Pilates Certification in Orange County

Core Arts Pilates is the leading Pilates certification program in Orange County, California. Our programs are rooted in the classical method as transmitted through Romana Kryzanowska, a direct protégé of Joseph Pilates, and are led by studio founder and principal instructor Sharmila Mitra, who apprenticed under Romana personally in New York in 1999.

We offer two certification tracks. The classical program is a comprehensive, apparatus-based instructor training built around a supervised apprenticeship. The mat certification is a focused program for movement professionals looking to add classical mat instruction to their credentials. Both are designed with the same intention: to produce instructors who can actually teach, not just those who have completed a program.

Choose Your Path

The classical track is a comprehensive, apparatus-based instructor training program grouThe classical track is a full instructor training program grounded in the Romana Kryzanowska lineage. It is structured as an apprenticeship, which means candidates learn through sustained, supervised practice over time rather than through a condensed intensive.

Three pathways are available based on your background, schedule, and goals:

• The Bridge Program (Classical Framework) for certified instructors from other programs who want to deepen or formalize their classical training through Core Arts.
• Classical Framework and Apprenticeship Hours for candidates without prior teacher training who are pursuing full 600-hour certification.
• Independent Study Option for candidates who prefer a flexible schedule and want dedicated one-on-one time with Director Sharmila Mitra.

All classical candidates go through a formal application process, which includes a curriculum vitae and two letters of professional recommendation. Admission is thoughtfully selective.

Learn more about Classical Certification →

The mat certification covers classical Pilates mat methodology and is designed for fitness professionals, movement educators, and dance teachers who want to add mat instruction to their credentials. It is available as a structured group session, or as a flexible independent study option with Director Sharmila Mitra.

Candidates who complete a Core Arts mat certification and later decide to pursue the full classical program receive a $500 tuition credit toward their classical enrollment.

Learn more about Mat Certification →

Why Core Arts Pilates

Core Arts Pilates has been part of the Anaheim Hills community for over 20 years. That kind of longevity in boutique fitness reflects something real: a consistent standard of teaching, a loyal community of clients and students, and a lineage worth honoring.

Our program runs directly from Joseph Pilates through Romana Kryzanowska to Sharmila Mitra, who trained under Romana’s direct supervision in New York. That lineage shapes everything about how we teach and how we train the instructors who come through this studio. The graduates of our programs carry it forward.

We take the work seriously here. Not in a way that is rigid or unwelcoming, but in a way that holds teaching to a high standard because the people our instructors go on to work with deserve that. Our certification programs reflect that same value.

Interested? Request More Information.

Complete the form below and a member of our team will follow up with program details, prerequisites, and next steps.