Classical Pilates is for every body.

Emilie Young

Founder / Owner

Emilie founded Boomerang Pilates on the belief that everyone should be able to experience the benefits of classical Pilates. She experienced firsthand how Pilates improved her posture and lessened the neck and back pain that she had endured since childhood. Her practice rewired her relationship to exercise and movement and was the “ah ha” moment that helped her understand what it meant to feel strong, supported, and connected to her body. Whoever you are, wherever you are in your Pilates journey, Emilie is here to meet you where you're at and help you have your “ah ha” moment with movement too.

Emilie is a 3rd generation classical Pilates instructor, lineaged through Romana Kryzanowska by way of her mentors, Marianne Adams and Rebecca Quinn. She completed her 600-hour comprehensive certification at Appalachian State University in 2014. Since then she has had opportunities to work with a variety of clients from professional athletes to polo players, post-partum mothers, and clientele with physical limitations or in various stages of injury rehabilitation. Also an elementary art teacher in the Durham Public School system, Emilie is an educator through and through.

She brings the same sense of patience, open-mindedness, and playfulness to the studio that she brings to the classroom. She believes firmly in continual education and is inspired to create a studio where teachers can learn too. She strives to build relationships of trust and care with her clients and feels immensely honored to carry on the work of Joseph Pilates, helping her clients grow stronger through the method. Emilie has long dreamed of creating an inclusive, community-oriented classical Pilates studio, and she can't wait to welcome you to Boomerang.

Annie Young

Co-Founder / Studio Manager

Annie, a co-founder of Boomerang Pilates and a dedicated dancer, has always been passionate about movement. For years she pushed her body to its limits, unaware that she was silently battling hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. While her joint hypermobility made it appear that dance came naturally, she felt disconnected from her body, unaware how to engage the right muscles. For years she believed that constant pain was a normal part of movement. Learning the classical Pilates method at Appalachian State University brought her to her own “ah-ha” moment. Movement is meant to feel good.

Pilates has become a powerful tool for Annie, helping her develop newfound strength, stability, and coordination. This method has taught her that pain is not an unavoidable partner of movement, but rather a signal that something requires more attention. Living with the unpredictability of hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Annie's Pilates practice continues to offer a supportive system, enabling her to learn how to listen, trust, and nurture her body.

Annie earned a BA in Dance Studies and completed her 600-hour comprehensive classical Pilates certification under the lineage of Romana Kryzanowska, guided by the mentorship of Marianne Adams and Rebecca Quinn at Appalachian State University. She is passionate about preserving the integrity and essence of Joseph Pilates' work while evolving to meet contemporary needs. By incorporating modern ethics and biomechanics into her teaching, she aims to make the method as inclusive and empowering as it is true to the classical principles of Pilates: breath, control, center, concentration, precision, and flow.

Her journey with Pilates stands as a testament to its inclusivity and adaptability, providing a sense of empowerment to individuals from all walks of life. Annie believes that anyone, regardless of their personal challenges, can discover strength and stability through the art of Pilates.