Pilates Heritage Congress 2026 (English version)

From May 7 to 10, 2026, the Pilates Heritage Congress took place once again. Alongside outstanding presenters from all parts of the world such as Kathy Corey, Lolita San Miguel, Kathryn Ross Nash, Brett Howard, Benjamin Degenhardt, Li Xin, Maximilian Stohr, and Tony Rockoff, there was a very special event this time that drew around 400 participants from 50 countries:

A Historic Moment: The Naming of the Pilates-Platz

On May 8, 2026, the square in front of the birthplace of Joseph Pilates was officially renamed Pilates-Platz. Together with Kathy Corey, Lolita San Miguel, and the city's representatives, we had the honor of unveiling the sign. It was a deeply emotional moment for the participants from all over the world. Among the guests were Andrea Milz, State Secretary for Voluntary Work and Sport, and Felix Heinrichs, Mayor of the City of Mönchengladbach.

For the First Time at the Kaiser-Friedrich-Halle

This year, the conference was held for the first time at the Kaiser-Friedrich-Halle. The old Villa Haus Erholung, which we had grown so fond of over the years, only offered room for 250 participants, and this time, with 400 participants, we had simply grown too large.

Kaiser-Friedrich-Halle is also a historic venue for Pilates fans, as it was there that Joseph Pilates fought one of his boxing matches on May 12, 1922, as documented in the Westdeutsche Landeszeitung of May 11, 1922.

Westdeutsche Landeszeitung, 11. Mai 1922

Atmosphere and Presenters

The atmosphere during the conference was incredibly positive throughout, and participants and exhibitors gave us so much wonderful feedback. By the way, nearly all the images in this post were taken by the photographer Sequoia Janssen.

As Vice President of the congress, I spent most of my time occupied with the organization and was therefore only able to attend a few workshops myself. All the more, I enjoyed the two workshops by Tony Rockoff, which focused on the original teaching approach of Joseph Pilates. Both were a real highlight for me. Here are a few impressions from the conference.

My Books on Site

I had also brought my Pilates manuals along, and the response was overwhelming. By the end of the second day, I was completely sold out. I was especially pleased that many participants told me they already have manuals of mine on their shelves at home.

A Special Performance by Li Xin

Another highlight of the congress was a performance on Saturday by the winners of the Chinese Pilates Award from Li Xin Pilates.

New Equipment Sponsor: Equipilates

This year, we had a new equipment sponsor for the first time: Equipilates. The company not only produces its own apparatus but has also developed a special line together with Kathy Corey. The feedback from presenters and participants was very positive, and many took advantage of the special congress prices. I, too, purchased a Wunda Chair from Equipilates for our studio and am already looking forward to your feedback on it. In the picture, company founder Rafael Iazpeck is giving me a small Mini-Spine Corrector.

A Pilates Beer from Mönchengladbach

The Mönchengladbach brewer Norbert Kamps, by the way, also brewed a special Pilates beer with his Hensen Brewery, which was of course sampled at the conference. The special thing about it: it is an unfiltered light beer that nevertheless tastes wonderful. I have once again secured a crate for myself at the upcoming factory sale. The beer is very popular among the people of Mönchengladbach and is constantly sold out.

The WDR Report on the Congress

As a little closing note, here is the report by the WDR about our event.

A Thank You to Our Board

A congress like this is only possible through the work of many hands. My heartfelt thanks go to our President Kathy Corey, who shouldered the bulk of the organizational work, and to our Founder Lolita San Miguel, without whose vision neither this place nor this event would be conceivable. I also thank my fellow Vice President Claudia Linden and the entire board for their tireless dedication: Suus Janssen, Fabrice Lamego, Glaucia Adriana, Nagi Takahashi, Murielle Pickard-Dellis, and Katya Smirnova. You have all done wonderful work, and I am grateful to be part of this team.