in remembrance Ron Fletcher (May 29, 1921-Dec. 6, 2011)


R


on Fletcher, a former dancer and choreographer who helped popularize the Pilates exercise system when he opened the first West Coast Pilates studio in 1971, died December 6, 2011 of congestive heart failure at his home in Stonewall, Texas. He was 90.


During his illustrious 30-year professional career, Fletcher per- formed with the Martha Graham Dance Company and Yeichi Nimura. He also served as choreographer for major Broadway pro- ductions, Hollywood movies, the International Ice Capades and nightclubs & cabarets from Chicago to Paris to New Orleans.


A nagging knee injury led him to rehabilitate with Joseph and Clara Pilates. From 1968 to 1971, following Josephs Pilates’ death, Ron studied with Clara Pilates as he began to forge the idea that would engage him for the rest of life—the Pilates method. In 1971, he opened his Beverly Hills studio on the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Rodeo Drive. Hailed as a fitness guru, his studio attracted a who’s who of Hollywood in the 1970s including Candice Bergen, Barbra Streisand, Raquel Welch and Cher. Few people outside of New York knew about the fitness regime until Fletcher opened his West Coast studio. In 1978, he published his now-famous book, Every Body is Beautiful to rave reviews. He contin- ued to develop the Pilates method, incorporating techniques such as Percussion Breathing, Fletcher Towelwork, Floorwork and Barrelwork.


In 2003, Ron authorized and endorsed The Ron Fletcher Program of Study, a comprehensive curriculum and school developed to dis- seminate his unique vision of the Pilates method. The Program of Study received formal state licensure in 2007 and is currently taught at five campuses in the United States, as well as in eight countries around the world.


DANCE! NORTH TEXAS a publication of the dance council of north texas vol. 15 • no. 1 www.thedancecouncil.org February 2012 page 13


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