It’s not often that one can find a silver lining in a serious back injury. But for Aliza Bixon, she not only found a silver lining, but a whole new life path. Following back surgery in 2006, the lifelong dancer and choreographer stumbled upon Pilates as part of her physical therapy rehabilitation program. Amazed and inspired by the benefits it provided her body, Aliza’s back injury ultimately led her to a career in Pilates and a mission to bring the exercise to the community. Today, as owner of Miami’s Pilates on the Beach, her boundless energy and magnetic teaching style has earned her an outstanding reputation among both the fitness community and her clientele, which includes former NFL star and two-time Super Bowl champion Robert Bailey and high-profile sports agent and author Jason Rosenhaus, as well as Miami Heat dancers and Miami Dolphins cheerleaders.

A lover of dance and the arts, Aliza Bixon has been dancing since age 5 and teaching and choreographing hip-hop, modern and Israeli dance at camps and schools for the last 25 years. While Pilates was a natural fit, it wasn’t until the fitness enthusiast began rehabbing from back surgery that she discovered the benefits of Pilates, specifically the increase of flexibility and mobility after incurring a severe injury. Teaming up with friend Shana Kruger and her physical therapist, the trio opened Pilates on the Beach in 2008 and Pilates in the Grove in 2010. Originally involved on the business side, Aliza’s desire to increase her knowledge of Pilates and the science of movement led her to earn her Pilates certification through Polestar Education.

Currently, Aliza Bixon teaches numerous private and group classes and is known for her challenging and personable approach that ensures an effective workout. She recently completed her certification in Pathokinesiology of the Lumbar Spine, and also is certified by the Pink Ribbon program, which is designed specifically to help post-operative breast cancer survivors regain a full range of motion to areas affected by breast cancer surgery, as well as to increase their strength, self-esteem and quality of life. Her passion for this program prompted her to spearhead a fundraiser for the Florida Breast Cancer Foundation, which was hosted by Pilates on the Beach. Aliza maintains relationships between Pilates on the Beach and the surrounding communities, and often meets with doctors, hospital administrators, physical therapists, physical education coaches and other business professionals to teach them about the benefits of Pilates.

Outside of the studio, Aliza also works as a high school history teacher, and uses her vast knowledge of Pilates to educate students and athletic teams about the importance of stretching properly before and after sporting events and practices. She is dedicated to the community and actively volunteers with the domestic violence organization Shalom Bayit, and Sharsheret, a non-profit that supports Jewish women and their families facing breast cancer, in addition to helping run several local fundraisers and walkathons.

Aliza resides in Miami Beach with her husband and five children, and looks forward to sharing the benefits of Pilates for years to come.