Hidden Gems: Meet Yany Santos of Niña Fresa Pilates

Today we’d like to introduce you to Yany Santos.

Hi Yany, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Hi, my name is Yany Santos. I am a first gen Mexican American pilates instructor for the 818 San Fernando Valley. I am the founder, ceo and pilates instructor for Niña Fresa Pilates and we are based in Los Angeles but also host pop up pilates classes in different cities in southern and Northern California. I am the pioneer of Latina Pilates and we are the first ever Mexican owned/ family operated Pilates brand. We are also the first to integrate Mexican culture, regional Mexican music and food with wellness and in Pilates. I started in March 2024 and had this goal for a year before that when I started getting my certification. My Abuelita’s picture in front of a reformer on TikTok went viral unexpectedly and changed our life. We immediately gained a loyal following that turned into a beautiful community. Shortly after going viral on TikTok, I experienced racism and discrimination from not only the other instructors at the studio I was training at but also from the owner who sent a cease and desist letter to me and wanted me to remove all of my videos, posts (that included her studio/name) from all social media platforms and wanted zero association. I tried very hard to make her see where I was coming from and who I was doing this for. I also reached out to multiple studios within the Los Angeles area and also in the valley with the exact idea, proposal and was turned away by all of them when I told them I wanted to play regional Mexican music. I was told it didn’t make sense and that they were afraid their already existing clientele would not sign up or be fond of that idea. So, I started figuring out a way to teach now because I had alot of girls motivating me to do so. I didn’t have any money to open a studio and connections so I started brain storming and decided to teach at the beach since it was an open and free space and summer was approaching! I decided to mix my favorite seafood Mexican dish ‘Ceviche’ and aguas frescas and it went insane. I had so much support and shortly after I was interview for De Los Angeles Times, Mitu and KCAL News! I also received recognition from regional Mexican artists like Banda Los Recoditos and I kept going since. I’ve found ways to be unique, different and pour my heart into NFP. We are now not only a trademark but we’re also family operated and this is now my small business with a growing following of over 55,000 Latinas/os/women across all social media platforms. I don’t have fancy weights or yoga mats and our studio yet but we are proud to be the first and to represent who we are proudly! We started an entire movement that’s now being seen all the way in Texas, Chicago, Detroit, Florida and all over northern and Southern California! We also give back to our community and hosted our second toy drive for the children at the children’s hospital in Los Angeles this past December. We’ve incorporated non profits and partners to help the immigrants in our communities that have also been affected by ice. We provide a safe space for Latinas, women and women of color. I am very proud and hope to continue to keep going.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Personal obstacles like grief and losing family members including my dad at a very young age was very hard and is very hard. PTSD, anxiety, depression and sexual assault as a child to an adult was very hard and also the discrimination I faced firsthand when we started was hard to navigate but I always picked myself up and found a way to honor my loved ones who aren’t here anymore and represent myself, my culture and my family proudly.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Niña Fresa Pilates ?
We are the first Latina Pilates and pioneers of integrating regional Mexican music with Pilates and in wellness. We are family operated, my Abuelita and mom help me run my small business by either making the food, helping me set up or being my support system. What sets us apart is our story and resilience! We didn’t start pop up events because they were trendy but because we were pushed out by the Pilates community in Los Angeles and turned away by multiple studios. We are original and are the blueprint to all these wellness and Latina Pilates events being done all over southern, Northern California and all the way in Texas! My Abuelita’s picture in front of a reformer to a peso pluma song changed our life and we do a lot of amazing things for our community!

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
My abuelita, mom and family! Also my girls (my community) who was with us since the beginning and still is! They support us and love us. They show up to classes knowing that we do not have all these fancy Pilates weights, equipment or machines and still decide to choose us!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Ninafresapilates.net
• Instagram: NinafresaPilates

Image Credits
They’re all mine