Recreate Pilates Owner/Instructor Bios

A little history....

Cyndie and Karen met each other while living in Hawaii in the early 1980's. They instantly became the best of friends, and are fortunate to have had their living situations evolve to the point where they could raise their children together, as well as found Recreate Pilates!


Lucinda (Cyndie) Klein: Owner/Instructor

Cyndie started dancing at her aunt’s ballet studio at age 5 and danced in ballet, tap and jazz until high school. She continued with modern dance through her mid twenties. She started her education in biology here in California at LBCC. Due to her husband’s job, the family was transferred across the country. Cyndie continued her studies at Rhode Island College, Cincinnati State College and, when back in California, at Cal Poly Pomona. In 1997 she started working in pharmaceutical sales. During this time she was introduced to Pilates by her future business partner, Karen, and was hooked. After having her first baby in 2000 she decided to leave the pharmaceutical industry and train in the Pilates Method. Cyndie trained with and received her certification from Marie-José Blom-Lawrence at Long Beach Dance Conditioning and graduated in Spring of 2002. She taught Pilates at a local Palos Verdes studio until opening Recreate Pilates in January, 2006. Cyndie lives with her husband and children in Torrance.


Karen Rinehart: Owner/Instructor

Karen received her BS in Nutrition from UC Davis, and her Master’s degree in Exercise Science/Kinesiology from Cal State LA. While living in Northern California she choreographed and performed with Nexus modern dance collective. Karen was first introduced to Pilates in her early twenties as a form of dance training and as a way to rehabilitate dance injuries. Karen completed her Pilates training and certification under Marie-Jose Blom-Lawrence at Long Beach Dance Conditioning in the Spring of 1999. Prior to becoming certified in Pilates Karen owned a private practice in nutrition, where she had the opportunity to work with many professional and Olympic athletes, as well as sports teams, in the Southern California area. She also provided nutrition counseling services to mom’s groups, senior organizations, and children’s health organizations. In addition to Recreate Pilates, Karen currently works in research and information services, focusing primarily on nutrition, sports medicine, rehabilitation, and exercise and sports science and conditioning. Karen lives with her husband and children in Redondo Beach.


Jamie Lynn Nelson

Jamie first discovered Pilates as a way to help cure her chronic back pain. Jamie was certified in Pilates instruction at Long Beach Dance Conditioning by Marie Jose Blom-Lawrence in the Fall of 2002. She received her BA from the USC School of Theater in 1998, and minored in communications. Jamie is also a bellydancer, and has just put out her first video, Pilates for Bellydance. She is currently working on a book about children’s posture. Jamie and her husband live in Redondo Beach.


Nichole Owens

Nichole began taking Pilates to rehabilitate a figure skating injury she received when she was 12 years old. She received her training and certification in Pilates from Marie Jose Blom-Lawrence at Long Beach Dance Conditioning in Fall of 2002. She then moved to New York where she taught mat and reformer Pilates classes until moving back to California in May of 2005. Nichole received her BS in Biology from Rensselear Polytechnic in Troy, New York, in 2005. She is currently back at school at CSULB, studying to receive her Master’s degree in Teaching.

Emily Nelson

For Emily, health and fitness are a way of life. She has been a competitive athlete her whole life, a swimmer and a volleyball player. She attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and completed her Bachelor of Science in Art and Design with a concentration in photography. After college Emily discovered Pilates and saw it as a lifestyle to remain fit and active, and became determined to help motivate others to practice making health and fitness a priority. She completed an intense program at Long Beach Dance Conditioning to achieve her Pilates Certification. Emily keeps active riding her bike, snowboarding, swimming, running, hiking and practicing Pilates herself. She is currently training to compete in her first triathlon.

Debbie Price

Debbie was introduced to Pilates while doing her own rehabilitation for a hip injury. Pilates helped her to avoid undergoing hip replacement surgery, and allowed her to become pain-free. After seeing the results of her own Pilates training, she decided to become a Pilates instructor. Debbie was certified at Long Beach Dance Conditioning by Marie Jose Blom-Lawrence in 1999. She has worked in the fitness industry for almost 28 years as an aerobics instructor and personal trainer. She has also worked in physical therapy settings and designed corporate wellness programs. Out of all the different aspects of fitness Debbie has worked in, she believes Pilates to be the most efficient way to develop a strong core and a healthy body. After 10 years of teaching Pilates, she loves it and believes in it more than ever.

Gina Brutti

Gina was born and raised in the South Bay, and has always enjoyed a healthy, active lifestyle. She was first introduced to Pilates as a way to rehabilitate her knee after years of ballet training. Pilates made a huge difference in her body and her life, which is why she chose to become a Pilates instructor. Gina received her Pilates certification from Marie-Jose Blom Lawrence at Long Beach Dance and Conditioning in 2005. She has also received certification in pre- and post-natal Pilates from Jennifer Gianni of Fusion Pilates in 2007. Gina holds a B.A. in English Literature from Cal State Long Beach. She lives in Redondo Beach, and is currently working toward her M.S. degree in Nutrition Science.

Barbara Fuller

Always interested in the physical sciences, Barbara knew for years that she wanted a career in fitness; teaching and helping others. Her first Pilates experience was at Recreate Pilates, and she soon realized that the structural and integral approach of the Pilates method was something she wanted to be a part of. She completed the intensive Pilates training program at Long Beach Dance and Conditioning to earn her certification and after 30 years as a hairstylist, salon owner and educator, she now enjoys dual careers. Barbara and her family live nearby in Torrance.