The Team
Dr. Julia Shmurak, DPT, NCPT
FOUNDER & LEAD EDUCATOR
Dr. Julia Shmurak is a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), a Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher (NCPT), and a 3rd-Generation Master Pilates Teacher. After earning her Rehabilitation Pilates certification through Polestar Pilates in 2012, Dr. Julia founded Pandora Pilates & Physical Therapy the following year in Coconut Grove, Miami, before relocating the studio to its current Coral Gables location in 2020, combining advanced manual therapy with a contemporary approach rooted in classical Pilates to offer clinically grounded care for fitness, injury recovery, post-rehabilitation, and overall physical wellness. Pandora now serves Miami, Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, South Miami, Pinecrest, and surrounding areas.
A graduate of the University of Miami with over a decade of experience, Dr. Julia specializes in Pilates-based rehabilitation, Mat Pilates, Reformer Pilates, and instruction across the full classical apparatus — Tower, Cadillac, Chair, and Barrels. She is highly experienced in postural correction, movement therapy, functional training, pre- and postnatal Pilates, and Pilates for athletes at all levels. She is recognized for her expertise in private Pilates sessions, group Reformer, Tower, and Chair classes, post-surgical rehab, sports injury recovery, chronic pain management, and functional movement training.
Dr. Julia is also the lead educator of Pandora Pilates Movement Academy, where she leads PMA ITTAP-Approved teacher training programs and provides 1:1 Pilates Mentorship for new and experienced instructors and physical therapists integrating Pilates into clinical practice. Her teaching emphasizes safety, precision, and individual client goals — whether the goal is improved fitness, mobility, flexibility, core strength, or a deeper understanding of the Pilates method itself.
Clients and students alike describe her approach as exacting but generous — demanding genuine technical precision while remaining deeply attentive to each person's specific body, goals, and history. Whether you are pursuing peak athletic performance, recovering from injury, building a teaching career, or simply looking for movement that actually works for your body, Dr. Julia Shmurak brings a depth of clinical expertise and a contemporary approach rooted in classical Pilates found at very few studios in Miami.
Learn about Physical Therapy sessions →
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Learn about Pilates Mentorship →
Meet Our Pilates Instructors & Therapists
Christine Gagen
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Christine began her Pilates journey as a teenager and has never stopped moving. She trained and was certified in Reformer, Mat, and Gyrotonics at Sal Anthony's Movement Salon in New York City — one of the most respected movement institutions in the country — and completed her 500-hour yoga teacher training under Cyndi Lee, a nationally recognized yoga teacher and movement educator. Christine is also a dedicated student of Qi Gong, with a lifelong commitment to continuing education.
Christine has been part of the Pandora Pilates team since almost the beginning of our Coral Gables, Miami studio. Her breadth of movement knowledge across Pilates, yoga, Gyrotonics, and Qi Gong shapes a teaching style that flows seamlessly between disciplines, emphasizing proper form, body awareness, and creative mobility work. Her primary focus is Reformer Pilates, with full apparatus knowledge of Tower, Chair, and Barrels that informs the depth she brings to every class.
Well-suited to clients who appreciate a movement-rich, multidisciplinary Reformer class.
PILATES INSTRUCTOR
Deneeb Ruiz Sierra
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Deneeb is a comprehensively trained, experienced classical Pilates instructor, certified through Equinox in partnership with Gratz, the hallmark of authentic, lineage-based classical training. She is also a certified resistance trainer, bringing additional strength-and-conditioning expertise to her work. Deneeb has been part of the Pandora Pilates team since almost the beginning of our Coral Gables, Miami studio, and her classical training has helped shape the studio's teaching standards from the start.
Deneeb's classes embody the precision, control, and discipline of classical Pilates, taught with genuine athleticism. Her pacing is brisker than a typical introductory class, building strength, endurance, and the kind of disciplined control that comes from consistent, focused practice; ideal for practitioners ready to be pushed and to feel real, visible results.
Best suited for clients with some Pilates or fitness experience who want a more athletic, fast-paced class grounded in classical technique.
PILATES INSTRUCTOR
Elena Victoria
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Elena is a professional ballerina and certified Pilates instructor, bringing a rare combination of elite dance training and Pilates expertise to every class at our Coral Gables, Miami studio. She practiced Pilates throughout most of her dance career as cross-training for ballet, building the strength, control, and body awareness that the art form demands, and her passion for the method eventually led her to become a teacher herself.
Elena's classes are known for clear cueing, a relaxed pace, and creative, dance-inspired exercise variations that challenge the body in unexpected ways. Her background brings a unique fluidity and musicality to her Reformer classes, with sequences that build genuine strength while still feeling expressive and alive.
Well suited to clients who want a more dynamic, movement-rich class; from dancers and former athletes to anyone looking to bring more grace and flow into their Pilates practice.
PILATES INSTRUCTOR
Giglia Almeida, PTA
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Giglia loves to combine movement with education, as she is an avid student! She studied Physical Therapy in Brazil (2005) and PT Assistant in the USA (2024). Her passion for Pilates led her to pursue a Double Polestar Pilates certification (Brazil and USA). Additionally, she studied Acupuncture in Brazil (2013). Besides having magical hands and a diverse skill set, her dedication to helping others shines through her work.
PHYSICAL THERAPY ASSISTANT
PILATES INSTRUCTOR
Alyssa Powell-Johnston
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Alyssa trained through Pandora Pilates Movement Academy's Teacher Training program under Dr. Julia Shmurak, DPT, NCPT, and is certified in Athletic Reformer by Anesti Mano.
Alyssa discovered Pilates while working as a fashion model, using it to improve her posture, alignment, and presence for her career. She experienced the results so directly, in her body and in her work, that she wanted to deepen her own understanding of the method and bring that same transformation to others. Today, Alyssa brings a clear, calm, and precise teaching style to every class at our Coral Gables, Miami studio, with a particular gift for correcting form and improving alignment with patience and clarity.
Well suited to clients at every level, from beginners to experienced practitioners refining their technique.
PILATES INSTRUCTOR
Ashly Chavez
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Ashly is a comprehensively trained Pilates instructor with a contemporary approach rooted in classical technique, a Mat Pilates teacher for over 10 years, and a Megaformer-certified instructor. As a lifelong gymnast, Ashly has had movement, discipline, and body awareness at the center of her life since childhood. That athletic foundation led her to Pilates, and she quickly fell in love with the practice for its balance of strength, control, precision, and mind-body connection.
Ashly's classes at our Coral Gables, Miami studio are slow-paced but deeply challenging, blending classical precision with a contemporary feel, informed by her gymnastics background; every movement is precise, controlled, and intentional. Her sessions are best suited for intermediate to advanced students who want to refine their technique and build real strength through focused, thoughtful work.
PILATES INSTRUCTOR
Aurélie Wulff
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Aurelie is a comprehensively trained contemporary Pilates instructor, certified through Pilathon's full apparatus program, and also certified in Athletic Reformer by Anesti Mano.
After ten years as a fashion model, Aurelie made the full transition to teaching Pilates, drawn by how completely the practice changed her relationship with her own body, building strength, confidence, and a sense of physical ease that carried far beyond the studio. Now teaching full-time at our Coral Gables, Miami studio, she brings that same conviction to every class, with a teaching style centered on helping people feel genuinely strong and at home in their bodies, not just put through a workout.
Aurelie teaches Reformer, Tower, Chair, and Ladder Barrel classes with a contemporary, full-body approach grounded in real personal transformation, well-suited to clients at every level who want to be challenged with intention and care.
PILATES INSTRUCTOR
Camila Parra
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Camila is a graduate of the Pandora Pilates Movement Academy Teacher Training, trained under Dr. Julia Shmurak, DPT, NCPT. With years of experience as a dancer, Camila brings a natural sense of flow, grace, and musicality to every Reformer class she teaches at our Coral Gables, Miami studio.
Where classical precision meets fluid movement, Camila's classes feel less like a workout and more like a continuous, connected sequence that builds strength and control without ever losing the sense of ease that comes from years of dance training.
Well suited to clients who want a smoother, more flowing class experience, from beginners looking for an approachable entry point to experienced practitioners who appreciate movement that feels as good as it looks.
PILATES INSTRUCTOR
Dr. Erika Ladcani, DPT
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Dr. Erika Ladcani holds a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from High Point University. She is a licensed physical therapist, certified Pilates instructor, and certified Dry Needling practitioner working with the clinical team at Pandora Pilates & Physical Therapy in Coral Gables, Miami.
Dr. Erika completed her Pilates Mat and Reformer certifications through Pandora Pilates Movement Academy under the instruction of Dr. Julia Shmurak, DPT, NCPT. Her approach combines hands-on orthopedic physical therapy with Pilates-based rehabilitation and progressive strength training, focusing on posture, core strength, and controlled movement to help people recover from injury, rebuild confidence in their bodies, and return to the activities they love.
She also uses Dry Needling as part of her clinical practice; a targeted technique to release muscle tension, reduce pain, and restore movement quality for patients with myofascial pain or neuromuscular dysfunction.
Dr. Erika works one-on-one with each patient, taking the time to understand how they move, what is holding them back, and what getting better actually looks like for them.
PHYSICAL THERAPIST
PILATES INSTRUCTOR
Samantha Narvaez, PTA
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Samantha is a Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) and Pilates instructor who trained at Pandora Pilates Movement Academy. She works clinically alongside our Doctors of Physical Therapy while also teaching Reformer Pilates classes at our Coral Gables, Miami studio. A lifelong athlete who competed in volleyball, basketball, and track and field as a full-scholarship college athlete, Samantha brings a rare combination of clinical training and competitive athletic experience to her work.
Her clinical background gives her a hands-on understanding of injury, recovery, and rehabilitation that shapes how she teaches; she specializes in helping clients recover from injuries, return safely after surgery, improve mobility, and build functional strength for daily life and sport. Samantha is known for motivating her clients and helping them become stronger and more capable session after session.
Well suited to clients recovering from injury or surgery, athletes looking to cross-train or return to sport, and anyone who wants an instructor who understands both the clinical and competitive sides of movement.
PHYSICAL THERAPY ASSISTANT
PILATES INSTRUCTOR
Venus Kainazarova
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Venus is a passionate and experienced licensed massage therapist specializing in Eastern Medicine Massage. Her journey began in 2018 when she moved to Thailand to explore the ancient healing art. Under renowned Thai massage masters, Venus developed a deep appreciation for the holistic approach of Thai massage, addressing the body's physical and energetic aspects. Trained in various traditional techniques, Venus obtained her massage license in 2023. Continuously adapting her treatments to meet individual needs, she aims to promote healing and balance in her clients' lives. Venus is also knowledgeable in treating diverse populations, including prenatal and postnatal clients.
MASSAGE THERAPIST
Veronica Zhang Paley
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Veronica Zhang Paley is a Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher (NCPT), comprehensively trained across the full Pilates apparatus, and a certified Cancer Exercise Specialist with additional training in breast cancer exercise recovery, bringing one of the most clinically grounded and research-informed teaching perspectives on the Pandora Pilates team in Coral Gables, Miami.
Alongside teaching Pilates, Veronica works in cancer research and is pursuing her PhD in Prevention Science at the University of Miami, focusing on cancer prevention, breast cancer survivorship, rehabilitation, and healthy aging. This academic foundation shapes how she teaches; she approaches every session with a deep understanding of how movement affects the body at the physiological level, with particular attention to alignment, control, and purposeful movement that supports long-term physical health, not just short-term fitness goals. Her Cancer Exercise Specialist certification equips her to work safely and effectively with clients managing or recovering from cancer, an area in which most Pilates instructors are not trained.
Veronica's classes are challenging yet approachable, meeting each client where they are and building awareness, confidence, and a strong, lasting physical foundation.
Well-suited to clients seeking an anatomy-informed, precision-focused class; particularly those managing or recovering from illness, injury, or treatment who want an instructor with genuine clinical understanding of how the body responds to movement.
PILATES INSTRUCTOR