Studio du Corps

Diane Diefenderfer

Diane Diefenderfer, founder of Studio du Corps, is a second-generation teacher with over 30 years experience in the Pilates Method. She holds the honorable distinction of being awarded a Master Teacher Certification from legendary teacher and mentor, Ron Fletcher.

Diane was a trainee with the Harkness Ballet in New York before beginning her professional career with the Frankfurt Ballet in Germany. Returning to the United States, Diane was a guest artist with the Eglevsky Ballet and the New Jersey Ballet before joining the original Los Angeles Ballet as a soloist. A dance related injury in 1978 first led Diane to discover the Pilates Method at the Ron Fletcher Studio of Body Contrology in LA where she spent the next 8 years studying and teaching.

In 1987, Diane opened Studio du Corps, introducing Pilates to Orange County, CA and 2 years later, founded the Pilates program for the Claire Trevor School of the Arts, Dance Department, University of California, Irvine. Diane has been on the dance faculty at UCI since 1988 teaching advanced ballet technique. In addition to her extensive work with dancers, Diane's Pilates students have ranged from Olympic athletes to senior citizens looking for a safe and effective workout. In 2002, Diane began the Pilates program for the Human Resources Department for the City of Irvine, continuing to teach weekly classes for employees. She has also taught mat classes at Irvine Regional Medical Center and for cancer survivors at Hoag Hospital. Diane has been a featured presenter at the Pilates Method Alliance, Body Mind Spirit Conference and Pilates on Tour and continues to give workshops and master classes nationwide. Her work has been highlighted in the LA Times, OC Register, Sports Illustrated and Pilates Style Magazine to name a few. Diane has conducted the Teacher Training/Certification Program at Studio du Corps since 1995, proudly guiding and certifying the next generation of Pilates teachers.

Barbra Bean

Barbra Bean, instructor and studio manager, received her initial dance training in her native country, South Africa. She performed professionally in a modern dance company, toured the country as a freelance dancer, and taught for numerous dance organizations. Upon immigrating to the United States she studied at the University of California Santa Barbara and Irvine where she worked with acclaimed choreographer Donald McKayle and was introduced to the Pilates method by Diane Diefenderfer. After graduating from UCI with a BA in dance she completed the Teacher Training program at Studio du Corps and was fortunate enough to begin working at the studio. She continued her studies with Ron Fletcher, Core Conditioning, John White and Pilates Method Alliance and has served as Ms. Diefenderfer's assistant at various workshops.

She has taught modern, jazz, Pilates mat classes and choreographed for several studios in Orange County. She has served as guest faculty at several summer dance programs including Riverside Ballet, Southland Ballet, Ballet Pacifica, and RNB Ballet School in Vancouver, British Colombia.

She currently assists Ms. Diefenderfer in her Teacher Training program at Studio du Corps helping to coach the trainees in the fundamentals of working with a wide range of clients in a safe and challenging environment.

Allison Gomes

Allison Gomes began studying dance at the age of 11, in her hometown in Northern California. Soon after, she began performing as a member of the Vacaville Ballet Company. Allison was first introduced to the Pilates Method at the age of 14 as a means of cross-training and therapy for dance related issues. Her passion for the arts led her to the University of California Irvine's dance department where she met Diane Diefenderfer, who quickly became her mentor, in both the ballet and Pilates studios in June of 2007.

Allison simultaneously earned her Bachelors of Arts in dance from UCI, and her certification in the Pilates Method from Diane. She was invited to join the wonderful staff at Studio du Corps, and has since used her expertise to teach professional dancers and athletes, people seeking rehabilitation for injuries, and everyone in between. Allison really enjoys integrating the movement qualities from dance into her Pilates classes, and likewise has utilized the principles of the Pilates Method to enhance her dancing and to keep her free of injury. Allison has performed with several modern dance troupes in South California, and is currently with A:Live Dance, and contemporary ballet company.

Valerie Hirst

Valerie Hirst, instructor at Studio du Corps, was a former manager and advisor on fitness and nutrition for an international health club, where she developed an awareness of and belief in the necessity of a total mind/body integration in her approach to physical fitness.

Valerie was trained and certified by her mentor, Diane Diefenderfer, at Studio du Corps/The Pilates Center of Orange County. She has subsequently worked extensively with Master teacher (Elder) Ron Fletcher and is a certified instructor in the Ron Fletcher Work(TM).

Valerie brings to Studio du Corps thirteen years of experience in the Pilates work and a desire to assist each client in reaching their fitness goals.

Niki Parker

Niki Parker, instructor, was certified in the Pilates Method under the direction of Diane Diefenderfer in August 2002. She continues to build her expertise with on-going seminars and workshops, earning a second certification from the Pilates Method Alliance in 2009. For the past eight years she has taught at Studio du Corps and other locations in Southern California.

Niki has combined her enthusiasm for fitness and her passion for Pilates at Studio du Corps. She enjoys teaching and sharing the principles of Pilates to help each client build a strong and flexible body for sports and daily activity.

Rebeca Ramos

Rebeca Ramos, was born in Mexico City. She graduated from Ballet School at the age of 16, receiving the Advanced Certificate from the RAD (Royal Academy of Dancing.) Soon thereafter, she joined the National Ballet Company of Mexico where she performed for ten years, two as corps de ballet and eight as a soloist. She toured her country with the company working with renowned choreographers and teachers performing the classical repertoire as well as contemporary and neo-classical ballets.

Rebeca moved to Southern California in 1988 and a year later she was part of the "Phantom of the Opera" production for Los Angeles for over three years. She has been teaching and choreographing for dance schools in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas. Every summer she goes back to Mexico for summer workshops with contemporary and classical ballet students.

In 1995 Rebeca joined Studio du Corps under the direction of Diane Diefenderfer, and was certified in the Pilates Method. She has worked for Studio du Corps since and continues to teach under the direction of Ms. Diefenderfer. Rebeca met Ron Fletcher and the Ron Fletcher Work(TM) in 1998, and in the year 2000 was certified as a teacher by Ron Fletcher himself.

She is currently teaching the Pilates Method and the Ron Fletcher Work(TM) at Studio du Corps under the guidance of Ms. Diefenderfer and Mr. Fletcher through seminars. She also continues to teach dance, currently working at the Saint Joseph Ballet School for "at risk youth" in the City of Santa Ana, as well as Studios in the Orange County area and Mexico City.

Suzanne Westmoreland

Suzanne Westmoreland, instructor, completed her certification in the Pilates Method under the direction of Diane Diefenderfer in August 2003. Suzanne has been a lifelong student of ballet and recognizes the benefits of Pilates to enhance dance training and maintain functional movement for daily life.

She has taught mat classes at various ballet studios throughout Orange County and continues to enhance her training by attending conferences and workshops. Suzanne has recently retired after 38 years in the field of education with the last twenty one spent as an elementary school principal.