From Foundations to Progression: Advancing Movement Literacy through Ron Fletcher’s Lens
a 3-Day Professional Immersion with Deborah Mendoza
BodyTree Academy is thrilled to host Deborah Mendoza, an internationally renowned movement educator, for a special 3-day workshop in March 2026.
Deborah Mendoza will be teaching a 3-day Immersive workshop designed to deepen your understanding of mindful movement, breath, and three-dimensional body awareness. The workshops will enhance movement comprehension, and inspire on what it means to teach with clarity - all while honoring a legacy of fluid, intelligent movement practice, a theme heavily emphasized by the late Ron Fletcher.
Deborah began teaching Pilates in 1996, having been introduced to it a few years earlier through her dance studies. Greatly influenced by her extensive study with First Generation Pilates teacher, Ron Fletcher, as well as the influence of her family of educators, Deborah soon began working with teachers-in-training and developing curriculum for Pilates. As a founding teacher of Body Works Pilates Studio and the Fletcher Pilates school, in Tucson, AZ, Deborah worked for nearly 3 decades, to sustain Ron’s legacy and bring Fletcher Pilates to worldwide notoriety. She served as the Director of Education for the Fletcher Pilates school for close to 15 years, until 2023.
The workshops are progressive, as such participants are advised to attend Days 1 and 2 before Day 3.
Each workshop is designed to be a movement based session, with space for discussion points. This is not a teacher training course, instead for teaching practitioners to experience the work in their bodies.
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Day 1: Foundations & Flow (11 March 2026)
Morning Session: The Art of Breath & Movement (3hrs)
Time: 12 - 3pm
Begin your journey with a Matwork movement class that explores the profound connection between breath and movement. Deborah will guide you through essential movement concepts, focusing on how breath leads and integrates the body’s hemispheres. This session emphasizes organic, breath-initiated motion, helping you cultivate a deeper awareness of how foundational patterns support all movement.
1 hour intermission/Break
Afternoon Session: The Intelligence of Transitions
Time: 4 - 7pm
Dive into the subtle art of transitions—those often overlooked but essential moments between movements. Deborah will break down preparatory movements ("goesintas") and demonstrate how thoughtful reformer sequencing enhances movement comprehension. Learn how transitions create clarity, prepare the body, and reveal the deeper intention behind each exercise.
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Day 2: Space & Movement Mastery (12 March 2026)
Morning Session: Exploring Three-Dimensional Space (Floorwork)
Time: 10am - 1pm
Movement doesn’t just happen in straight lines—it spirals, curves, and expands in all directions. In this floorwork session, Deborah will teach you how to develop spatial awareness, using the floor as a solid foundation to explore volume and dimensionality in movement. Discover how working with space can refine alignment, enhance mobility, and bring new depth to your practice.
1 Hour Intermission/Break
Afternoon Session: Teaching Movement, Not Just Exercises (Chair and Spine Corrector)
Time: 2 - 5pm
Great teachers don’t just instruct exercises—they guide students toward true embodied understanding. This session focuses on how to integrate seemingly unrelated movements, using the Chair and Spine Corrector to illustrate key principles. Deborah will share insights on building intentional sessions, helping you teach in a way that fosters lasting comprehension rather than just repetition.
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Day 3: Versatility & Progression (13 March 2026)
Morning Session: The Power of Comprehensive Training
Time: 10am - 1pm
True movement mastery comes from understanding how different Pilates Apparatus complement each other. In this session, Deborah will demonstrate how working across multiple pieces of equipment deepens overall movement literacy. Learn how to make movement more accessible while expanding your teaching toolkit, ensuring you can meet students where they are and guide them forward.
1 hour Intermission/BreakAfternoon Session: The Joy of Progressions
Time: 2 - 5pm
Challenge and growth go hand in hand. This final session explores advanced progressions on the Reformer and other Pilates apparatus, showing how intelligently sequenced challenges can inspire breakthroughs. Deborah will teach you how to safely guide students toward more complex movements while maintaining the joy and curiosity that make movement practice so rewarding.
Who Should Attend?
Movement teachers looking to refine their cueing, sequencing, and teaching methodology
Dedicated practitioners seeking to deepen their own body awareness and movement intelligence
What are the fees?
Single Day: $700
2 Days: $1400
3 Days: $1750 (Save 17%)
Special Offer - for all payments made before 01 November, there will be an additional $100 off for a 3 day pass
For group bookings, please write to Tabitha info@bodytreeacademy.com
Private Sessions with Deborah
Deborah may open up slots for Private sessions. Stay tuned as we release the slots. The rates will be as follows:
Solo: $300
Duet: $450
What else should I take note of?
As these are movement sessions - if you have any issues or history of injury please indicate in the sign up page and make it known to Deborah.
Fees are non refundable but transferable - if you are unable to make it please find a replacement and inform BodyTree Academy
Each Day is limited to 18 pax.
A love of movement, awe of the human body, and compassion
A love of movement, an awe of the human body, and compassion for people brought Deborah to Pilates. Deborah began teaching Pilates in 1996, having been introduced to it a few years earlier through her dance studies. Greatly influenced by her extensive study with First Generation Pilates teacher, Ron Fletcher, as well as the influence of her family of educators, Deborah soon began working with teachers-in-training and developing curriculum for Pilates. As a founding teacher of Body Works Pilates Studio and the Fletcher Pilates school, in Tucson, AZ, Deborah worked for nearly 3 decades, to sustain Ron’s legacy and bring Fletcher Pilates to worldwide notoriety. Deborah was integral in the development and evolution of the Fletcher Pilates Program of Study, creating and maintaining curriculum, resources and manuals for the Program. She was responsible for attaining and sustaining state licensure for the School through the Arizona State Board for Private Post-Secondary Education, and was an invaluable Mentor and Teacher. She served as the Director of Education for the Fletcher Pilates school for close to 15 years, until 2023.
Deborah is a Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher, a Fletcher Pilates® Professional Teacher, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Santa Clara University. Deborah has supported the greater Pilates community and supported establishing standards for the Pilates industry by serving on the PMA Board of Directors and varying committees of the PMA and NPCP over the years. Deborah is passionate about the evolution of Pilates and that the upcoming generations of Pilates practitioners have a deep understanding of the Pilates movement principles, and the tools to be excellent teachers to themselves and others. Deborah’s teaching style is heartfelt, passionate, detailed, and precise. She hopes each client/student leaves each session with a deeper understanding of their own body and its amazing ability to thrive and live life with “spontaneous zest and pleasure.”