North Carolina’s first black-owned Pilates studio has a waiting list. Prevailing Pilates opened in October 2023, but since its grand opening, there has been at least a month waiting list to take classes. The Durham studio is already being talked about as a safe and inclusive space.
For Seymour, gaining a reputation as a welcoming studio is a dream come true. It wasn’t easy to find that, especially when she first started. She has always been active and has recently become a weightlifter. However, due to her injury, she had to try something new.
“When I was looking for a Pilates studio in the Raleigh-Durham area, there were no Black instructors, so I was disappointed when I started,” she tells Travel Noire. “I felt like that wasn’t necessarily something that was welcome for Black bodies.”
At the height of the coronavirus crisis, Seymour started taking Pilates classes online and on YouTube. Fascinated by how her own body felt, she found her studio as COVID-19 restrictions were lifted in her area. Her studio didn’t suit her needs, so she decided to create one.
change the story
Seymour wants people to know that their bodies are perfect for Pilates and that their fitness level will be as well when they walk through the doors of Prevailing Pilates. Too often, she says, the discipline is portrayed by thin white women, creating a false narrative that black bodies are unwelcome.
“I consider myself a person who’s in shape. I’m not necessarily skinny, but I have a muscular build,” she says. “If you go to a lot of these studios, you’ll see a lot of slimmer, taller, thinner women. I have people of all body types in my studio.”
Prevailing Pilates offers not only a welcoming atmosphere but also design support. Seymour’s mission is to create a sense of community.
“People work out for the physical aspect, but they stay for the community,” she says. “People are more motivated to work out with their community. Staying committed always comes down to community.”
Before class begins, Seymour sets the mood in his plush studio with music. Seymour offers a sauna room where you can relax after class or training. The two-person sauna is available to anyone taking Pilates classes.
“You might hear R&B, sometimes you might hear rap music, but I also ask clients how they’re feeling. You will never experience anything like this,” she says.
plans to expand
Seymour says the benefit of her Pilates journey is that it works on muscle groups and joints that people who only participate in aerobic exercise or weightlifting don’t usually pay attention to.
She also found that Pilates provides core strength and mental healing. She wants more people to experience the benefits of Pilates.
“I definitely want to expand across the state and have my eyes on Charlotte,” she says. “I also want to get more Black instructors well-trained. Not many people are certified in Pilates. I want to bring more training opportunities to my studio. .”
