March 27, 2017

Meet Julianna Robinson of Physical Artistry in 31st and Pico in Santa Monica

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Julianna Robinson.

Julianna, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
As a kid I was always dancing. Ballet modern, gymnastics, you name it. I just wanted to dance all the time. Then I decided I was going to be a surgeon, so I started out my college career as a pre-med student. Then on a whim I auditioned for the prestigious BFA acting program. Well, as it turned out, I got in and ditched med-school (sorry mom and dad). I received my Bachelor of Fine Art degree with an emphasis in acting from UC Santa Barbara. During that time, I spent a semester abroad in England with The Shakespeare School where I got to learn and play alongside members of the Royal Shakespeare Company. I found Pilates during the production of a play in 2004 through an actor friend of mine shortly after moving to LA and decided I would rather do that than wait tables while trying to find acting jobs. I was certified by Risa Sheppard through The Sheppard Method Pilates. In 2009, my friend Ashley Walters Kanter and I opened the very successful Elite Movement Pilates in Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades. In 2013 we went our separate ways and now I own Physical Artistry and she owns Beach House yoga studio in Manhattan Beach. And yes, we’re still friends if you’re wondering. I’m also working on my first novel which I hope to finish at some point in my lifetime and continue to act on a regular basis.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Owning a business is hard work-24 hour, seven days a week work. Lots of work. I think the biggest struggle is trying to schedule regular life around owning a business. It’s tough to go away on vacation. Who will take care of things? What if things fall apart while I’m gone? Worry is a struggle.

Please tell us about Physical Artistry.
We have a boutique Pilates and ballet barre studio. We specialize in small group (only 3 people) classes and private one on one sessions. We see everyone from professional athletes (NFL players and pro tennis players) and movie stars (can’t say names but they’ve played super heroes) to clients dealing with MS, hip and knee replacements, back surgeries and ankle tears. We have a strong attention to detail and care coupled with good humor and fun. People like us. That’s a fact. Check out our Yelp page.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I hate to skirt a question but I have a bit of a life philosophy that says going backward or thinking about going backward prevents one from actually moving forward. There’s been a lot of fumbles in my life, like everyone’s, but those fumbles have taught me how to hold on tightly to the ball and run like hell. Our mistakes make us stronger. I wouldn’t do anything differently.

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