PILATES STYLE
Tell us about your childhood.
DARIEN GOLD
I was born in San Bernardino, CA, then when I was 10, my family moved north to Capitola, which at the time was a very small town outside of Santa Cruz. At age 12, I watched a girl practicing gymnastics. I instinctively knew I could master the sport, so I started taking gymnastics at school. By the time I graduated from Capitola Intermediate a year later, I had won the trophy for Best Girl Athlete.
This accolade was followed by two different high school coaches asking me to join their varsity teams—track and field and softball. It was a huge compliment for a 9th grader, but my love was gymnastics. I trained at the Santa Cruz Gymnastics Club for up to four hours a day, came home, ate dinner, went to bed, then back to school the next day until it was time to train again. As a quick and strong gymnast, I competed at a level that could have led to a college gymnastics scholarship, but the universe had other plans.
As an adjunct to my gymnastics training, I studied ballet and jazz to help refine my floor exercise routines. But in dance class, I could make mistakes and not be ridiculed. Eventually, my allegiance shifted and when I was 18, I sat my parents down and told them I wanted to study dance in New York City.
PS So you moved to New York?
DARIEN Yes, but I soon learned that dance in New York was on a completely different level. It was clear I needed to continue with ballet to work on my technique, so I studied it with Finis Jhung and Liane Plane. Then I discovered the Horton technique and the Alvin Ailey Dance Center, where I studied for a number of years.
To support myself throughout the 1980s, I rented studio space and taught dance and even choreographed for an all-male strip group.
Esta historia es de la edición March - April 2020 de Pilates Style.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición March - April 2020 de Pilates Style.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Finding New Momentum
Overcoming obstacles caused by the pandemic, the virtual version of this popular festival still achieved its goals.
Carola Trier's Extraordinary Journey
In his authoritative biography of the first woman to open a studio, Reiner Grootenhuis delved into her personal papers to tell the harrowing story of her time in a prison camp during World War II.
Racism in the Pilates Industry
Incidents of police brutality and the ensuing Black Lives Matter protests have shed a bright light on systemic racism in the U.S., including in the Pilates industry. Here, Black instructors share their experiences.
For Self-defense
Moves of the Month
Comfort Food Made Healthy
This fall, cozy up to tantalizing comfort food that’s also healthy. A new cookbook from Kristin Cavallari shows you how.
Pilates Postcard
A Pilates teacher shares how the method is making waves abroad.
The Ultimate Gift
One year ago, Kahley Schiller’s life was completely upended by an extreme health crisis. But thanks to her 20-year Pilates practice, the 40-year-old was able to recover quickly.
Revelations
For Sarita Allen, a star of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and a protégée of Kathleen Stanford Grant, Pilates was key to her decades-long career.
Meaning WITHIN THE Movement
The Five Elements of Chinese Medicine help you go deeper into your practice, promising plenty of play along the way.
PILATES IN THE HOOD
Though she’s trained many top stars, Kim Carruthers says she’s most proud of her work as the founder and director of a nonprofit bringing the method to underserved communities.
