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What are the goals of cueing in Pilates?

This is an excerpt from The Pilates Teacher's Toolkit by Jennifer Morley.

The ability to call upon adroit and versatile cueing is an invaluable tool for both teaching Pilates and tailoring sessions to individual needs. Review the following list of select goals of cueing. As you read, notice which bullet points best reflect your teaching methods. As you reflect on your cueing habits and techniques, consider the aspects of your cueing that remain consistent and think about which priorities shift from client to client as needs and desires evolve. Pilates cues serve to

• train practitioners to embody the choreography and principles of the Pilates Method,
• inspire a client about a goal or purpose,
• communicate information that shapes and refines how a person experiences their body in motion,
• promote mindfulness and focus,
• maintain safety and encourage alignment and body awareness,
• create an effective and pleasurable class and session experience,
• communicate values,
• shape the flow of energy, and
• support the development of connection and relationship.

Each of us is personally connected with the impact cueing can have—both as a receiver and a giver. Use the next meditation to ground in your own experience, considering what makes a cue meaningful and memorable.

Find a comfortable seat. Turn your attention to your breath. Stay with the breath until you are connected with the sensations in your body. Do this until your mind is clear and focused. Now, draw to mind an inspirational teacher. Call forth the moments when you’ve felt truly guided by this teacher—when their words, their cues, or their presence resonated deeply within you, aligning your body and mind with each movement. Reflect on how their guidance helped you, whether it was to move with intention, achieve a goal, push yourself further, deepen your awareness, or find greater ease in your practice. Let your attention land on the clarity of their cues. How did their words or actions help you feel more connected to your own potential?

Now imagine how your own words can have a similar impact on your clients—leading them toward a deeper awareness, a more profound connection to their own bodies, and ultimately to their own success. When you are ready, bring your awareness back to the present.

Your cues directly shape your clients’ experience of Pilates, enhancing body awareness and motor control while fostering a meaningful connection with their movements.1 The next section introduces frameworks that can deepen our understanding of the people we are cueing. Consider how each framework sheds light on how to approach tailoring our cueing for the full range of practitioners we see in the studio.

More Excerpts From The Pilates Teacher's Toolkit

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