Health Is A Feeling • The Nob Hill Gazette

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Sarah Harding Traverso moved her customized Pilates classes outside during the pandemic. As a trained gymnast, she also spent six years with Cirque du Soleil.

A résumé rundown is usually a dry way of getting to know someone. But when Disney, Cirque du Soleil, and a two-time Ms. Fitness USA title come up on one, it’s far from boring to read.

Pilates trainer Sarah Harding Traverso started her staggering days at the age of 6 in Oahu, growing up on the island – and on the exercise mat. A scholarship led her to Stanford, where she started as an All-American gymnast for the NCAA. After graduating and staying at Tokyo DisneySea as Ariel from The Little Mermaid’s Air Force, Cirque arrived. “The timing was right – I could run away with the circus,” says Traverso, who performed KÀ for six years with artists from around the world at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Today she runs Sarah Harding Fitness Inc. Traverso, a mother of four young children who lives in Saratoga, loves to customize 1: 1 Pilates experiences with clients who may have past injuries or adapt to new bodies after giving birth. “Healing is so much a part of accepting what we can do within some new constraints and new limits,” she says.

1From a fitness standpoint, you’ve risen to the elite. What drove your various sports activities?

As a small child, I fell in love with the joyful feeling that gymnastics and dance gave me. Early on, I found the sweet spot where work could feel satisfying. Human movement could make me feel strong, graceful, confident, and in contact with a soulful force. Gymnastics became an expressive outlet for me to share emotions and connections with others. A later acrobatics career at Cirque du Soleil seemed obvious.

“Parenthood is the toughest endurance sport I’ve ever played. Parents need the physical support and additional resources to learn how to take better care of their own bodies. “

2What was it like behind the scenes at KÀ?

At the KÀ you could hear seven different languages ​​behind the scenes without any problems. You could step into the exercise room and acrobats hop on a trampoline, practice wushu or Chinese martial arts, or do traditional fitness training on a Pilates reformer. What you might not expect is the playful way the acrobats exercise: hit a soccer ball or hacky sack, or listen to music as you learn new hip hop skills. The best part about being behind the scenes is experiencing and experiencing the camaraderie that abounds between the cast and crew. Whether on stage or off, there is a real sense of belonging and family.

3Your athletic journey led to Pilates, which you have been teaching for 15 years. What do you most hope for from your customers by working with you?

When I was hired by Cirque in 2003, I had to practice Pilates backstage with a private tutor three times a week due to a previous low back fatigue fracture. In all honesty, I was never a fan of Matt Pilates until I trained on a reformer. There was no pain! Still, it was quite a challenge.

Fitness is a feeling. As a Pilates trainer, my goal is to build better body awareness through Pilates while expressing and modeling empathy. The great thing is that customers often tell me that when they are feeling better, they have more energy, patience, and kindness to others.

4thHer career has adapted with motherhood. How have you put family at the center of your approach to personal fitness, both for yourself and for your clients?

Parenthood is the toughest endurance sport I’ve ever played. Parents need the physical support and additional resources to learn how to better take care of their own bodies while taking care of their little ones. Rather than creating a traditional workout routine for our kids, we should put the kids in the spotlight and let the kids dictate our fitness choreography. In other words, if the baby wants to breastfeed or suckle while mom is carrying it in a baby carrier, let’s think about gentle and relaxing exercises mom can do while feeding her baby. Or if the child wants dad to read her a book or push her on a swing in the park, we can explore stretches or movements that dad can do while reading or playing with his child. This allows parents to reassure their children while they can promote their own physical health and emotional wellbeing.

5This article will appear during the Tokyo Olympics – a place you will also know from your appearances with Tokyo DisneySea. How do you see the world of gymnastics today compared to when you took part in competitions and choreographies?

There are a few key differences. First, as you know, there has been a major purge of our executives, coaches and team doctors in women’s gymnastics. It’s no longer about little girls being pushed in unhealthy ways; It’s about strong women who make personal decisions for their athletic careers. Second, the team is one of the most diverse we’ve ever had, which is exciting for our sport and our nation. The level of difficulty of gymnastics today compared to 20 years ago has also gone through the roof! Simone Biles has redefined what is humanly possible in the world of women’s gymnastics.