Owner, Founder, Lead teacher trainer; Debbie Sheme
Owner Debbie Sheme
Debbie Sheme grew up in Pennsylvania were she began dance training at the age of three, studying at various studios. She has studied ballet, tap, jazz, twirling, modern dance and Pilates. Her love for the arts started at Carousel Performing Arts in Kennett Square, PA. The owner of the studio also owned Carousel Health Food Store. At Carousel, they stressed the importance of exercise and healthy living. This is where Debbie’s love and passion grew for nutrition, fitness, holistic healing, and dance. She performed her very first solo ballet performance at the age of eight at Immaculata University in PA. As a young dancer she studied with The Brandywine Ballet Company under numerous teachers who were from Pennsylvania Ballet, Harrisburg Ballet and Joffrey Ballet. Her modern dance and Pilates background is in Martha Graham, Lester Horton, Ron Fletcher and she trained under teachers Holly Winje, Pat Thomas, Roni Koresh, Faye Snow who are professional dancers and teachers from University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. Debbie was fortunate to travel and perform in many states and danced professionally for many ballet and modern dance companies around the states.
Debbie's mom encouraged her to enroll in a women’s self-defense class and after doing so Debbie fell in love with martial arts. She studied and taught martial arts for many years. She received numerous awards and earned her Black Belt in Taekwondo with the American Taekwondo Association. Her modern dance background and Pilates teaching grew at the University of Arts in concentration in dance and choreography. As an educator, Ms. Sheme draws on years of experience to develop her own unique style of Pilates, focusing on fluid expressive styles of movement. Debbie’s desire is to serve and support the discipline of Pilates as fitness and art form in its fullest expression and to enhance the public interest in it.
Ms. Sheme has been sharing her love for Pilates, Dance and Yoga as a teacher for many years. In addition to teaching Pilates and Yoga she has taught and choreographed dance for all ages and levels at studios throughout the states of Pennsylvania and Delaware and in the state of Florida as the founder of Sanibel Pilates and Yoga (as well as Sanibel Dance) She was a long-time faculty member, choreographer, and professional dancer for the Delaware Dance Company and was the modern director for Pennsylvania Ballet’s principle dancer Paul Klocke and his prestigious Klocke School of Dance. Debbie was also the band front director for baton twirling and flags for Kennett High School for many years winning state competitions. In addition Debbie become a certified health coach in the early 90's and loves educating people on the importance of health, nutrition and alternative medicine.
Recently, Debbie has opened her home studio The Pilates Yoga Loft in Saint Augustine, FL besides her home studio in St. Augustine she decided to take her mission and calling around the U.S. She now travels to different locations and universities offering Yoga Therapy Courses, Aerial Yoga and Pilates teacher training certifications. Her love is to inspire, motivate, encourage, educate and enrich lives. Debbie lived on Sanibel Island with her husband Mark for over 10 years. Besides being the founder of Sanibel Dance Pilates & Yoga she also taught at Sanctuary Gulf Club when she lived on island. After raising her family on Sanibel and once her children went off to college she began to travel again. While traveling she feel in love with Saint Augustine FL and has now made that her new home town. As an educator, Ms. Sheme traveled and studied internationally and received her first 200 Hour E-RYT certification with Yoga Alliance in Greece. She leads Pilates & Yoga 200hr teacher training certifications and Aerial Yoga teacher training nationally through Sanibel Pilates & Yoga, Pilates Yoga Loft with Yoga Alliance. Also, her studios are officially RYS Yoga & Pilates schools with Yoga Alliance. Debbie is a certified Pilates instructor, Pilates Reformer teacher and holds certifications in Ayurveda Medicine, Yoga Therapy, SUP Yoga, Aerial Yoga and is a Wellness Advocate for the company doTerra. Debbie also teaches weekly Pilates Classes at world renowned Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra, FL and she teaches Pilates reformers with several doctors at In Balance Studio in Jacksonville beach, FL. Debbie is super excited to now call Saint Augustine her home. She visits Sanibel Island a few times a year for her wellness retreats and teacher training certifications and travels often around the states.
Debbie's mom encouraged her to enroll in a women’s self-defense class and after doing so Debbie fell in love with martial arts. She studied and taught martial arts for many years. She received numerous awards and earned her Black Belt in Taekwondo with the American Taekwondo Association. Her modern dance background and Pilates teaching grew at the University of Arts in concentration in dance and choreography. As an educator, Ms. Sheme draws on years of experience to develop her own unique style of Pilates, focusing on fluid expressive styles of movement. Debbie’s desire is to serve and support the discipline of Pilates as fitness and art form in its fullest expression and to enhance the public interest in it.
Ms. Sheme has been sharing her love for Pilates, Dance and Yoga as a teacher for many years. In addition to teaching Pilates and Yoga she has taught and choreographed dance for all ages and levels at studios throughout the states of Pennsylvania and Delaware and in the state of Florida as the founder of Sanibel Pilates and Yoga (as well as Sanibel Dance) She was a long-time faculty member, choreographer, and professional dancer for the Delaware Dance Company and was the modern director for Pennsylvania Ballet’s principle dancer Paul Klocke and his prestigious Klocke School of Dance. Debbie was also the band front director for baton twirling and flags for Kennett High School for many years winning state competitions. In addition Debbie become a certified health coach in the early 90's and loves educating people on the importance of health, nutrition and alternative medicine.
Recently, Debbie has opened her home studio The Pilates Yoga Loft in Saint Augustine, FL besides her home studio in St. Augustine she decided to take her mission and calling around the U.S. She now travels to different locations and universities offering Yoga Therapy Courses, Aerial Yoga and Pilates teacher training certifications. Her love is to inspire, motivate, encourage, educate and enrich lives. Debbie lived on Sanibel Island with her husband Mark for over 10 years. Besides being the founder of Sanibel Dance Pilates & Yoga she also taught at Sanctuary Gulf Club when she lived on island. After raising her family on Sanibel and once her children went off to college she began to travel again. While traveling she feel in love with Saint Augustine FL and has now made that her new home town. As an educator, Ms. Sheme traveled and studied internationally and received her first 200 Hour E-RYT certification with Yoga Alliance in Greece. She leads Pilates & Yoga 200hr teacher training certifications and Aerial Yoga teacher training nationally through Sanibel Pilates & Yoga, Pilates Yoga Loft with Yoga Alliance. Also, her studios are officially RYS Yoga & Pilates schools with Yoga Alliance. Debbie is a certified Pilates instructor, Pilates Reformer teacher and holds certifications in Ayurveda Medicine, Yoga Therapy, SUP Yoga, Aerial Yoga and is a Wellness Advocate for the company doTerra. Debbie also teaches weekly Pilates Classes at world renowned Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra, FL and she teaches Pilates reformers with several doctors at In Balance Studio in Jacksonville beach, FL. Debbie is super excited to now call Saint Augustine her home. She visits Sanibel Island a few times a year for her wellness retreats and teacher training certifications and travels often around the states.
