Our Teachers

Hello,I’m Melissa Connolly…

.. the owner  of Move ME Pilates & Barre.

My Pilates training began as a dancer in Boston and I received my very first Pilates certification in 1998 from Pilates elder (a teacher of Joseph Pilates), Mary Bowen. 

​Soon after, I spent 11 years in Southern California immersed in a very progressive and innovative health and wellness community.  While living on the West Coast, I fully embraced Pilates and dance. Amazing opportunities presented themselves, leading to me becoming a teacher trainer for Balanced Body Pilates, working alongside Julian Littleford as he ran his teacher training program. I also became an instructor on the most popular Pilates online class site, Pilates Anytime. "

I strive to provide well balanced classes, positive energy,  attention to form and alignment, musicality in barre class and deep kinesthetic sense to motivate clients of all ages, abilities and limitations, and mentor up-and-coming Pilates instructors.
—Melissa

Before starting Move ME I owned The Pilates Barre in Massachusetts and at the same time worked at the biggest East Coast Balanced Body training center, Boston Body. I also began leading Pilates and Barre workshops through Pilates On Tour.

​Since moving to Maine in the spring of 2018, I had a singular VISION of inspiring my new community through the magical movement of Pilates and Barre. I sought out a studio space that was comfortable and welcoming, had plenty of natural light, and would be convenient for students to attend in-person classes. Move ME Pilates opened March of 2019!

  • PMA Certified Pilates 

  • PhysicalMind Pilates Certification

  • Julian Littleford Pilates Certification

  • Balanced Body Master Instructor Trainer Certification

  • Pre/Post-Natal Pilates Specialist™ Certification

  • Pilates Anytime Instructor

  • ACE Fitness Personal Trainer

  • Buff Bones Pilates certification

  • The Classical Syllabus training with Mejo Wiggins

  • Master instructor workshop presenter

Abbey Gareau

Having grown up in Vermont, close to the White Mountains, Abbey is a lifelong fitness and outdoor enthusiast. She first began Barre and Pilates about 14 years ago to support distance running and backpacking, and prevent injuries. She has found Pilates really creates a stronger and more balanced body and is a firm believer in Pilates as a way to build not only a stronger body but a calmer, more resilient mind.

Abbey enjoys working with clients of all ages and abilities, from older clients that just want to be able to walk without pain to athletes that are looking for a serious workout.  Working at Move Me has been inspiring and motivational to always keep learning, being creative and improving. For Abbey, taking clients from their very first time on the reformer, and seeing them progress over time and be excited about the changes and abilities they are developing, is the most enjoyable and rewarding part of teaching Pilates.

When she’s not at the studio she is usually cooking, hiking or playing with her cat.

  • Balanced Body Comprehensive Pilates certification

  • 100 hour Certified Barre instructor

Jennifer Pochurek

  • Jennifer’s love of movement and dance began at a very early age when she was introduced to Rhythmic Gymnastics. From her first twirl of the ribbon, she was hooked! Jennifer competed in Rhythmic Gymnastics for over 10 years, ultimately earning a spot on the US National Team and representing the US in international competitions. Her training was deeply rooted in ballet with an emphasis on strong, graceful, beautiful movement.

    It wasn’t until her 30s, after sustaining many injuries from running, that she discovered Pilates. Much like her experience with Rhythmic Gymnastics, she was hooked from the start. Not only did Pilates bring relief from injury, it allowed her to move and feel the same way she did when she was a gymnast.

    Jennifer has practiced Pilates and Barre for over 15 years. In 2018 she moving from Florida to Maine with her husband and three children and was delighted to find Move ME Pilates. She started as a client and moved on to become an instructor. When she’s not in the Studio, you will find her dancing in the kitchen, gardening, and hanging out with her chickens.

  • Balanced Body Reformer Levels 1 -3

  • Balanced Body Mat 1-3

  • Balanced Body Cadillac and Chair

  • Movement Principals and Anatomy

  • Balanced Body Barre certification

Amity Chadbourne

Amity started taking a serious interest in my physical fitness in college. She quickly became a cardio junkie and truly felt the only way to exercise was to make it heart pounding and intense without any real focus on what my body was doing. This was not the best choice for a body with chronic movement issues. After her 4th round of Physical Therapy for alignment and strength imbalance issues, she decided it was time to make a change and really listen and learn about my body and about how it moved and functioned. She decided she wanted to take control instead of letting it control her. Amity discovered that Pilates focused on the principles that my Physical Therapists had been trying to teach her. Through a new body awareness, she learned where my muscle imbalances were and how to correct them when performing the exercises to develop balanced muscle strength and better neutral body alignment. Today she stands taller, is more confident and just…feels better mentally and physically. Pilates has also improved her cardio performance. Amity enjoys biking, walking and hiking much more now with less fatigue and pain. She feel that everyone can benefit from adding some form of Pilates into their weekly routine whether that routine already includes physical activity or not.

Today, Amity works in the field of customer service. She balances out a desk job with regular sessions of Pilates for personal fitness and goals. Having the opportunity to share her love of Pilates with clients at Move ME she is thrilled to watch clients learn and develop.

  • Stott Essential and Intermediate Mat Pilates

  • Balanced Body Reformer 1 and 2

  • Balanced Body Mat 1 and 2

Diane Dombrowski

  • Balanced Body Reformer Levels 1 -3

  • Balanced Body Mat 1-3

  • Balanced Body Cadillac and Chair

  • Movement Principals and Anatomy

Lucie Berse

 

Lucie's passion for movement began as a young child with dance, gymnastics and skiing. In high school she discovered yoga and strength training, and this set her on a path to learn about anatomy and kinesiology. After graduating from college and working corporate jobs that limited her movement, she became a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor. When the opportunity arose to move to Asia, she discovered triathlon and martial arts, and had the opportunity to work at the premier MMA gym in Asia and train with some of the top martial arts instructors and fighters in the world. Her clientele included a broad range from post-partum moms to MMA fighters. Helping people find movement, get strong, move better and feel better has always been incredibly rewarding for Lucie.

 

Lucie's own movement journey has included road and mountain biking, snowboarding, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiujitsu, running, and swimming. These pursuits have given her the ability to better understand movement as well as healing injuries through movement. In 2018 after going through pregnancy and childbirth three times with a hip injury, Lucie discovered Pilates. The integration of core connection and movement, in addition to the mind-body aspect of Pilates really drew her. When she moved to Maine with her family in 2021, Lucie found Melissa and began the certification process. She has completed her Mat & Reformer hours, and is working towards her Comprehensive certification in addition to Barre and CoreAlign. When not teaching Pilates, she spends a lot of time driving her 3 kids around and taking care of her many animals!

  • Balanced Body Reformer Levels 1 -3

  • Balanced Body Mat 1-3

  • Balanced Body Cadillac and Chair

  • Movement Principals and Anatomy

  • Balanced Body Barre certification