Instructors
Jacqueline Sloan, PTA - Founder
Jacqueline Sloan is a Physiotherapy Assistant at Shelbourne Physiotherapy in Victoria, BC. A fully certified Stott Pilates Instructor and a member of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association, Jacqueline has the privilege of working closely with an excellent team of physiotherapists, kinesiologists, pilates instructors and massage therapists.
Ms. Sloan works with adults and youth one-on-one and in small groups. Many clients referred through the clinic are athletes and dancers and people with injuries, work or accident related. All these people are struggling to find a way to move again and/or stay in shape without pain. Many of her clients live with Arthritis, Osteoporosis and Spinal Pathologies. Recently she spear-headed a program to develop restorative and corrective exercises for clients of all ages with Scoliosis.
Jacqueline has been at Shelbourne Physiotherapy since 2009. She continues to expand her knowledge base through contact with specialists in and outside the clinic. Jacqueline recently attended Dr L.J. Lee’s “Thoracic Ring Approach” seminar, discussing the significance of a dysfunctional thorax in relation to a healthy body. Other influences have been Tom Meyers, author of “Anatomy Trains”, who has developed a revolutionary approach to soft tissue patterning through myo-fascial integration.
Jacqueline grew up in an athletic family of teachers (both parents taught PhysEd) but chose dance as her primary activity in her youth. She pursued dance to a professional level, firstly with the National Ballet of Canada, and then as an independent dancer/choreographer. Jacqueline started cross-training in several modalities of body work as a professional dancer, primarily with Pilates in New York in 1983, then studying in London, Toronto and Montreal.
Jacqueline moved to Victoria in 1999, opening one of the first Pilates studios in Victoria in 2000. Then, in 2003, she founded Ballet Victoria. While with the company Jacqueline successfully developed and produced many community outreach programs from 2004-08 including ones for elementary and middle schools.
Christy Mader, B.Sc.
Christy moved to Victoria from Winnipeg in 2011 and has been involved with Body Mechanics since spring of 2013. Christy has a diverse education and training background. She received her BSc with honours from the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse, graduated as valedictorian at the Massage Therapy College of Manitoba, and is also certified as a Registered Massage Therapist here in British Columbia. Christy enjoys sport at the recreational and competitive level. She is an avid rock climber and a competitive Ultimate Frisbee player. She won Canadian Nationals in 2003, 2009 and was named MVP of finals of each and 2015. Christy has competed four times at the World Ultimate Championships, finishing 2nd in 2004, and will be representing Canada again in June, 2016 in London, England. Last, but not least, Christy is also the mother of two energetic young boys.
Gabriel Shaw, B.Sc,Kin.
When it comes to movement practice, Gabriel believes movements can be fluid, natural and easy, training ought to be light-hearted, sustainable and fun, and that training methods should be a reflection of the way we live.
Gabriel's personal mission is to bring people together on an adventure of mutual self-discovery through healthful movement and introspective practices. He especially enjoys sharing with young learners who are seeking a richer experience of themselves and their activities. His classes typically involve joint mobility, breath-work, flow, creative movements and a lot of mindfulness. Gabriel's personal practice draws inspiration from a variety of disciplines such as martial arts, qigong, meditation, yoga and fitness. He is a Shaolin Kung Fu black belt; a Yang Family Tai Chi certified instructor; Taiji Fit/Flow, basic training instructor and a Licensed Emergency Medical Technician.