Instructor Bios | SolPop Pilates

Meet the Team

Olya and Melissa met in 2014 in Chicago, IL.

Olya went to Melissa's studio, mind.art.core for an interview and stayed for the ever popular "champagne-ilates" class and they have been collaborating on core exercises, children's pilates and theatre projects ever since! Since that fateful day, they have collectively moved 2,000 miles to LA, gotten married, had children, travelled the world teaching pilates, performed hundreds of flips in Vegas and rocked the Pilates Method Alliance conference where they premiered the m.a.c. Pilates for Kids training program to pilates instructors in the USA.

SolPop is a culmination of their love of community, children of all ages and the belief that pilates is for all ages and stages of life.

Owner

Olya Fromer

Olya took her first Private Pilates session while she was rehabilitating from a spine and shoulder injury in 2005 and fell in love. The results of her rehab were fantastic! Olya never stopped practicing Pilates since and in 2009 she decided to begin her full certification program with Stott Pilates. Her certification took her all around the world to London, Rio de Janeiro, Los Angeles, NYC, Chicago, and Toronto. Olya grew up as a professional gymnast competing for the National team of Ukraine and she has been performing with Cirque du Soleil for 17 years. Olya has had a great experience working with a variety of clientele including professional athletes and working to treat a myriad of different Injuries and focused based goals for every client. Olya is looking forward to meeting clients wherever they are and creating programs to guide them to their personal strength, length and awareness within the body and mind

Owner

Melissa McNamara

Melissa McNamara is the creator and author of m.a.c Pilates for Kids™, a program that integrates Pilates exercises with improvisation, drama games, and mindfulness practices for children and adolescents. Melissa is an ACE Youth Fitness Specialist, ACE Certified Personal Trainer, 500-hour Yoga Instructor, and Lead Instructor Trainer for Merrithew™ with a specialization in STOTT PILATES®, ZENGA®, CORE™, and Injuries and Special Populations. Melissa holds an MFA in Contemporary Performance from the Buddhist University, Naropa, specializing in meditation, Body-Mind Centering®, and Developmental Movement Techniques. She is an award-winning performer, Pilates Instructor and Personal Trainer. Melissa has trained the cast of Cirque du Soleil and celebrities. She has been highlighted in Wellness Magazine, on ABC7 TV, CTV and has taught globally throughout the US, Canada, New Zealand, and South Korea. Melissa has been a movement and drama specialist for kids since 2001 and currently works in a Pediatric Physical Therapy office in LA. Her program, m.a.c. Pilates for Kids™ is approved by the American Council on Exercise and the National Pilates Certification Program.