Instructors
Barbara Hoon
New Jersey native, Barbara Hoon, actress, professional dancer, and Pilates instructor, is the founder of an exciting new studio named Six Degrees of Wellness. Barbara brings a wealth of experience with her so that she has a unique and healing touch that is unequalled in this era of ubiquitous exercise programs. She started her performing career at a young age as a member of the Garden State Ballet. This early success gave her the inspiration to apply to the most respected school of performing arts in the country-the Julliard School in New York City. Upon graduation from Julliard, Barbara was accepted into the Twyla Tharp Dance Company where she spent six years originating roles including The Catherine Wheel (with music by David Byrne of the Talking Heads) and The Sinatra Suites (in which Mikhail Baryshnikov was her partner). After leaving the Tharp Company, Barbara showed her versatility by moving on to Broadway. She originated a role in Singin’ in the Rain and continued onward to appear in West Side Story, Jerome Robbins Broadway, Carousel and South Pacific. Becoming interested in acting, she performed in the films Amadeus, Zelig and Bugsy. Television became her next medium; in addition to soap operas and commercials, she had a role in the series, Picket Fences.
Even as a mother, Barbara has never abandoned her love of movement and exercise. From her early days at Juilliard, she had learned the importance of practicing Pilates and Yoga to keep her in top form and injury-free. she has pursued this interest in Pilates and has continuously taken instruction from Patrick Strong of New York City, a disciple of the world-renowned Romana Kryzanowska. With such expert tutelage, Barbara has had the desire to help others reap the benefits of Pilates, and she has taught in Los Angeles, New York, Toronto and New Jersey. Despite her illustrious background, Barbara never loses sight of the fact that Pilates can help all people, regardless of their ages or physical conditions. No one is ever intimidated to learn from her. In fact, Barbara has had such success with ameliorating the symptoms of physical impairments that she draws clients from all over the New York metropolitan area. With her gentle, encouraging, and careful approach, she has had results that have eluded other medical establishments. And, the best part is that Barbara’s classes are fun! She can offer something for everyone. Watch for her latest endeavor, Pilates for Golf.
Johnny Diamond
Johnny Diamond, founder of the innovative program “Johnny Pilates” has been a health fitness expert for more than 20 years. Trained and certified in classical Pilates by Joseph Pilates own protégé Romana Kryzanowska, Diamond received the most authentic and comprehensive training short of Joseph himself. His expertise ranges from classical Pilates to suspension training, pre-natal and spine correcting Pilates.
Diamond is also certified in Gyrotonic, TRX training, Spinning and Yamana Body Rolling. He has worked with some of the best classically trained instructors and studios along the East Coast, including South Florida’s Pilates Off the Ave. New Jersey’s Whole Pilates, celebrity trainer Alycea Ungaro’s Real Pilates in Tribeca and spent summers at In Balance and The Pilates Method Studio in Sag Harbor, NY. Some of his work can be viewed at www.wholepilates.com. Along the way, he’s learned that well-crafted instruction, coupled with purpose and precision, can sculpt individuals with healthier minds and stronger bodies. Johnny Diamond’s self-generated brand, “Johnny Pilates” is constructed upon the core principles of strength, flexibility and balance. The key is his ability to push his clients further than they can push themselves.
Karen Noel
Certified Yoga Teacher
(Reiki) Energy Healer
Since 1993, Karen has been devoted to the sacred science and discipline of Yoga and Meditation.
In the year 2001, she obtained her yoga certification at “The American Yoga Academy” under the guidance of Claire Diab, Int’l Yoga Therapist, known for her work and travels with Deepak Chopra. As part of her training she acquired knowledge in the healing arts of Qi Gong and Zen Meditation. Over the years, she has worked with elders, hospital staff members, teachers, couples and children. In addition, Karen has shared her knowledge with breast cancer surivivors, the visually and hearing impaired and veterans.
In 2005, she achieved her Reiki Mastership. She brings energy healings to humans and animals.
Currently her studies have included Pilates, under the expertise of our Six Degrees team.
Karen brings a rare healing quality to all of her students. Her classes and expert instruction will help keep ones spine healthy and ones core strong. The discipline will boost ones immune system. Students can expect their central nervous system and brain chemistry to benefit as well. Karen has always taught a practice that is safe, healthy and therapeutic.
“You breathe how you live your life…”
Kumi Dikengil
Kumi Dikengil began dancing at age 6 with The School of New Jersey Ballet. During high school she regularly performed with the professional company. They toured the East coast performing the Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, and La Bayadere among others. In 2002 she received a BFA in dance from Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. Upon graduation she danced for a modern company called Refractions in NYC. In 2006 she was certified in Pilates mat and all apparatus through Physical Mind Institute. Currently she is pursuing a doctorate degree in physical therapy at Seton Hall University.
Dee Schneider
In 2007, Dee became a Mat Certified instructor through Power Pilates in NYC, and has been studying multiple levels of mat Pilates with Barbara Hoon since 2004. Not only does she teach at Six Degrees, but she expands her teaching in other avenues.
Dee believes Pilates is essential for enhancing sports performance. She has experienced her own improvement in her tennis and golf game due to her Pilates involvement. Dee loves the range of motion and flexibility combined with improved posture and balance. She believes Pilates as a whole is so important to everyone’s well-being. She looks forward to continuing her Pilates education and teaching more at Six Degrees.
Barbara Maceira
Barbara got her start in fitness in 1994 at the Montclair YMCA. She became a certified personal trainer and taught a body sculpting class there for four years. She moved to Morris County in 1998 and worked as an engineering technician and CAD designer until she and her husband started a family. Having never lost her interest and desire to be part of the fitness world, Barbara worked for a small fitness studio close to home where she was given the opportunity to become a Pilates instructor. She was trained in STOTT Pilates at Pilates on Fifth in New York City. While Barbara enjoyed teaching both Mat and Reformer, she also became a certified Cancer Exercise Specialist with the Cancer Exercise Training Institute and focused on training new runners for their first races. After having her second baby, Barbara decided to be a full time mom. During that time, Barbara continued to run and began to practice Yoga. She is now back in the world of teaching, and is training with Barbara Hoon to expand her knowledge and increase her own physical wellness in Pilates. She is looking forward to helping, healing, learning and renewing with Six Degrees.
Jonathan Owen
Jon Owen grew up in snowy Buffalo NY, where he was initially trained as a classical vocalist. Following his passion for music he found himself engulfed in the world of music theatre and began to study movement. Moving west, Jon attended Baldwin Wallace College Conservatory of Music in Cleveland OH where he had the opportunity to train with some of the most prominent artists of the field, including an apprenticeship at Ann Reinking’s Broadway Theatre Project. Relocating to NYC, Jon explored his performance career, working regionally across the continental USA. While training in between contracts Jon was dragged… literally dragged into Jeanette Palmer’s mat class by a friend who had recently suffered a major dance related knee injury and had been referred to Pilates by the New York City Ballet physical therapists. Immediately finding a connection not only with the Pilates method but with Jeanette Palmer, Jon passionately continued with an intensive study of the mat work. This practice lead to Jon’s training as a Certified Mat Instructor through the LindaFit School. Under the tutelage of Linda Farrell and Jeanette Palmer, he studied the specifics of Joseph Pilates’ method and practices. He now teaches the mat repertoire throughout the Tri-State area and continues his mentoring relationship with the two female pioneers of the field. His experience includes private and group classes at Body Strength Fitness, Namaste Yoga Center, 10 Barclay Tower, Penn South, The Metropolitan Montessori School, Columbia Graduate Medical School, The CUNY Graduate Center, New Dance Group and most recently… Six Degrees of Wellness.
Tara-Lyn Nunziata
Tara-Lyn discovered her love for movement and exercise when she began dancing at the age of 5 at the King Centre for the Performing Arts in New Jersey. In 1996 she earned a BFA in Communications and Dance from James Madison University in Virginia. During her college years she performed in various dance companies including the Contemporary Dance Ensemble of Virginia.
Tara-Lyn became certified in The Authentic Pilates Method of Body Conditioning in 2003 while working as an ACE certified Personal Trainer. She has extensively trained and tested with Pilates Master Teachers Romana Kryzanowska, Ton Voogt and Michael Fritzke. Tara-Lyn has taught Pilates at The Pilates Studio of New York, The Center for Movement, Club H Fitness, and most recently Pilates Montclair. She was a co-founder of the Pilates program at Club H Fitness in Hoboken, expanding the program to include private Pilates sessions on the Reformer and Cadillac.
Tara-Lyn’s Pilates sessions are tailored to the individual needs of the client so that they will become more fit, healthy and balanced. “When the body’s strength is balanced, it functions more efficiently, preventing injury and illness.”
Peter Olsen
Peter Olsen, a Certified Massage Therapist, has been practicing professionally in New Jersey and New York since 1993. His style is a unique blend of the many different modalities he has studied. He graduated from the Therapeutic Massage Training Center of New Jersey. Peter completed 500 hours of massage training and received specific instruction in Anatomy and Physiology, Swedish Therapeutic Massage, Neuromuscular and Clinincal massage techniques, Reflexology, Shiatsu, Sports Massage, Hydrotherapy, professional ethics and business practices. His teachers include Ingeborg Schlobohm (founder of the TMTC), Dr. Mark Schlobohm (chiropractor) and Jim Mustillo (now former head of the TMTC) among others.
Upon graduating the TMTC he continued his education with courses in Sports Massage with Carol Kresge, Thai Massage with Rose Griscom of the Institute of Thai Massage, Active Isolated Stretching with Aaron Mattes, and Three Dimensional Massage & the Art of Phenomenal Touch with Leslie Bruder.
His most recent accomplishments include starting massage therapy programs at health clubs in New Jersey as well as Fashion Week in NYC. He is regularly commissioned by Academic Arrangements Abroad of New York City provide massage therapy aboard the Sea Cloud II in the Caribbean and Western Europe. He maintains his clientele in the New York Metropolitan area.
The Peter Olsen massage is typically two hours in duration. One hour and 1.5 hour sessions are also available. Beginning with a Swedish foundation, he incorporates more specific therapies which include Neuromuscular Technique, Deep Tissue Release, Myofacial Release, Trigger-Point Therapy, Thai Massage, Reflexology, Active Isolated Stretching, and Sports Massage. He has created a line of essential oils, “Infinite Benefits”, which are used in his massage practice for their healing properties.
