our staff

Amy de Sá, owner of Pilates Denver, BASI Pilates Principal Faculty and NCPT (Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher)  has been a dedicated teacher of Pilates since 1995. She is a proud graduate of the internationally renowned BASI (Body Arts and Science International) Pilates® Comprehensive Teacher Training program and Master Legacy Program founded by, Rael Isacowitz. Amy is also a member of the professional organization, the Pilates Method Alliance (PMA), holds a B.A. in Dance and a B.A. in Psychology from Hope College in Michigan and is currently undergoing her graduate education in Performing Arts Health and Fitness at Shenandoah University. 

Amy hosts and teaches the BASI Pilates® Teacher Training Courses at her studio as well as internationally. She has taught the BASI Pilates® courses in Japan, China, Australia, South Korea, Argentina, Canada and in numerous cities across the United States as well as teaching Pilates as a guest teacher in the Dance department at Unicamp University in Brazil. She has also been the subject for a featured article in Pilates Style Magazine as well as for two front-page articles in the Rocky Mountain News Newspaper in Denver, Colorado and most recently in the Denver Voyager Magazine. Amy has been a Presenter at the South American Pilates Conference in Brasilia, Brazil, the annual PMA conference in Denver, CO, the Learn From the Leaders Conferences in CA, and at the AASFP conference in Beijing, China. She is an Allied Healthcare member of the Performing Arts Medicine Assocation (PAMA).

As a professional dancer, performing and teaching with numerous dance companies in Chicago and Denver and with an additional gymnastics background, Amy connected instantly with Pilates. She began her Pilates endeavors in Chicago in 1995 where she received a previous Pilates Teacher Training Certificate from the Pilates Studio, Inc. under the personal training of Master Teacher and Elder, Romana Kryzanowska. She continues her Pilates studies and related movement therapies yearly in continuing education workshops and certificate courses in addition to advanced studies with Rael Isacowitz. Amy has years of experience working with athletes and dancers as well as with clients with muscular imbalances, injuries and pathologies and pre and post natal.  She enjoys helping clients work towards full functional movement as well as enhancing athletic performance.  She has also instructed various celebrities including actors, musicians and Denver Broncos players.  

Pilates became the perfect match and career for Amy, harmoniously combining the body with the mind and has discovered true joy and a profound purpose in guiding, mentoring and helping others.

Amy is very passionate about teaching Pilates and educating people about their bodies. She teaches with compassion and with intellect. She brings a smile and positive energy to every session and class and strives to offer each client and her staff a beneficial and enjoyable experience at her studio which she opened on May 1, 2001.

Jean Barker received her Teacher Training and certificate from BASI Pilates (Body Arts & Sciences International) in 2011 at Pilates Denver Studio under the guidance of Amy de Sa. She began her pilates journey nearly twenty years ago when she was living in Michigan. Her then college daughter told her about Pilates which was incorporated in her theater program at Northwestern University in Chicago. At that time there was only one pilates studio in Saginaw, Michigan. Jean soon found it and began taking pilates lessons there. She was hooked! Jean has two daughters both of whom are also BASI certified pilates instructors.

Jean received her BS in Medical Technology from Ohio State University and recently retired from a career in laboratory medicine that spanned over thirty years, She has a deep appreciation for the health and strength benefits afforded by Pilates. She considers herself neither a dancer nor a jock, and wants the average person to know that it is never too late to start on the road to health and well being. "If I can do this, with dedication so can you!" is her motto. Jean finds it exciting to help both men and women, new to exercise or just new to Pilates, discover the joy of learning to use, control, and appreciate their bodies. In 2016 Jean received her certification in Pilates for Neurological Diseases from Mariska Breland. She looks forward to working with this special group of clients to help them maintain and regain strength and the use of their bodies. Jean also received a certificate for Pre and Postnatal Pilates from Carolyne Anthony of The Center for Women's Fitness. She has received special training in working with mature clients and is a member of the Pilates Method Alliance.

Andi is an Apprentice Teacher at Pilates Denver. She has been passionate about Pilates from a young age, discovering its transformative benefits early on while growing up as a three-sport athlete. This experience has given her a deep understanding of the importance of strength, flexibility, and injury prevention in maintaining a healthy body. After facing and overcoming injuries throughout her athletic career, Andi became deeply passionate about injury recovery and prevention. This personal experience fuels her dedication to helping others recover from injury and prevent future setbacks through mindful movement and Pilates-based techniques. 

With a background in education and real estate, Andi brings a unique, well-rounded approach to teaching Pilates, focusing on both physical wellness and clear communication. Her journey through sports and the world of real estate has instilled in her a strong foundation in discipline, goal-setting, and building lasting connections with others. Andi received her BASI Mat Certificate in January 2025, and is continuing her education to receive her Comprehensive Certificate.

When Andi isn’t teaching Pilates, you can find her hiking new trails, skiing, or off-roading  with her dog and husband. She is also an avid traveler having been to 15 different countries. She loves connecting with new people, cultures, and having new experiences! 

Janice Armada received her Comprehensive Teacher Training Certificate from BASI Pilates, educated at Pilates Denver under Amy de Sa and is an Instructor at Pilates Denver.

Janice is a registered Diagnostic Ultrasound Tech, who is boarded in OB/GYN, ABD/PELVIS and specialized in Neuro Surgery and Infertility. Janice worked at University of Michigan Hospitals in Ann Arbor, MI. She has raised 3 boys and has now chosen a new career path integrating her medical knowledge.

Janice first started practicing Pilates to improve the strength of her pelvic floor after the birth of her last son. She is a living testimony that Pilates strengthens and tones. Janice is very passionate about teaching clients how to integrate Pilates into a daily routine to improve the quality of everyday life.

Emma Cumpston was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. Emma received a Bachelor in Fine Arts with a concentration in Contemporary Dance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Since Emma was 5 years old she trained in dance styles including ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, and modern. Training competitively towards a professional career in dance.

Since graduating college, Emma found a love and passion for Pilates through connections from dance and injury rehabilitation. Emma received her Comprehensive Teacher Training Certificate from BASI Pilates and is excited to share her knowledge and experience through her teaching. She also works as part of the front desk personnel and is growing as a part of the Pilates Denver team.

Jacqueline Campos is a Certified Pilates Instructor, professional dancer, and dance educator.  She received her Comprehensive Teacher Training Certificate from BASI Pilates at Pilates Denver. Jacqueline was first introduced to Pilates through her early dance training where she used it as a form of cross training and injury rehabilitation. She soon discovered how important and beneficial Pilates was to her overall wellness in her everyday life.

Jacqueline graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a BFA in Dance Performance and a BA in Business Economics with a minor in Management. She is a faculty member at Colorado Conservatory of Dance and is a guest artist with Industrial Dance Alliance. Jacqueline strives to help her clients gain a greater understanding of their bodies through movement.

Camryn came to Colorado in 2016 to attend college where she earned a degree in graphic design. After losing her dad in 2020, she found how beneficial Pilates can be for both the mind and the body. She wanted to further her Pilates education and become a qualified instructor with BASI to share the beautiful art of Pilates with others. 

She received her BASI Pilates Comprehensive Teaching Certificate at Pilates Denver.

She is excited to share her knowledge and experience with people of all ages, backgrounds and levels.

Pam discovered Pilates after her marathon training was sidelined by injury.  When her physical therapy ended, her PT recommended that she try Pilates to build strength and stability before she resumed running. Pam began lessons with Amy de Sa and was immediately impressed with how Pilates both challenged the body and focused the mind. With no background in dance or movement anatomy, the choreography did not come easily, but she fell in love with the precision of the BASI method, and as a busy mom and lawyer, she cherished those hours in the studio absorbed in learning something completely new.

Pam grew up in New York and moved to Colorado as a young adult. She studied psychology and political science and received her Bachelor of Arts degree and then her law degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Though law was her chosen career path, Pam has always been interested in health and fitness and was a runner for most of her adult life, completing eight marathons, a few half marathons and a triathlon.  When she retired from practicing law, Pam decided to pursue her passion for Pilates seriously. She has received her Comprehensive Teacher Training Certificate from BASI Pilates as well as an additional certificate from BASI for training in Pilates for Injuries and Rehabilitation. Pam has experienced firsthand the strength, flexibility and balance benefits of Pilates and is excited to teach others so they too can experience the benefits of this beautiful practice.

When she is not at the studio, you can usually find Pam gardening, reading, cooking for friends and family, or traveling to anyplace near the ocean. 

America is a graduate of the BASI Pilates Comprehensive Teacher Training Program. 

She began her Pilates journey in 2022 after a knee injury. She was first introduced to the Pilates mat work, which is still one of her favorite ways to practice. She then quickly developed a passion for the comprehensive approach to Pilates and its entire system including all of the Pilates apparatus and soon felt the call to make it her career to become a Pilates teacher. She’s  been teaching for the past year and a half and knows that she made the right decision.

America has always loved movement, but Pilates has helped her slow down and truly connect with her body. It has helped her reduce stress, improve how she moves, and relieve pain. These experience are what drives her to share it with others and is especially interested in the science and biomechanics behind each movement. 

She enjoys working with clients with injuries and values the healing side of Pilates. Her goal is to help every client feel stronger, move better, and feel good in their body.

Pilates is the road map to movement success!  Since discovering Pilates, Araceli has had amazing breakthroughs where she has been able to gain strength and stamina and has also led her  to start training in water fitness as well. 

She has become a lifetime learner of Pilates and has acquired her BASI Pilates Comprehensive  Certificate!  She thrives on learning and exploring pilates and strives for success.    

She practices living a holistic health style by following nutritionist Dr. Michael Gregor, health scientist Dr. Colin Cambell and utilizing recipes by Rip Esselstyn, the author of Plant Strong.   

This holistic approach to life has led her to self healing through Pilates exercise and nutritional wellness.  She is excited to share her Pilates experience with everyone and the benefits it offers, how it helps one to move and challenge the body. 

She attended Grand Rapids Community College and was awarded a Bachelors in Interior Design from Central Michigan University.  She has also studied Human physiology, anatomy and related courses at Grand Valley State University. Additional studies have included learning about athletes with disabilities, Dance Movement Therapy and Tai Chi.  She believes in life time learning and continues to challenge herself with exploring other subjects at Arapahoe Community College.  

Outside of Pilates, She has a love of the arts, music and Latin culture, cooking and salsa dancing.