Dr. Melinda Bryan, PT, DPT - Pilates Teacher Certification Program Director

Co-Founder PAPT | Program Director PCO | Principal Pilates Master Teacher Trainer

Dr. Melinda Bryan, PT, DPT, is the Co-Founder and Program Director of the world's first medically vetted pilates teacher certification program, established in 1992 at Performing Arts Physical Therapy / The Pilates Studio® of Los Angeles. As a Doctor of Physical Therapy with 35+ years of clinical experience, Dr. Bryan pioneered the integration of authentic Pilates into physical therapy and functional rehabilitation, creating the only pilates teacher certification program reviewed by orthopedic surgeons. Her collaboration with Romana Kryzanowska and leading medical professionals through this pilates teacher certification program established the gold standard for preserving Joseph Pilates' original teachings—unchanged and meticulously documented since 1992—with modern medical safety standards.

Medical Credentials & Expertise

• Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) with 35+ years clinical practice
• Principal Pilates Master Teacher Trainer (highest designation)
• First professional to integrate Pilates into physical therapy (1992)
• Generation 2 (GEN2) protégé trained directly by Romana Kryzanowska
• Certified 1,400+ instructors worldwide across six continents

Historical Legacy: The Only Medically Vetted Pilates Certification Since 1992

In 1992, Dr. Bryan co-founded PAPT / The Pilates Studio® of Los Angeles with Kaz®, establishing the first medically vetted pilates teacher certification program on the West Coast. What distinguished this program was unprecedented: Dr. Bryan orchestrated consultations between Romana Kryzanowska and leading orthopedic surgeons from the prestigious Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic, including Dr. Neal S. Penenberg. These medical professionals meticulously reviewed every exercise in Joseph Pilates' classical repertoire to ensure anatomical safety and alignment with contemporary medical standards. This medical validation process—the first of its kind in the Pilates industry—established PAPT as one of only two original licensing centers worldwide, with Romana personally teaching quarterly nine-day certification workshops in Los Angeles throughout the 1990s.

Preserving Joseph Pilates' Original Method: Unchanged Since 1992

What makes this pilates teacher certification program truly exceptional is its unwavering commitment to preserving Joseph Pilates' original teachings exactly as documented in 1992. Unlike contemporary or Pilates-based variations that have modified, diluted, or altered the method over time, Dr. Bryan's program maintains the complete, unchanged classical repertoire with meticulous documentation ensuring authenticity. This preservation of the pure, original Pilates method—combined with medical validation—distinguishes authentic classical training from the numerous contemporary variations available today. For over three decades, every exercise, progression, and teaching principle has remained consistent with Joseph Pilates' vision, ensuring students receive the most authentic Pilates education available worldwide.

Program Director & Creator

• Program Director: PilatesCertificationOnline.com (PCO) - World's first professional online pilates teacher certification program (launched 2010)
• Best-Selling Author: Created world's best-selling classical Pilates training manuals, available on Amazon, Apple Books, and Google Play, translated into 14+ languages and downloaded daily by instructors globally
• DVD Series Creator: First "Pilates for Pregnancy / Pilates After Pregnancy" professional DVD program
• Executive Producer: "Pilates Music For Life" series designed specifically for Pilates professionals
• Multilingual Access: Programs available in English, Spanish, French, Japanese, and Korean

Media Pioneer & Industry Recognition

Dr. Bryan holds a unique distinction as the first professional to present Pilates on national television in 1993, when the method was still relatively unknown to mainstream audiences. Her groundbreaking media appearances on The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, and features in Glamour, Harper's Bazaar, Allure, and The Los Angeles Times introduced millions to authentic Pilates and helped establish it as a respected fitness and rehabilitation modality. Her ability to articulate the medical benefits of Joseph Pilates' method to both healthcare professionals and the general public transformed industry perception and accelerated mainstream acceptance.

Academic Contributions & Performing Arts Medicine

Dr. Bryan's expertise extends beyond clinical practice to academia and performing arts medicine. She has held affiliations with University of Southern California (USC), Columbia University, St. Regis University, and University of St. Augustine, lecturing internationally on Pilates-based rehabilitation and performing arts medicine. Her clinical background includes athletic training at Temple University in Philadelphia and a prestigious residency with the world-renowned New York City Ballet. Her specialized team has provided on-site rehabilitation and Pilates support for major Broadway productions in Los Angeles, including Phantom of the Opera, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and Dirty Dancing, establishing PAPT as the premier destination for dancers, athletes, and performing artists seeking injury prevention and performance optimization.

For verified credentials and additional professional information, visit Dr. Bryan's profile: PilatesWorldDirectory.com | View past media appearances and publications