Marie-José Blom, Partner/President

As creator, Partner & President of SmartSpine Works Company,  Marie-José has more than twenty years of master teacher training to help your back on track.

Marie-José specializes in deep core strengthening, pelvic work, and work for the spine. She is widely known for her work in Conditioning Techniques for dance and dance injuries, and is the founder and director of Long Beach Dance Conditioning in Long Beach, CA, and Angel City Body Kinetics in Marina del Rey, CA (the home for PILATES & GYROTONIC®).

Marie-José conducts and directs the Advances in Pilates Technique, an internationally acclaimed professional teacher's training program established in 1991. As a faculty member at Southern CA Loyola Marymount University, she taught anatomy/kinesiology and physiology for the Department of Dance for which she received the 2006 spotlight award.

Marie-José has established programs at various facilities internationally and is in great demand for lectures and presentations, both locally and internationally for institutes, physical therapists and movement educators. She is a regular presenter for Balanced Body University, and she most recently founded the SmartSpine™ Works Company.

Her mission is clear:
" The implementation of movement sciences, elevating Pilates into the Twenty-first Century!"

To view her calendar, book her for a speaking engagement, or workshop, please visit her personal website at www.pilatesinspiration.com

Katherine Thackston, Partner/Vice-President

With more than fifteen years experience in the entertainment industry working behind the scenes as an event and project manager, Katherine Thackston transcended into marketing, sales, art direction and graphic design through her passion for creation and business.

Katherine has worked on projects throughout the U.S., as well as Europe and Dubai, including supervising and producing many large-scale marketing campaigns and events.

It was after a shoulder injury and two subsequent surgeries that Katherine became involved in rehabilitative work with Pilates. Through these connections, she met Marie-José and their SmartSpine adventure began.

In addition to being a Partner, Katherine is the Vice President of Marketing & Sales for SmartSpine™ Works Company. You can contact her directly to participate in the SmartPartners Program or chat with her on the SmartForum.