Pictured: Kimm Kerr is hoping to share her love for teaching Pilates with the Sarasota community. Photo provided by Kimm Kerr.

Kimm Kerr has spent most of her career working full-time in business and finance—it wasn’t until she began teaching group fitness on the side that she found a love for Pilates. “I found a studio that I loved in Baltimore that taught Pilates. And after my first class there. I just absolutely fell in love with it,” she says.

After moving from Baltimore to Sarasota in 2022, Kerr began to envision a “perfect” Pilates studio, inspired by her years working at various gyms and studios. “When I moved down here, it wasn't necessarily on my radar to open a studio, but I just decided that if I want this perfect studio, I'm going to have to create it myself,” says Kerr. “It was one of those things that if I didn't do it now, I would regret it later in life.”

Ember Pilates, Kerr’s new studio set to open later this summer, is the manifestation of this ideal studio. The studio will feature two separate spaces, one dedicated to reformer Pilates with specialized machines and the other for mat Pilates, barre and yoga classes. With infrared heating in the latter space, Kerr plans to offer both heated and non-heated classes.

The studio space is also designed to feel luxurious and welcoming—Kerr has focused on neutral and light colors to complement the abundance of natural light the space features.

Kerr says her business background has helped her as she starts her first small business, although she has also found strong support among the local business community. “I've also really been pleasantly surprised by how supportive the other local business owners have been,” she says. “They've been so generous with their time, their advice and their expertise, and they've really been open to collaboration.”

Ember Pilates, 105 Links Avenue, Sarasota, emberpilatessrq.com

Pictured: Kimm Kerr is hoping to share her love for teaching Pilates with the Sarasota community. Photo provided by Kimm Kerr.