Certified Pilates-Based Rehabilitation Instructor

Lizz, a professional dancer, was initially introduced to Pilates in 1986 at St. Francis Dance Medicine after fracturing her foot. Then in 1991, Roman sustained a serious back injury. After being told she was a surgery candidate who would need to give up her dance career, Roman decided to again try Pilates at St. Francis where she began a long recovery process. One year later, Roman was able to attend an MFA program in dance, where she became interested in kinesiology and dance injury prevention and rehabilitation. In 1998, Roman was recruited by Ellie to attend her new Pilate’s instructor certification program and went on to study with Ellie's then rehab specialist, Jane Edwards. Ms. Edwards, an amazingly talented Pilates rehab trainer with extensive training in neuromuscular reeducation, introduced Roman to the work of Vladimir Janda, MD. Janda is known worldwide for his research linking muscle dysfunction and chronic pain syndromes. Since then, Roman has integrated Janda's program (progressive balance and proprioceptive challenges to improve overall body posture, muscle balance, joint stability and speed of muscle contraction) into her own approach to Pilates rehab. Lizz has had great success with chronic and intransigent injuries. For the past five years she has taught a 12 week rehab intensive for certified Pilates instructors, fitness trainers, yoga and dance teachers as well as a variety of other bodywork and health practitioners at the EHS in San Francisco.

Lizz moved to the Bay Area in 1984, after receiving a BA in Experimental Psychology at DePaul University in Chicago. Once in the Bay Area she continued her dance career in San Francisco while attending JFK University in Orinda where she pursued a graduate degree in Psychology. Roman, who runs the innovative dance company LIZZ ROMAN and DANCERS, which specializes in site-specific dance works, has also taught professional modern dance technique classes for the past 12 years. Her teaching credits include ODC, SFDC, Rhythm and Motion, School of the Arts, master dance classes at UC Berkeley and guest lecturer at SF State University Department of Kinesiology.