The fitness scene is positively booming in North Brooklyn, from more traditional techniques like yoga, cycling, and lifting to newer-age boutique styles like all-dance cardio, fusion classes, and aerial silks. So with a workout space on nearly every corner, setting yourself and your practice apart is key.
Enter Selformer.
Selformer was started post-pandemic by Dana Distortion Yavin, a concert photographer who was introduced to Pilates to alleviate the physical toll of shooting long shows and carrying heavy equipment. When the coronavirus wreaked its havoc on live events, Yavin realized she needed to pivot, and the rest was history.
The studio began in Greenpoint at 67 West Street, and more recently has expanded to Williamsburg — Yavin actually wanted to open in Williamsburg first, but fell in love with the Greenpoint location when she first saw it.
“I fell in love with the building and the atmosphere,” Yavin noted. “Very rock and roll and very artsy.”
And that rock and roll and artsy vibe is at the core of Selformer. Though it employs the fundamental teachings and foundational basics of Pilates (and reformer Pilates), Yavin aims to set the studio apart by incorporating her past experience with concerts (her photography lines the walls).
“We’re very different [from most Pilates studios] both in visual and aesthetics — I like to call it boho rock and roll,” Yavin explained. “I design our socks as well. You’ll see things on them that you don’t see on Pilates socks, like skeletons and lightning bolts. And a lot of the designs are very music-driven.”
What also sets Selformer apart is the inclusion of private, self-driven studios for those who’d rather practice on their own and are intimidated by the pressure of group classes. In general, innovation is the name of Yavin’s game (which includes private video rooms and a red-light therapy option).
“I just really love breaking the rules,” she laughed. “There’s so many Pilates places that go by the rules and tell their instructors what to say and what to do, and for me, it’s so important to give our instructors this sense that their voice really matters.”
The goal with Selformer is always to keep innovating and keep growing. Yavin has her sights set on expanding elsewhere in Brooklyn or Long Island City, and eventually Manhattan. But for now, you can experience Selformer right here in the neighborhood through reformer group classes, mat group classes, budget-priced community classes, solos and duets, private instruction, and video classes.