Open for Business
Two Friends at the Center of Rye’s New Pilates Studio

– By Janice Llanes Fabry –

Sitting in Disney World’s Grand Floridian Hotel overlooking Cinderella’s castle, Randee Glick Polito and Tamara Slupchynskyj had a heart-to-heart about their future. Whether they were motivated by Tamara’s impending move back to New York, inspired by their friendship or enchanted by their fairytale surroundings, they made the decision to pursue a joint business venture. Their new Pilates Studio of Rye officially opened June 1 at 621 Milton Road, in the small neighborhood shopping center that is also home to Dock Deli, Rock Island Sound, Scissors on the Sound and Paw Pourri.

“Rye is a fitness-oriented community and the people here realize the incredible benefits of Pilates, so we felt it would be a perfect fit,” said Polito. As soon as she returned home to Rye from their serendipitous Orlando vacation, Polito began scouting out locations in town. “My good friend Sandy Chittenden with Sotheby’s, who had found my house six years ago, found us the greatest studio space and then an apartment for Tamara.”

Over the next few months, Tamara, Randee, and her husband Tony Polito completely renovated the old Nantucket Equities brokerage firm on the site and installed state-of-the-art Pilates equipment. In the meantime, Tamara and her husband Paul Shelton settled in Rye.

“I grew up in Manhattan, so it feels good to be back in New York. I love living and working here in Rye,” said Slupchynskyj, whose two daughters will join the Politos’ two girls at Milton School in the fall.

The friends met when they worked together at the Plaza Hotel two decades ago, and Polito, owner of Premier Concierge Service, is still in the hospitality business. She makes hotel and restaurant reservations, acquires theater tickets and arranges vacations and tours for private clients. Now, of course, she is also working on the business and management end of the new studio. Having always embraced fitness and good nutrition, she is currently learning Pilates from her new partner.

The instructor in the operation, Slupch-ynskyj has been practicing Pilates for 20 years. For the last two and a half, she has trained with two master instructors and with a renowned Pilates elder, Lolita San Miguel, who trained directly with and is one of only two students ever certified by founder Joseph Pilates himself.

“Pilates is a core-building exercise that lengthens muscles as opposed to bulking them up. We do a lot more core strengthening, which is key to living a healthier and happier life,” explained Slupchynskyj. “It is also a good complement for dancers, tennis players, golfers, runners, joggers and horseback riders.”

Indeed, Pilates focuses on the core postural and deep torso muscles, which balance the body and provide support for the spine. Designed by Joseph Pilates, who introduced his program in the 1920s to improve the rehabilitation of World War I veterans, the exercises are based on aerobics and yoga postures. His principles for body conditioning include proper alignment, centering, concentration, control, precision, breathing, and flowing movement. Traditionally, it has always been performed using a machine known as the reformer.

Although mat Pilates is generally offered in the area, Pilates Studio of Rye is unique in having five new top-of-the-line reformers, which are available for group or private lessons. Classes are offered daily for all ages and levels, from beginners to experts. In addition, Polito also offers private lessons on the Pilates barrel and chair as well as the Cadillac, a highly versatile piece of equipment otherwise known as the trapeze table.

Randee Polito and Tamara Slupchynskyj have no doubts about their studio becoming an integral part of Rye’s landscape. Even their logo, designed by friend Valerie Jordan, illustrates the Pilates teaser pose encapsulated by a reed of Rye. “Since the day we left Disney World,” recalled Polito, “there is nothing we won’t do for our studio.”

For class schedules and more information on the packages available, call 967-9622.