Studio in Shelter Island Center.  Soon Suzette took her dedicated students on wellness retreats to Tulum, Costa Rica, and this March, to St. Lucia.  Most recently, Suzette’s signature classes became available in an expansive OnDemand library, expanding Shelter Island Pilates & Barre’s reach and methods globally.

Suzette attributes her approach to wellness in her go-to mottos:

– Love the Body You Live In: Feeling great and comfortable in your body, how it moves, feels, looks and what it can accomplish.

– Journey to Your Core: Achieving well-being from the inside out, which includes your mind, body and spirit

– Aging Gracefully: I just turned 65. I don’t try to be 25, I don’t even try to be 45. What I try to do is be the best I can be at every stage of my life without putting limitations on myself because of my age. There’s a feeling of agelessness that I strive for, not locking myself into a number.

Well-being to me is energy, health and happiness. Energy to continue to do what I love, to be able to work hard and hopefully inspire others, to enjoy being in my body, whether it be skiing, sailing or gardening, it’s about feeling strong and feeling good in my body. Standing up tall! It’s a lifestyle.”

Suzette believes you have to love the body you live in. And she’s proved that by focusing on total wellness of body and mind you can truly age gracefully. At 65 years old, she’s proving it.