FORMER CRUISE SHIP DANCER NICOLA BOLTON ON FINDING HER RHYTHM IN PILATES, OPENING HER OWN STUDIO, AND BREAKING THE STRETCH STEREOTYPE.
STORY: TAYLAH BAKER.
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PHOTOGRAPHY: MEGAN FISHER.
Scrolling through certain corners of social media may lead you to believe that Pilates is not only a workout, but also a lifestyle, one that is tethered to minimalist studios, expensive leggings and matcha lattes.
Thanks in part to its distractingly aesthetic appeal, Pilates is trending.
So, when Shepparton saw Nicola Bolton Pilates Studio open on July 26, some could have assumed it was just another hop on popular business venture.
But that’s not Nicola Bolton. Nor is it her story.
The pages of which were first penned in the world of professional dance, moulded by the former ballerina’s classical training.
Pilates naturally wove itself into her regimen, not as a workout, but as a warm-up.
“My teachers taught me Pilates, same as what I teach now, like original Joseph Pilates teachings straight out of the books as a form of movement before shows,” Nicola said.
After eight years of dancing professionally on cruise ships, a torn ACL and subsequent surgery brought Nicola to the shores of Shepparton in 2021.
As it turns out, this life-altering event became a catalyst for new opportunities, leading her to obtain certification in both mat and reformer Pilates, and to see a surge in her roster of clients at Excell Dance Centre.
“I’ve always had the idea in the back of my brain; I really want my own space,” she said.
“It was about May that I found out about this (space) and was like, all right, let’s make this happen.
“It all happened really quickly.”
Nestled discreetly along Harold St in Shepparton, Nicola Bolton Pilates Studio is, as all hidden gems are, unassuming on the outside and pulsing with infectious energy and soothing tranquillity on the inside.
The sanctuary for those seeking both physical and mental rejuvenation offers classes that are incredibly adaptable and accessible, where each exercise can be tailored to any individual’s body and ability level.
All provide the same mind-to-body connection that is a hallmark of pilates.
And yet, the practice is still misunderstood as ‘easy’.
One class with Nicola changes that. Fast.
“I love having people come, and especially people that don’t know much about Pilates, and they think, oh, I can’t wait for this nice stretch class. I’m like, no, not stretching, it’s a workout,” Nicola said with a grin.
Regular client Katie Nash can vouch for that.
The Shepparton local decided to give Pilates a try in a show of support for her former co-worker and friend, Nicola, when she began teaching, rallying the girls together and ensuring plans to attend made it out of the group chat.
She left the class, legs quaking, but a newfound Pilates fever was palpable and it coursed through her mix of exhilaration and fatigue.
“I was definitely that person who thought Pilates was chill, some stretching, just lie there, and it’s nice,” Katie said.
“By the end, I was like, oh my god, my ass ... but I loved it.”
Katie, like many others who stuck to the sport, grew in strength and confidence.
As for Nicola, her new business is growing, with plans to expand her horizons into hot Pilates next, thanks to the studio’s former life as a hot yoga space.
And then?
“I don’t really have any plans just yet, but big goals,” Nicola said.
“Eventually, I would like to have my own space where I can also do clinical Pilates, which is more rehab-injury based – I’m trained in that as well.
“That’s the really long vision – a place that has it all.
“At the moment, I’m just happy to be in this space, and helping people leave feeling better than when they arrived; feeling a little bit taller, a little bit stronger.”
There’s no doubt that newcomers will experience the same magnetic pull that draws clients like Katie back to the studio time and time again.
However, for those still caught in the internet stampede, mistakenly believing that their aversion to matcha blocks them from joining in, heed Katie’s advice.
“It’s such a wholesome environment when you step inside – Nicola is just beautiful and everyone’s so welcoming,” she said.
“You’ve got to try it at least once.
“What could go wrong? If you dont like it, you just don’t come back — but I don’t think that will be the case.”