Daphne Yannakakis
BASI Pilates Comprehensive Instructor
Certifications:
- BASI Comprehensive Certification
- The Heritage Training™ Graduate
- National Certified Pilates Instructor NCPT
- Registered Ortho-Bionomy® Practitioner
Languages: English
About Daphne
A lover of life, learning and experience, Daphne Yannakakis brings a wealth of knowledge, guidance and fun to her Pilates group classes and private sessions. Her extensive training and personal journey with Pilates create a teaching approach that is both technically excellent and deeply understanding.
A Life of Movement
Daphne has been physically active her entire life – from many years of competitive springboard diving as a youth to her enjoyment of skiing, biking and swimming in her adult life. This diverse athletic background gives her insight into how different bodies move and the physical demands of various activities.
About 13 years ago, Daphne was struggling with lower back and hip pain. She discovered Pilates and found that the method helped relieve and maintain a level of strength, focus and balance that transformed her physical wellbeing.
Pilates continued to inspire her over the years, marrying well with her love of observing movement and coaching from her many years as a springboard diver and coach. This combination – her athletic background, coaching experience, and personal transformation through Pilates – led her to pursue a comprehensive teaching certification.
Daphne's Teaching Approach
Daphne’s teaching style focuses on the precision of movement and motor control, flow, balance, breath, concentration, and centering. She places strong emphasis on mastering foundational movements so that more advanced movements progress naturally without injury.
Her background as a diving coach translates beautifully into Pilates instruction – she has a trained eye for movement patterns and knows how to break down complex movements into teachable progressions. Daphne encourages the exploration of movement to find greater depth and connection to one’s interior landscape, and honors each individual in their learning process.
What Clients Love About Daphne
Clients appreciate Daphne’s technical expertise combined with her warm, encouraging presence. She brings “fun” to Pilates while maintaining precision and safety. Her extensive certifications give clients the confidence to know they’re learning from a true expert, while her personal experience with both pain and recovery creates empathy and understanding.
Those dealing with back or hip issues particularly value Daphne’s specialized knowledge and gentle, progressive approach to rebuilding strength.
