Meet Our Team
RYOKO KUDO (Co-founder)
Ryoko received her Pilates Mat and Equipment certification from the Kane School of Core Integration, NYC in 2008. She began her journey with Pilates after several injuries through her dance career. She began addressing habits and imbalances which resulted in injuries and began retraining her body. The shedding and re-patterning of what the mind and body held slowly began to make way for a more efficient body. Her personal journey has inspired her to share her work and empower as many people as possible.
She has worked with clients with various pathologies such as Neck/Back Issues/Surgery, Hip Issues/Replacement, Disc bulge/Herniation, Bursitis, Stenosis, Spondylolisthesis, Scoliosis, Sciatica, SI joint disfunction, Shoulder Issues, Rotator Cuff, Tennis Elbow, Carpal Tunnel, Knee Issues/Surgery, ACL/PCL, Meniscal Tears, ITBand Syndrome, Foot/Ankle Issues, Plantar Fascitis, Osteoperosis/Osteopenia, MS, Pre/Post Natal, Limited Mobility, Arthritis, Pelvic floor dysfunction, Incontinence. As a passionate teacher of movement, a healthy body-mind in motion is what she strives for herself and for those she works with.
As a dance artist, she toured internationally with the Limón Dance Company for over 10 years and continues to travel around the world teaching Limón technique and repertoires for schools and universities. Her love of movement also took her skyward as an aerialist performing at the Beijing Olympics and Bregenz Opera Festival in Austria.
Ryoko has worked at the Kinected Center (NYC), Core Pilates (Rye), Dynamic Body Pilates (NYC), as well as Pilates workshops and open classes for dancers in NYC. Ryoko's continuing education certificates include: Osteoperosis in Depth by Rebekah Rostein, Pilates through Pregnancy by Marcia-Elizabeth Thompson, Psoas in Depth by Kuan Chew, FAMI workshop at Mt Sinai School of Medicine, Anatomy Trains for Movement Therapists by Laurice Nemetz, The Female Pelvis and the Cycles of Life by Tom Myers and Dr. Eden Fromberg, Neck and Shoulders by Madelaine Black, Pilates for Golf and Tennis by Matt McCulloch, among others.
Ryoko brings her expertise to cultivate your awareness for a healthier moving body in a fun and intelligent approach for your daily movement or the dancer in you.
REFORMER CLASS WITH RYOKO: Step into Ryoko’s classes and experience the perfect blend of challenge, care, and connection. With her thoughtful guidance and warm encouragement, she meets you exactly where you are each day, helping you grow stronger and more confident with every session. Ryoko’s intelligent, biomechanics-based cuing ensures every move is both effective and safe, while her playful and supportive teaching style keeps things fun and engaging. Whether you're looking to feel centered, grounded, or simply energized, her classes deliver a nourishing yet challenging workout that leaves you feeling empowered and ready to take on the day.
SHANNON CORRIDAN VORCE (Co-founder)
Shannon began her Pilates training at Power Pilates in New York City, studying under some of the industry's most respected classical educators. After earning her comprehensive certification, she began teaching in Manhattan, where she built a strong foundation in classical Pilates before expanding into contemporary and science-based methodologies. Her continued education includes advanced study in anatomy, biomechanics, fascia release, pelvic floor health, balance training, and specialized applications for athletes, aging populations, and pre/postnatal clients.
Since relocating to the Berkshires in 2013, Shannon has become a leader in the local wellness community. In 2018, she co-founded The Pilates Space, a boutique, equipment-based studio dedicated to intelligent, personalized movement. Her clients have experienced transformative results—even while managing complex physical conditions such as spinal surgeries, disc herniation, scoliosis, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, low back pain, sciatica, hip and knee replacements, bursitis, arthritis, rotator cuff injuries, carpal tunnel, diastasis recti, plantar fasciitis, immobility, osteoporosis, MS, myofascial tightness, and more.
She specializes in helping clients relieve chronic issues caused by postural habits, injury, or movement compensation. With a keen eye for alignment and an intuitive understanding of both the body and the mind, she approaches each client as a whole person—recognizing the deep connections between physical patterns and emotional holding. Her work gently unravels long-held tension, offering compassionate guidance that supports meaningful, lasting change in both movement and mindset.
In addition to her private teaching practice, Shannon co-created The Mastery Space with Ryoko Kudo —a one-of-a-kind teacher training program that blends the precision of Classical Pilates with the innovation of modern movement science. The program is designed to make complex knowledge accessible through practical, impactful techniques. At its core is the belief that exceptional teaching is cultivated through thoughtful education, inspired mentorship, and a deep understanding of the human body in motion.
With well over a decade of experience and a teaching style rooted in both precision and compassion, Shannon continues to share her passion for Pilates as a powerful tool for healing, growth, and lifelong movement.
REFORMER CLASS WITH SHANNON: Strong and intentional movement is the main priority in Shannon’s reformer classes. No matter your level you will feel cared for and connected to your practice. Together we work to explore new strengths, practice tension release techniques, lengthen and tone your body in an open and judgement free space. Shannon motivates and encourages each client to their personal best, through an open mind and sense of humor anything is possible. Shannon believes there is no such thing as “perfect Pilates,” it’s an ongoing practice and communication with your body. This reformer class is a sure way to get the conversation with your body started loud and clear.
SHERRY LONDE
Sherry Londe believes in aging gracefully. Inspired by her ballroom dancing father,
she found her way into the dance world as a performer, teacher and mentor. Since graduating as a Dance Major at the University of Cincinnati and studying at The Space in New York City with Murray Lewis & Alwin Nikolais. Sherry has performed, choreographed and taught in her hometown of St. Louis at Washington University & Webster College.
Ms Londe spent two years studying Mime in Paris with the esteemed Etienne Decroux and then formed her own company of roving musicians, thespians and dancers. Before raising her two girls she lived, taught and performed in Osaka, Japan and Basel, Switzerland.
Most currently, Sherry received her 500 hour yoga training at Kripalu in Stockbridge, MA and was teaching yoga at her home studio and TOPSL resort in Destin, FL. Aside from her love of learning, she volunteers and in 2020 received the Volunteer of the Year Award from the DAR Northwest Florida Chapter for her work with several 501C3 organizations. Sherry’s desire to continue living with strength, spending time with loved ones and finding beauty and grace in the everyday, is what drew her to our studio.
Sherry has been certified to teach Pilates mat and on the equipment in the full comprehensive Teacher Training program here at The Pilates Space and has been working with clients from all walks of life.
Natalie Sharp
Natalie is originally from Centreville, MD and started her teaching career at Sherman's Martial Arts on Kent Island as a Martial Arts Instructor in 2012. There, she earned certifications in Combat Hapkido from Grandmaster John Pelligrini, after spending 6 years training in Jiu Jitsu and Sun Do Kwan. She received her Mat and Comprehensive Pilates certifications through The Pilates Space in 2022 and 2023, respectively and is currently working toward a Level 1 Barre Certification as part of her Continuing Education Credits in 2025.
Born with Duane-Radial Ray Syndrome, which affects her arms, Natalie is an adaptive athlete, challenging ableism in the fitness industry and beyond. She models what inclusive and body-affirming fitness can look like in an industry now evolving to include students with unanticipated bodies. Her goal as a Pilates instructor is to integrate multiple movement disciplines to help spread the joy of movement while making exercise accessible to all her students. Her hope is to bring creative and adaptive solutions to her teaching with a focus on functional mobility for clients wishing to address pain, immobility, and imbalances while achieving their fitness goals.
ELIZABETH V. EVANS
Elizabeth received her Comprehensive Pilates Certification through The Pilates Space in 2023; and is our Front Desk Administrator. She is a Nationally Certified Pilates teacher (NPCP); has completed an online Pilates Teacher Mentorship Course with Page Sieffert (Balanced Body Trainer) of Pilates Nosara, Costa Rica; and is currently studying to be a PCES (Pregnancy & Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist), with Core Exercise Solutions.
She studied, worked and lived at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA for several years- gaining knowledge in mind-body awareness and assisting in workshops like Feldenkrais, Somatics and Cortical Field Re-education. After a serious spinal surgery and rehab over a decade ago, Elizabeth seeks to hold space for others in their own strength and healing.
She is also involved in Empty Arms Bereavement Support, a non-profit supporting serving individuals and families in Massachusetts and nationwide whose babies have died through miscarriage, stillbirth, early infant death, or termination for medical reasons.
MADISON PALFFY
Madison Palffy is a dance maker, movement educator, and performing artist based in western Massachusetts. She holds an MFA in Dance and Choreography with an emphasis in Somatics and Improvisation from University of Colorado, Boulder. Her performance work is driven by a sense of experimentation and artistic cross-pollination and has been shown across the United States as well as in Montreal and Berlin.
Madison has studied various somatic modalities including Body Mind Centering under the tutelage of Erika Berland, Alexander Technique with Nada Diachenko, Fascial Flossing with Bonnie Crotzer, and trained and taught at Ape Co Movement School for three years. Most recently, she completed her Pilates Mat Certification training at The Pilates Space in Great Barrington and is in the process of her Comprehensive Certification. She delights in co-mingling her training in dance and somatics with Pilates.
As an educator, Madison has been on faculty at Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter School, Berkshire Pulse, SCDT, Northampton Center for the Arts, Block 1750, Ape Co Movement School, and The Spark Performing Arts Center. She was a graduate teaching instructor at University of Colorado Boulder and has been a guest teaching artist at Keene State College, Amherst College, Hampshire College, Moving Target Portland, Earthdance Workshop & Retreat Center, the Williston Northampton School and as an in-school teaching artist in Springfield, Holyoke, and Pittsfield public schools.
She is currently an adjunct faculty member in the dance program at Keene State College and teaches at Berkshire Pulse, Loculus Studios (which she co-directs), and Ascendance.
Visit: madisonpalffy.com
