OUR STORY

PILATES 1883, founded in 2026 in Meridian TX , strategically partnered with Century Pilates Midland to bring the best of the best in classical Pilates comprehensive training to Central Texas. We are Meridian Texas‘ first and only fully equipped classical Pilates studio & we are committed to client results. 

We are the real deal. 

Joseph Pilates method is brilliant & he was a genius. 

We don’t reinvent his method, we hone it.

We Keep Pilates Classical.

GET TO KNOW OWNER & EXPERT INSTRUCTOR, EMILY URBANOSKY WILLS

Internationally recognized studio owner & founder of Century Pilates® & Century Pilates Instructor Training Program, CPIT®

Emily was trained in the classical Pilates Method & continues to teach in that tradition. In 2011 while living in Alpine, TX, Emily came to know Pilates’ method after seeking alternative solutions to better cope with her scoliosis. The results empowered Emily to pursue her first 600 hour comprehensive certification through the distinguished Power Pilates® teacher training program headquartered in New York. Soon after, Emily pursued her second comprehensive Pilates certification by bridging to the prestigious and rigorous, Alycea Ungaro Real Pilates® teacher training program, becoming a 3rd generation teacher of the Romana Kryzanowska lineage. Emily is also certified in the internationally recognized Vbarre® method created by Texas native, Veronica Combs. Emily is also proficient in the Pilates Suspension Method, PSM®. 

To better serve her clients, in 2023 Emily took the leap to becoming a level 2 Eldoa certified practitioner, under the mentorship of Legacy Sports & Wellness owner & globally recognized, Scott Herrera in the techniques and teachings of Guy Voyer's, ELDOA. Eldoa's are highly specialized & specific myofascial  postures used to target & decompress the space between vertebras, otherwise known as spinal decompression. 

In October 2025, Wills'  obtained a formal prenatal & postnatal classical Pilates certification to better tailor to her clients needs during & after pregnancy through the reputable 'Mama Like Me" program. 

Emily's client list has grown to encompass elite level professional athletes from various modalities including NFL Philadelphia Eagles defensive ends, XFL defensive ends, Professional Hockey players, F-Series drivers,  & Peloton and ESPN sports reporters. 

Emily is the owner, creator and Master Instructor of the highly regarded, Century Pilates Instructor Training Program, CPIT® which is  one of few worldwide to qualify for global accreditation by the Pilates Method Alliance through their International Teacher Training Accreditation Program, ITTAP. CPIT® is a 4th generation, 600 Hour or 8 month classical Pilates instructor training program which ensures its graduates with trade specific skills & reputation to enter into the workforce as a sought after Pilates professional. 

Emily has had the opportunity to learn from fellow peers & known experts in the field such as, Ray Kurshals, Sonje Mayo, Brett Howard, Moses Urbano, Alycea Ungaro, Rachael Lieck Bryce, Lolita San Miguel, Bob Liekens, Colleen Glenn, Benjamin Degenhardt, Chris Robinson, Kyria Sabin Waigaman, ChaCha Gurrero, Juan Estrada, Keren Feingold, Daniel Lyon, Joel Crosby, Tela Anderson and more. 

Will's has a keen insight into the anatomy of injuries, biomechanical problems, and chronic illness from sedentary lifestyles, and the impact they have on the overall wellness of the body and mind. Emily feels Pilates is the perfect long term & lifelong fitness modality due to its unwavering ability to be modified to compliment where we are at any given time in our lives. Emily finds it immensely fulfilling to apply her degrees in both nursing and psychology to better serve her clients through Pilates’ original method. Emily strives to keep clients mindful of each movement and insures they get the most out of their time in the studio. Every private lesson or group class is designed to meet the needs of the individual student by taking into account differing physical abilities, body types, and learning styles. 

Emily creates an all inclusive and welcoming environment that allows each person to work at his or her own level with confidence. Emily’s goal is, and will always be, to empower her clients in safely achieving strength beyond the limits they place on themselves.

When not in her Midland, TX studio, Emily can be found being the goddess wife to her husband, Grant, and spending time with their two fur baby's Australian Sheperd's, Piper Lynn & Quilliam Shatner, or traveling the world.

¡Pura Vida!

GET TO KNOW LEAD SENIOR INSTRUCTOR, 

SHANNON JOHNSON

4TH generation comprehensive classical Pilates instructor & Faculty for Century Pilates Instructor Training, CPIT®

Shannon Johnson began taking Pilates in early 2018 and immediately fell in love with the well-rounded frame of work, experiencing remarkable results in her body and craving the constant challenges it provided. As she developed into consistent practice, she began to realize that there are different methods of Pilates and found herself exclusively gravitating to the classical method that was taught by a talented and passionate instructor, Emily Wills. 

The classical method stood out from the contemporary methods, being a much more challenging full-body workout, with flow and an emphasis on technical form. A year into her Pilates practice, Shannon transitioned to private practice, training solely with Emily Wills, revealing a deeper level of Pilates benefits when the exercises are performed correctly, modified as needed, and the workouts are tailored for her own unique needs and goal. 

Shannon’s private practice fast-tracked into an exciting blessing and journey when she was presented with the opportunity to study under her talented mentor. Elated and honored, she jumped at the invitation to enroll in the Century Pilates Instructor Training in the fall of 2021.

While working on her Pilates certification, Shannon enrolled and completed Vbarre instructor training in March of 2022 and successfully finalized her 600-hour comprehensive Century Pilates Instructor Training apprenticeship in May of 2022. Shannon continues to expand her study and knowledge of the Classical Pilates method engaged as a mentor for Century Pilates Instructor Training, with 1200+ audit hours. In 2023, to better serve her clients, Shannon broadened her wellness studies by becoming ELDO II certified under the mentorship of Legacy Sports & Wellness owner & globally recognized, Scott Herrera, in the techniques and teachings of Guy Voyer’s, ELDOA. ELDOA is a highly specialized & specific set of myofascial postures used to target & decompress the space between vertebras, otherwise known as spinal decompression.

Born and raised in the DFW area, Shannon is a wife and the proud mother to a beautiful daughter and a dog mom to three spoiled fur babies. Outside of her passion for Pilates, she holds a demanding, professional business career and has a love for the outdoors, baking, and travel. One of Shannon’s hidden talents is planning epic vacations.

She feels blessed to have a home studio to nurture her practice. Shannon is devoted to continuing her Pilates and ELDOA education and life-long practice, sharpening her skills as an instructor, and making long-term plans to be a full-time instructor and trainer as a retirement career.

Shannons passionate about sharing her love for Pilates and ELDOA® with her clients to create profound change. When taking one of her classes, Shannon strives to bring you an empowering, positive, and effective workout experience, focused on your specific needs peppered with some fun and challenging variations, humor, and joy.

GET TO KNOW THE “WORLD 

TRAVELED” LACEY D. ASHER 

4TH generation comprehensive classical Pilates instructor.

Lacey’s passion for movement started long before taking her first Pilates class. Born in Anchorage Alaska, the great outdoors molded Lacey’s adventurous spirit and enduring nature. From a very young age, Lacey’s intrinsic draw to competitive sports helped her to hone her mental fortitude, specifically sports that tested her self-endurance and performance, like swimming & skiing. Adventure played a huge roll in Lacey’s movement background, especially growing up in New Mexico, Arizona & Montana competing in equine Gymkhana and O-Mok-See competitions. In high school, while living in Kuwait, Lacey competed in badminton, tennis, and volleyball taking any opportunity to travel through school events that afforded her expeditions to Jordan, Egypt, India, Switzerland, & Bahrain to name a few, not to mention her time in ‘Model United nations’ where she spent time in Amsterdam. She never realized classical Pilates would be the adventure that gave her life the greatest purpose beyond the highest calling of being a mother to three beautiful daughter’s and nurturing her  marriage to David, who she’ll be sharing a 20 year wedding anniversary with this year!

When her youngest went into kindergarten, like most nurturing mothers, she had a calling to seek a purpose beyond the household for many reasons but chiefly, her sanity.  Pilates came at the perfect time in her life when she needed to fill her time with a healthy pastime. She began working at a local Pilates studio as ‘front desk’ and soon thereafter began her career in the contemporary Pilates realm. It wasn’t long before Lacey had the opportunity to take classical Pilates from a 3rd generation master instructor that she began to notice the power and effectiveness of the classical Pilates method. That was the turning point in Lacey’s practice & her career. This January 2025, Lacey stepped into the strenuous and highly regarded 600 hour Century Pilates Instructor Program, CPIT® a globally accredited 3rd generation comprehensive classical Pilates certification (right here in Midland, TX) under the mentorship of Master instructor and creator, Emily Urbanosky Wills.  

Lacey has had an educational renaissance the past two years and she’s not slowing down any time soon, racking up anatomy and movement principles training through Balanced Body®,  pursuing & comprehensive classical certification and continuing education with 2nd generation classical teachers. This May, Lacey attended workshops and private training by Jay Grimes protégé, Joel Crosby, of Vitality Method & Contrology Academy, in Arlington, TX at the original Century Pilates location. 

This October, Lacey will be further elevating her expertise by pursuing a classical Pilates Prenatal & Postnatal certification through 3rd generation Master instructor and creator of ‘Mama Like Me’ instructor training, Keren Feingold, also faculty for Alycea Ungaro’s Real Pilates New York.
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As a running coach in 2021 and a WOR obstacle course “battle bunny” advocate, Lacey’s intrinsic ability to empower her students was the catalyst that powered her into carrying people across the finish line with unwavering encouragement. Lacey is a natural teacher and her years spent as a CNA and home health caregiver confirms her natural expertise in bodily assessment. This medical background compliments  the skill we refer to in the industry as, 'Pilates Sight' which is the capacity to identify the bodies asymmetry, and tailor towards it. Her love language is bringing balance to the body. Her ravenous appetite for quality classical education and understanding makes her a force to be sure. Lacey wants her students to leave feeling and knowing  they got a strenuous and effective workout ensuring a feeling that space was created throughout the entire body. Her hope is for her students to leave in better spirits & boasting a strong sense of wellbeing while feeling accomplished and empowered. Lacey believes Pilates is not just stretch, and strives for her students to embrace that classical Pilates is, in it's purest form, strength training.

Nowadays Lacey’s draw to obstacle course racing and love for half marathons have magnified the need to keep her body in uniformed shape, sharing how “months into a consistent Pilates practice dramatically changed her body’s composition”. This newfound posture and core strength helped alleviate  pain in her knees and ankles. Classical Pilates profound impact on Lacey’s life and lifestyle has been the greatest driving force and factor in her faith of this brilliant method. 

When she’s not in the studio, the Ashers love to spend time on their Ranch in Trent, TX. Taking the camper and boat to Elephant Butte Lake and love spending any free time in the British Virgin Islands and Cozumel. It won’t be out of character when they eventually decide to travel around the world on a catamaran of their own.  Lacey is an avid knitter and crocheter and has attributed this practice to helping her live  semi-sober life. 

“Pilates is good for my mental health and doesn’t hurt my body. I don’t want to work out to be skinny I want to work out to be as strong as possible for as long as I can.”