Wahida Sharman, OTR
Gyrotonic®, Gyrokinesis® and Pilates Trainer

Wahida is the owner and inspiration behind EPY center. She has created, along with the help of the trainers, a studio that is welcoming, professional and a delightful place in which  to workout.

Wahida has been an occupational therapist since 1988. She is an avid outdoors person who, due to her own personal injuries; found herself on a journey of healing and fitness that started with yoga in 1995 and eventually led to further training in exercise disciplines and then teaching and inspiring others. Wahida is dedicated to her continuing  education in Pilates, Gyrotonic® and Gyrokinesis® and Franklin Method®. 

Wahida is a master trainer for Balanced Body University teaching Pilates repertoire on mat and equipement and Anatomy in Clay..  She is also a Gyrotonic Pre-trainer, the first step to becoming certified in the Gyrotonic Expansion System.

The Franklin Method®, a movement system using imagery, has been a part of Wahida's personal practice and she now brings it to Sacramento to use with her clients.  The system teaches you to experience your personal anatomy to enhance any type of movement that you might currently be doing.  Private and group sessions available.

Holly Thompson, BS, BA
Gyrotonic® and Pilates Trainer

Holly is a UC Davis graduate with a double major in evolution/ecology and art studio.  She started Pilates in 1993 while she was ice-skating competitively.  She trained under Polestar Pilates founder Brent Anderson, PT for two years and she is also certified in mat instruction from Polestar Pilates. Additionally, Holly received her apparatus training from Chrissy Sheeper.  She has been teaching clients Pilates since 2001.   Holly recently received Pilates certification from the Pilates Method Alliance.   In addition to training clients in Pilates, Holly also teaches ice-skating, inline skating, and hockey and she also  plays ice hockey regularly.

Kathy Ward, BS
Gyrotonic® and Pilates Trainer

Kathy comes to EPY with a diverse background in athletics. In 1995 Kathy qualified at the Olympic trials for the marathon. She was also the cross-country masters runner of the year for the Pacific Association of USA Track and Field. Her other love is sailing. She is a multiple time national and world champion in Hobie Cat 16 sailing. Kathy started Pilates in 1995 and received her Pilates mat certification from the Physical Mind Institute. She then pursued her Pilates apparatus training with Tom McCook in Mountain View. She has focused her work in the Ron Fletcher Method of training and is available for private and semi-private sessions.

Megan Soske
Certified Pilates Trainer

A competitive rider for her entire life, Megan began taking Pilates to improve her riding. Tight and unbalanced muscles inhibited her performance, and through Pilates she transformed her body and now competes at a new level. She considers the understanding she achieved through overcoming her own musculature and posture challenges to be one of her greatest assets when teaching others.

Megan Soske is certified by Balanced Body University (BBU) in Pilates Mat and Reformer work. She received her apparatus training from Tom McCook, of BBU and the Physical Mind Institute, and is currently completing her apparatus certification. She continues to take workshops around the country and to explore alternative systems, such as the Franklin Method.

Megan has competed and coached others in western (reining), equitation, combined training (preliminary level) and dressage (currently riding 3rd level).

Suzanne Rogers 
Gyrotonic® and Gyrokinesis® Trainer

Suzanne grew up in Las Vegas. In childhood, Suzanne studied ballet, tap, gymnastics and ice skating; cementing a love of movement.  She became a certified aerobics instructor during law school and taught aerobics for eight years. Suzanne’s current athletic pursuits are many and include:   running, skiing, skating, tennis and biking, along with Pilates, weight training, Gyrotonic® and Gyrokinesis®.

Her personal path to heal injuries developed after running marathons and having children brought her to Wahida for Pilates in 2003.  Wahida later introduced her to Gyrotonic®.  Suzanne fell in love with the Gyrotonic® system which healed her injuries and inspired her to start her own instructor training in December 2004. Suzanne recently completed her certification in Gyrotonic® and Gyrokinesis®. Suzanne says:  “Training Gyrotonic® and Gyrokinesis® as well as enjoying my own personal practice with other EPY center trainers keeps my busy family life and legal career in balance.”

Suzanne attended Pomona College (BS Mathematical Economics ‘85) and McGeorge Law School (JD ‘88).

Alicia Parrish
Gyrotonic®, Gyrokinesis® Trainer

Alicia Parrish, a native of San Jose, has just relocated back to the sunshine and her family after living in Seattle, WA for the last 11 years.   While living in Seattle, she founded and established Issaquah Dance Theatre and Eastside Youth Dance Theatre, a school which has gained a reputable following for excellent ballet training, a comprehensive dance program, and nonprofit youth ballet company.   As the school accommodates approximately 900 students, Alicia still commutes monthly to the school to work with the students, staff, teachers and events. 

A devotee of the GYROTONIC® methodology for years, Alicia has over 8 years teaching experience on the GYROTONIC EXPANSION  SYSTEM® and was fortunate to have certified with Julio Horvath himself, creator of GYROTONIC.   She is now level I, II, Jumping Stretch Board Certified and offers GYROKINESIS® group (mat/stool) classes.  She continues her training to broaden her repertoire of fun to offer clients- but also honestly selfishly attends continuing education courses for her own health and well being!  The inspiration gained is then passed along to everyone around her, as Alicia is known for her positive and nurturing approach to connecting with clients.  The physical, emotional and detoxifying benefits of GYROTONIC and GYROKINESIS exercise have her hooked!  Added to her GYROTONIC training, Alicia has also returned to school this year with plans to obtain a degree in the movement related field to compliment her dance background and experience thus far.  Injury prevention and conditioning for dancers is a main part of her clientele.

Most important in life, Alicia is proud mother to three beautiful children, ages 17, 13 and 4 and works together with her husband, Scott Parrish, B.A., LMP, CSP, Reiki Master Teacher (and soon to be GYROTONIC Apprentice in January 2012!).  Together they truly enjoy striving to live healthy, balanced lifestyles, integrating the body, mind and spirit, and sharing means to this goal with their clients; be it through therapeutic applications, dancers and other super athletes, from seniors to children, for all body types or fitness capabilities- for every-‘body!’