Meet The Team

Meet Our Team

Instructors

All our instructors are professionally trained to provide balanced instruction tailored to the individuals in each class.

Michelle Goodman

Michelle has been teaching a Pilates class for Knees Up for over 15 years and many of her clients have been coming to her class for that time. Michelle has been able to watch them grow from being beginners into advanced participants, this is what she enjoys about teaching, seeing the improvements in clients core strength, posture and overall wellbeing.

Angie Trussler

After 25 years as a fitness instructor Angie considers herself, not only a true exercise professional, but also a passionate exercise performer. Angie understands how very important it is to stay healthy and well and to keep muscles and joints strong as we reach senior years – and is very passionate about encouraging others to do so.

Three years ago Angie and her husband moved to glorious Dorset from Sussex and considers herself very lucky to have done so. Angie has achieved qualifications from Basic in 1993 to GP referral programmes in Fitness, Yoga and Pilates, Aqua fitness, Seniors and many more.

Angie strives to achieve the best benefits for everyone concerned and obtain much pleasure when goals are reached. Keep exercising and have fun!

Tiffiny Read

Tiffiny has been an Exercise Referral Specialist for 20 years. She ran an Exercise referral scheme in Wimborne for 15 years and has been delivering specialised exercise classes with Knees Up for 10 years. She has a great passion for special populations and strives to ensure exercise is accessible to all. This is demonstrated by her wide range of specialist level 4 qualifications: Exercise Referral instructor, Pulmonary rehabilitation, Cardiac rehabilitation plus Diabetes and Obesity. She really enjoys helping those in need in her local community and sees the rewards and gains from exercise that help in a wide range of co-morbidities. She strives to make a difference to people’s health and well-being.

Janet Knight

Janet has her own dance school in Blandford where she has been teaching Ballet, Modern Dance and Tap to children through to adults for over 30 years. She is a fully Registered Teacher and Life Member of the Royal Academy of Dance and also holds the Licentiate Diploma from the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance and a Certificate in Dance Education. She has recently undertaken additional courses and has been appointed a licensee to teach the new Royal Academy ‘Silver Swans’ programme based on research into dance practice for older learners. Classes are only taught by Silver Swans Licensees

Caroline Barr

With a background in dance Caroline first qualified to teach exercise to music 25 years ago. Over the years she has added qualifications in Yoga, Circuit Training, Step Aerobics, Zumba and FitSteps. Caroline has also studied Exercise for Cardiac rehabilitation. Caroline presently takes the Thursday morning circuit class and teaches Line dancing.

Jeremy Alner

Jeremy has been practicing Tai Chi with Wutan International School for over 20 years and has been an assistant instructor for more than 15 of these. He started running weekly Qigong and Tai Chi classes for Knees Up in June 2023 often joined by Summer the German Pointer.

Gilly Vincent 

Gilly's background is as a Nordic Walking instructor and Swim teacher. When Marilyn (our old, much loved, chair based instructor) decided to move she recommended Gilly to Knees Up as, having attended classes with her, she thought she would be a good fit. Marilyn encouraged Gilly to take the specific Chair-based exercise qualification which she completed Christmas 2020.

Diana McGrail

I started doing Pilates in 2007, having decided that my visits to the oesto were becoming too frequent and were caused by poor posture and weak core muscles.  In 2009 as a result of an enforced career change I undertook Pilates instructor training. This enables me to bring the benefits I feel by doing Pilates to others. I am a big believer that movement can heal the body and I am passionate about helping people improve their quality of movement which brings so many benefits to everyday life.

Andrew Orth

Having practiced yoga for many years I felt it was time to qualify as a teacher, to share and offer others what I have been given by amazing teachers and practice. I trained with the incredible Himalaya Yoga Valley. This immersed me into the very traditional aspects of Yoga. It is my ambition to enable accessible opportunity to yoga for all. Thus all tree and leaf yoga lessons are inclusive and accessible.

Sammy Bell

With a background in dancing and performing with professional companies and gaining a degree in choreography and dance, movement has always been a huge part of my life.  I have been in the fitness industry for 10 years teaching Dance Fit, Bokwa, circuits, swimming and running a small personal training business. Now my main passion and focus is Pilates as it brings together all the elements of health and wellness that I love.

Committee Members

Our committee members are all volunteers who are essential to the ongoing success of Knees Up.
If you would like to join the committee please contact info@knees-up.co.uk or June on 01258 458116

Chairperson
Kath Lane
Treasurer
Maggie Ballenger
Minutes Secretary
Lynda Newman
Trustee
Hugh Shackell
Trustee
June Lane
Trustee
Val Pearce
Trustee
Catherine Miller
Trustee
Linda Newman
Trustee
Pamela Case