My name is Vita Merrick and I am the owner of Masterwork Pilates Studio.

My background and first love is... and always will be... dance.
After 20+ years as a student, performer, competitor and instructor in Classical Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Flamenco, Irish, Ballroom and Swing, Pilates was a natural step to explore.
I have also briefly studied various forms of Yoga and some martial arts ranging from Kajukenbo, Tae Kwon Do, Aikido and Tai Chi.

• In 2003, I first earned my certifications in Matwork and Reformer from STOTT PILATES and began teaching right away out of my home, at the Columbia Basin Racquet Club and the Tri-Cities Academy of Ballet.
• 2007 - 2010 saw the first version of the Masterwork Pilates Studio after my husband & I transformed half of his shop into a Pilates studio.
• In 2010, life circumstances required me to close the business for a time.
• By 2013, I was able to return to this path that I love... learning more about Pilates and sharing my knowledge with others.
• 2014 was the rebirth of the Masterwork Pilates Studio and the acquisition of a new certificate from STOTT PILATES in Total Barre®.
• 2014-2017 were spent making up for lost time. I took as many workshops, continuing education classes and "Active Life" Specialty Track courses whenever I could.
• All of 2018 was spent catching up on training I'd originally begun in 2008 on the essential & intermediate level Cadillac, Chair and Barrels.
• It's been a long road, but by Spring of 2019, I will have finally earned my Level 1 certification for Cadillac, Chair & Barrels!
• What's next to come? Probably more of the same. Because it doesn't matter how much I know, there is always so much more to learn!

My feelings about Pilates is that it is as close to an art form as an exercise system can be. Just as Dance, Yoga and Marital Arts demand our full attention, the true work begins where most athletic systems end... with the base mechanics... Pilates goes much, much deeper than this. The real beauty of Pilates is it's ability to be molded to the unique needs of the individual, from injury rehabilitation to elite athletic conditioning and everything in between.